Gli Hotels di Montecatini

Thanks to grand dke Leopold who built canals for the removal of the water, the territory was recuperated, moreover he ordered the constrUction of the thermal resourts around the wells: Tettuccio 1779, Bagno Regio 1773, and Terme Leopoldine 1775. The war that brought Montecatini again in the center of the conflict started in 1554. On the one hand we had Cosimo of the Medicis and on the other hand Pietro Strozzi. The Medicis represent Florence

Stabilimento Tettuccio alla fine dell'800

and have Spanish allies. Pietro Strozzi is from Siena and has french allies. Cosimo wanted to conquer Siena to expand his own territory and in response Siena initiated on 11th of June 1554 the process of conquesting Valdinievole. Pietro Strozzi succeeded in conquering the valley, slowly but with success. He caused the withdrawal of the Spanish army with its allies, the Medicis, towards Pistoia and on the 21st of June of the same year also Montecatini was sieged, by using only 150 horses (French-Siena). Montecatini did not object, also because a certain Cornelio Bentivoglio anticipated Strozzi spreading the news that he was a liberator. Montecatini was once a untouchable stronghold, but now it had become weak, both because of the degradation and because of the century-long armed conflicts. When the Medicis came back they took hold again over Montecatini, and pitilessly they stole everything, even doors and windows.

Leoncavallo e l'architetto Bernardini nel 1916

Cosimo did not indulge and full of resentment for Montecatini that surrendered without opposing and that consequently fought for not having to return under the Medicis’ control, ordained to raze the town to the ground: each day 800 men were ruthlessly killed. Only 160 houses, 3 monasteries, the lord’s house and the palace of justice remained (For further information concerning the remainings of montecatini’s Castle, see Montecatini Alto’s History).The centuries evolved more or less peacefully until the beginning of the XXth century, more exactly until 1905,

when the place, once a small township at the foot of Montecatini’s hills became "Comune di Bagni di Montecatini". This name however brought no fortune whatsoever and they changed it into the present name. From the beginning of the century the turistic offer was perfectionised and diversified. The number and quality of the hotels increased, the local enterpreneurs stood on the side of the foreign ones and there was a need to add extra facilities to the therapies in the spas: sportfacilities and places where people could enjoy or relax themselves.

Some restaurants became poular, theatres, night pubs, casino’s and famous persons came to frequent the city. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century famous persons like for example Giuseppe Verdi, Pietro Mascagni, Ruggero Leoncavallo, Trilussa, Beniamino Gigli or Luigi Pirandello enjoyed their stay at montecatini Terme. Thanks to them

Montecatini became a famous international meeting point: one discussed politics or concluded business contracts. Montecatini became a place to be and in 1926 more or less 75.000 people visited the city, a considerable number, seen the time. Up till today, Montecatini had both good days and bad days,

like all of Italy’s turistic centra. Right now Montecatini is in a period of revival, thanks to its possibility to adapt quickly to the changing world: internet is no langer something unknown and the cooperation of all its inhabitants and its vivitors bring it back to the glory of the early twenties.