Cascina: Townscape, Sacred Buildings and Local Culture
Cascina lies a short distance from the Arno at the foot of the southern slopes of Monte Pisano. Its townscape includes art, churches, theatres and regional everyday culture.
Townscape and Initial Orientation
The historic street layout of Cascina follows the rectangular plan of a Roman castrum, with streets running perpendicular to one another. A main street lined with arcades crosses Cascina and divides the settlement centre into two unequal parts. The surviving sections of the Mura di Cascina are highly fragmented.
Art and Sacred History
The Oratorio di San Giovanni Battista is considered a rare monument of medieval painting in the Pisa area. In 1398, Bartolo Palmieri commissioned the Sienese artist Martino di Bartolomeo to decorate the oratory with frescoes.
The sacred buildings in Montione and Zambra also represent different historical periods. The Abbazia di San Savino in Montione is considered a rare surviving example of a fortified religious settlement; its complex is dated to the period between 1118 and 1134. The Chiesa di San Jacopo (San Torpè) in Zambra is considered one of the few still recognisable early medieval churches in Italy. Its architectural structure is dated to the 9th century. There is a step at the entrance, and no ramp for people with disabilities is available. The information about the step and the lack of a ramp concerns the entrance itself and should be taken into account when planning a visit.
The Oratorio della Santa Croce is a Baroque-style building. It was constructed between 1633 and 1674 and became the baptistery of the Pieve in 1785. The architectural dating of the Chiesa di San Jacopo (San Torpè) to the 9th century therefore predates the construction period of the Oratorio della Santa Croce.
Theatre, Museum and Local Tradition
The CittĂ del Teatro in Cascina is a theatre production centre recognised by the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities. In addition, the Museo della SocietĂ Operaia di Cascina, Legno e Mestieri documents the arts, crafts, economy, education and social development of the town and its surrounding area since the mid-19th century.
The Fiera Annuale is part of the local tradition. It takes place every spring in Cascina as a traditional patronal festival in honour of the town's patron saints, Innocenzo and Fiorentino. Regional cuisine includes the Piattella pisana, an old bean variety from the Arno Valley between Cascina and Pisa.
Arrival by Train and Road
The Città del Teatro in Cascina is about a 2-kilometre walk from Cascina railway station; this walk should therefore be planned as a separate section of the route between the station and the theatre. The station is served by the Pisa–Florence regional railway line. Cascina is also connected to major road routes and a railway line.
For the higher-level travel overview: Pisa.
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