Piastre between Ice History and Culture

Piastre can be explored through several distinct themes: its founding during road construction, natural ice production in the Pistoia Mountains, buildings and festive traditions. When choosing a hotel for your stay, you can consider which of these topics interests you most. They range from industrial history and architecture to a competition held every year in August.

Ice History and the Origins of Le Piastre

Le Piastre was founded by Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo during the construction of the trans-Apennine road. The Itinerario del Ghiaccio focuses on a different historical development: it traces the history of natural ice production in the Pistoia Mountains from the late 18th century to the first decades of the 20th century. This presents the town’s founding in connection with road construction alongside the long history of ice production as two different perspectives. If you are particularly interested in this second topic, you can follow the Itinerario del Ghiaccio independently on foot or with a GAE environmental hiking guide.

Fountains, Circular Route and Historic Architectural Forms

The Fontana Campari in Le Piastre is one of three surviving fountains from a series created around 1930. La Valle del Ghiaccio also has a direct connection to this fountain: the circular route starts and ends at the Fontana Campari, near the Le Piastre Pass on Via Modenese. The fountain is therefore both a structure with its own history and the starting and ending point of the route.

The Ghiacciaia della Madonnina has the shape of a truncated cone and a thatched roof. A truncated cone is a cone with its tip cut off; the term describes the shape, while the thatched roof refers to the roofing material.

The Church of Sant’Ilario can also be understood through different historical stages. The parish of Sant’Ilario in Le Piastre was established in 1785 from a former oratory; the present church’s design dates to the second half of the 19th century. The two dates therefore mark different developments: the establishment of the parish and the later design of the present church.

Festivals and the Protection of the Area

The Italian Championship of Lies (Campionato Italiano della Bugia) is held every year in August in Le Piastre. If you would like to plan your trip around this event, check the specific event date in advance.

The traditional Sagra della Polenta Dolce was held in Le Piastre on March 30, 2025, from 3 p.m. At this edition, visitors could enjoy polenta dolce, necci and sweet chestnut-flour doughnuts. The two events take place in different seasons: the championship is held annually in August, while the edition of the Sagra mentioned here took place in March 2025.

The area of Le Piastre is protected in collaboration with the Ecomuseo della Montagna Pistoiese. This adds a perspective on the area as a whole to the history of individual buildings and ice production. Piastre therefore offers both specific historical topics and a focus on protecting the area.

Discover more destinations: Cireglio, Pontelungo, Bottegone, Arcigliano, Sammommè, Sarripoli, Piteccio, Ponte Nuovo.

For the broader travel overview: Pistoia.