Tatti: Churches, Castle and the Selva di Tatti

Tatti combines medieval traces, ecclesiastical architectural history, a community-owned forest and guided trails through forests and along old connections between several places. If you would like to focus your trip to Italy on a combination of culture and landscape, Tatti offers a range of themes: its churches and castle tell the story of historical developments, while the Selva di Tatti and the excursion programme provide other ways to experience the area.

Churches and History of Tatti

Tatti has been documented in the inventories of the Diocese of Lucca since the 9th century. The town’s castle also points to several stages in its history: it was acquired by the Aldobrandeschi in the 13th century and ceded to the Pannocchieschi in 1267. The Church of San Sebastiano still displays clearly recognisable medieval features and was renovated in the 18th century. The Church of Santa Maria Assunta dates from the 13th century and was completely rebuilt at the end of the 19th century. The two churches therefore make it possible to trace different construction phases and changes in the town.

Castle Complex and Surviving Traces of the Walls

An imposing stone cassero stands at the highest point of Tatti’s hill and extends around an inner courtyard. Part of Tatti’s circuit wall is still visible, particularly on the southern side. A round-arched gate has also survived on the southern side of the walls, topped by three rounded stones. The castle, circuit wall and gate form prominent historical reference points for exploring Tatti’s architectural character.

The Selva di Tatti

The Selva di Tatti is part of the landscape and local character. It is a community forest legally owned by the entire town and is divided into three forest districts: Bandita La Selva, Bandita di Mezzo and Bandita del Pian di Tatti. This precise division makes the Selva di Tatti both part of the local history and a specific landscape theme for your stay.

Guided Trails through Forests and Towns

The guided excursion programme includes a route entitled “Il borgo di Tatti, tra fontanili e mulini”. The guided excursion programme also includes routes through forests, along old paths and through the towns of Prata, Niccioleta and Tatti. Registration at least 48 hours in advance is required for the guided hike involving Tatti. The guided excursions in the programme that include Tatti are designed for groups of 2 to 20 participants. When planning, both the route’s thematic focus and the group size and required advance notice are therefore important.

Choose Accommodation That Matches Your Travel Focus

When choosing your hotel or accommodation in Tatti, you can tailor your stay to your interests. The churches, castle, cassero and traces of the walls lend themselves to exploring the town from a cultural and historical perspective. The Selva di Tatti and the guided routes through forests and along old paths add a focus on landscape and active exploration. This keeps Tatti manageable as a destination, while allowing you to choose the focus of your stay between local history and guided trails.

Further destinations for orientation: Prata, Cura Nuova.

For the broader travel overview: Massa Marittima.