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Casale Marittimo

Casale Marittimo

«It sits on a hill, overlooked by a higher hill where Casale Vecchio was, now completely ruined. There is evidence of Casale Nuovo since 1004: the Counts of Monte Scudaio ceded it to the Florentines in 1406. At the top of the hill is the enclosure of the ancient castle with a gate equipped with antiports: at the highest summit was the fortress, now reduced to a terrace: near it is the very narrow Parish. Below the castle, on the southern slope, is a large village with a public oratory.»

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(Attilio Zuccagni-Orlandini, Topographical Indicator of Grand Ducal Tuscany (1856)​

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Casale Marittimo was already inhabited in Etruscan times, as evidenced by excavations in the municipality's territory, including a tomb in the shape of a tholos dating back to the 5th century BC. (now at the Archaeological Museum of Florence).

Remains of some Roman villas have also been found.

It was a castle and main center of the area under the counts of Gherardesca. Nominated as early as 1004, in 1406 it passed under Florentine dominion, following its fate. In 1684 it was given as a fief to the Ridolfis and in 1738 it became part of the marquisate of Riparbella.

At the 1860 plebiscite for the annexation to the Kingdom of Sardinia (Kingdom of Italy since 1861) out of 320 voters there was only 1 vote against.

In 1862 the municipality, until then called "Casale nelle Maremme", was called "Casale di Val di Cecina", until in 1900 it took on its current name.[8] On 5 December 2021, the presentation ceremony of the postcard and the philatelic cancellation dedicated to "121 years of the Casale Marittimo name" was held. The postcard represents a view of Piazza del Popolo taken from the Arco Cancellieri, which bears the name of one of the many historic families of Casale Marittimo.

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