Discover Serravalle Pistoiese

If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Serravalle Pistoiese, choosing a theme can help with your planning: medieval fortifications, sacred architecture and art, or historic pilgrim routes. These themes tell different parts of the town’s history and give you a concrete choice of what to explore more closely during your visit. With the buildings, you can compare their dates and surviving features; with the routes, the stages, pilgrim history and landscape help put them in context.

Fortresses and fortifications

The Rocca Vecchia was built in the 12th century; the Torre del Barbarossa, which stands more than 40 metres high, is all that remains of it. The Rocca Nuova, also called the Rocca di Castruccio, was built after the siege of 1302 and preserves walls with towers, remains of battlements and a water cistern. The Porta della Gabella dates from the 14th century, has a round arch and connects the ancient walls to the Rocca Nuova. The two descriptions highlight different features: the surviving tower is the key feature of the Rocca Vecchia, while the Rocca Nuova is notable for several fortification elements.

Churches and art

The Chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo preserves an intact apse, an outstanding example of Romanesque architecture from the 12th to 13th centuries. The Ex Oratorio della Compagnia della Vergine Assunta is a masterpiece of Pistoiese painting from the late 14th century. So age is not the only basis for comparison: the church is notable for its Romanesque architectural form, while the oratory is significant for its art-historical place in Pistoiese painting. Their periods also differ: the apse belongs to Romanesque architecture of the 12th to 13th centuries, while the oratory belongs to Pistoiese painting of the late 14th century.

Historic routes

The Via Romea Strata passes through Serravalle Pistoiese on the Pistoia–San Baronto stage and is part of a medieval route used by pilgrims travelling to Rome. The Cammino di San Jacopo also passes through the town; from the Torre del Barbarossa, you can see the beginning and end of the route. The stage and the medieval route to Rome are central to understanding the Via Romea Strata; for the Cammino di San Jacopo, the view from the Torre del Barbarossa of both ends of the route is an additional feature.

The Sentiero CAI 231 runs from Serravalle to Castellina, through centuries-old olive groves and along old paths that once connected rural communities. Its focus is therefore different from that of the pilgrim routes: the landscape and the former connections between rural communities take centre stage.

Plan your visit

To visit the Torre del Barbarossa, simply go to the IAT during opening hours; booking is not required. If you plan to include it in your itinerary, check the opening hours in advance.

Discover more destinations: Castagno, Montale, Abetone, San Marcello Pistoiese, Quarrata, Lizzanello, Panicagliora, Cutigliano

Return to the main travel overview: Pistoia.