Follonica () is a town and comune (township) of province of Grosseto in the Italian region of Tuscany, on the Gulf of Follonica (Golfo di Follonica), about northwest of the city of Grosseto.
History It was founded in 1834 by Grand Duke Leopold II of Tuscany for the workers of a new ironworks plant. However, the area was already settled in Etruscan and Roman times, and a medieval castle (Castello di Valli), whose ruins overlook now the modern town from a nearby hill, existed since at least 884. Until 1923 it was a frazione of Massa Marittima.
Economy Tourism Follonica is a tourist site during the summer, mostly visited by the Italians themselves, lately, it has been visited from other people from other countries, such as Germany, France and United Kingdom. The city has been awarded the Bandiera Blu ("Blue Flag") every year from 2000 to 2007 for the cleanliness of its beaches and seawater.
Government List of mayors Mayor Term start Term end PartyGiò Batta Santini19441948Italian Socialist PartyMilton Bartoli19481951Italian Socialist PartyDino Tesi19511956Italian Socialist PartyOsvaldo Bianchi19561963Italian Socialist PartyGiovanni Coppola19631966Italian Socialist PartyDino Abati19661970Italian Republican PartyOvidio Angeluccetti19701980Italian Communist PartyMassimo Corti19801983Italian Socialist PartyLorenzo Chelini19831987Italian Communist PartyEnrico Norcini19871995Italian Communist Party/Democratic Party of the LeftEmilio Bonifazi19952004Democratic Party of the Left/The DaisyClaudio Saragosa20042009Democrats of the Left/Democratic PartyEleonora Baldi20092014Democratic PartyAndrea Benini2014IncumbentDemocratic Party
Main sights Church of San Leopoldo, built by will of duke Leopold II of Tuscany starting from 1836 Castle of Valli, built in the 8th century as residence of the bishops of Lucca; later it was owned by the Aldobrandeschi who, in the 13th century, sold it to the Republic of Pisa. In the 14th century it was a fortress of the Principality of Piombino until, in 1815, it became part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Pievaccia, remains of a large fortified medieval monastery.
Sport USD Follonica Gavorrano born of the merger between the teams of Gavorrano and Follonica, militant in Serie D.
Transports Road The Via Aurelia highway (SS 1), which runs from Rome to the Franco-Italian border, passes close by the city. Train The Pisa–Rome railway runs through the city, providing direct railway connections to the cities of Grosseto, Rome, Pisa and Livorno, among others. The train station opened in 1863. The city was also served by a secondary station located at the pier by the sea, the Follonica Porto station on the Massa Marittima–Follonica line, which was closed at the end of World War II.
Sister cities Charleroi, Belgium Kołobrzeg, Poland Hedemora, Sweden
References
External links
Municipality of Follonica Church of San Leopoldo