Crespina between Villas, Art and Owl Traditions

Crespina combines a hilly landscape shaped by grand villas with art, local history and an unusual owl tradition. The hills of Crespina and Lorenzana are characterized by numerous watercourses and support local wine production.

Festival, Walk and Owl Tradition

A special cultural landmark is the Antichissima Fiera delle Civette. It takes place every year in Crespina on the feast day of Saint Michael and is included in the regional register of historic fairs. The fair includes a historical and natural-history walk; the owl park can be visited as part of the event. For planning a trip around the Fiera, the feast day of Saint Michael is the relevant date; the walk and the owl park are part of the same event. The local owl tradition is connected with the historic keeping of trained owls for lark hunting in Crespina.

Villas and Landscape as a Cultural Setting

Crespina has been characterized by large grand villas since the late 18th century. Villa Belvedere is situated in a panoramic location and has an English garden and a limonaia. Villa Belvedere thus combines a panoramic setting, an English garden and a limonaia within a single estate. Villa Corsini Valdisonzi is also one of Crespina’s notable villas. The grand villas associated with Crespina Lorenzana from the 18th and 19th centuries also include Villa Il Poggio. In the case of Villa Il Poggio, the historical connection explicitly extends beyond the 18th century into the 19th century.

Art in Villas and Churches

The Collezione Carlo Pepi focuses on the Macchiaioli, their successors and Fattori’s students. The collection comprises around 10,000 works by 1,500 artists and is displayed in two villas in Crespina: one is located on Via I Gioielli, the other on Piazza Battisti. In the Chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo, the depictions “Storie di Cristo e di San Michele,” created between 1950 and 1954 on the nave ceiling, dome and apse, are by Antonio Gaioni. Crespina’s villa landscape is also associated with Giovanni Battista Tempesti, Silvestro Lega and Giovanni Fattori, who are considered part of the Macchiaioli art movement.

The Owl Motif

Crespina is home to a bronze monument to the owl, created by the sculptor Angelo Biancini. The Centro Allevamento Civette was converted into an open-air park for the care of protected species. The Centro Allevamento Civette in Crespina breeds owls in captivity. Protected species are cared for in the open-air park, while the Centro Allevamento Civette also breeds owls in captivity.

Wine Trail through the Hills

Crespina and Lorenzana are located along the Colline Pisane Wine Trail.

Tripalle and Siberia are also part of the Pisa destination.

The overarching destination is Pisa.

More Places in the Pisa Destination

The destination also includes:

Cascina, Santa Luce, Orciano Pisano, Calci, Santa Croce Sull'arno, Chianni.