Monachino between pastures, forest and history

Monachino between the valley widening and pastures

Monachino lies at an altitude of about 700 m at a point where the narrow valley of the eastern Limentra widens considerably. The widening of the valley provides space for extensive pastures.

Ferriera, church and oratory in the Limentra Valley

At the end of the 16th century, a ferriera commissioned by the Grand Duke of Tuscany was operating in Monachino. The Italian term ferriera refers to an iron-processing facility. The facility is therefore one of the historical traces in the village connected with iron processing.

The church in Monachino is dedicated to Saint Pope Stephen and dates from 1838. With its construction date of 1838, the church postdates the ferriera that operated at the end of the 16th century. There was an oratory in the hamlet of Pian del Toro in the Limentra Valley. It was initially dependent on Fontana Taona Abbey and later belonged to the Florentine Pazzi family. The church and the oratory are located at different points within the historic village and valley area.

Water technology near Ponte de' Bianchi

Near Ponte de' Bianchi stands a metal wheel with a horizontal axle and several blades, built in the immediate post-war period. It used the water supply of an earlier mill wheel with a vertical axle and generated electricity for the Monte la Croce military area and Monachino. The horizontal axle of the metal wheel and the vertical axle of the earlier mill wheel belong to two interrelated wheels.

Paths to the Rifugio, the Cascina and Sasso del Consiglio

From Monachino, good roads and mule tracks make excursions to Rifugio Pacini-La Rasa possible. The same roads and paths also lead from Monachino to Cascina di Spedaletto-Acquerino.

Sasso del Consiglio lies a few hundred metres from Monachino and features numerous rock carvings. For those interested in culture, this rocky site is a point of interest in its own right alongside the historic sites in the village and the Limentra Valley. The rock carvings add another historical trace to the architectural and technological history.

Foresta dell’Acquerino

The Foresta dell’Acquerino nature reserve is characterised by extensive forests dominated by beech trees and grass-covered clearings. The beech trees are centuries old. The grass-covered clearings create open areas within the extensive beech forests. The combination of forest and clearings differs in form from the open pastures in the widening of the valley.

Foresta dell’Acquerino also contains an archaeological park incorporated into the Itinerario della Pietra of the Ecomuseo della Montagna Pistoiese. The Centro di Educazione Ambientale di Acquerino is also located at Località Monachino, 51020. The Centro di Educazione Ambientale and Osteria del Monachino are both located in Località Monachino and belong to the village. Thus, forest, clearings, archaeology and environmental education coexist in the landscape.

Local address in Monachino

Osteria del Monachino at Località Monachino 1/4 is a bar and restaurant.

Other places

More about Villa Di Baggio.

To the higher-level travel overview: Sambuca Pistoiese.