Fornacelle: History, Trails and Monteferrato

Fornacelle represents a local history revealed through clearly identifiable traces and routes. The area is one of Montemurlo’s historic founding settlements and lies along the old Via Montalese towards Montale. This does not amount to a single sightseeing programme, but rather to a place where ecclesiastical history, historic buildings, landscape and hiking trails come together in different ways.

Between parish history and old place names

On 5 June 1986, the Fornacelle area was established as a parish under the name Santa Maria Madre di Dio. A defibrillator is located at the entrance to the church at Via Lamarmora 1. The name Fornacelle also reaches further back in time: it derives from the lime and brick kilns dating from the 15th century. This connection between more recent parish history and older craftsmanship is particularly characteristic of the area. The Tabernacolo del Campo Santo still stands today on the Via Montalese in the Fornacelle area. It commemorates the discovery in whose memory it was erected.

Villa Giamari and the municipality’s collective memory

Villa Giamari initially belonged to the Villani family. The Renaissance villa later became an important location for the municipal library, which moved to Villa Giamari in October 2003. The Municipal Historical Archive is also housed in the municipal library. Anyone interested in the development of Montemurlo will therefore find two different aspects brought together here: a historic building and an institution where the municipality’s history is preserved. For decades, Sunday Mass was celebrated in the chapel attached to Villa Giamari in the Fornacelle district. This use forms part of the area’s documented history and should be understood as a past element of its local history. Montemurlo’s historic buildings also include premises constructed for a school between 1895 and 1906. One sturdy building features a neoclassical design.

Protected landscape and a long hiking trail

The protected Monteferrato area is important for understanding the landscape. It lies entirely within the municipal territory of Montemurlo. In the context of the municipality of Montemurlo, the Via delle Rocche is a 44.5 km hiking trail of moderate difficulty. The trail begins at the hill of Montemurlo and its fortified village. Its length and designated difficulty make it a subject in its own right for visitors who would like to combine their time in Montemurlo with a longer hike. Fornacelle can therefore be understood on several scales: through the old Via Montalese and the Tabernacolo del Campo Santo, through Villa Giamari and the municipal historical institutions, and through the larger Monteferrato landscape. For further orientation within this selection, you will also find Colle, Prato, Vaiano, Poggio A Caiano, Artimino, Carmignano, Cantagallo and Montemurlo.

For the overarching travel overview: Prato.