The Summer In Italy Newsletter

Pitigliano - The Little Jerusalem

Pitigliano is a truly unique village in southern Tuscany, in the less-known Maremma district. The town is dubbed "la cittá di tufo" for the rock that it not only is built of, but rests on. Pitigliano is perched on a tufa bluff, making it a dramatic sight.

The village is also called "Little Jerusalem", not just because it looks ancient and bears a resemblance (in miniature) to the historic quarter that city, but more specifically for the long presence of a Jewish community in the town. There has been a "Hebrew quarter" for more than half a millennia, and there is today a synagogue, kosher shops and traditions intact. The Jewish district (quartiere ebraico) is the most characteristic and charming section of town. The synagogue was built in 1598 and became the center of the thriving community for centuries. The Grand Duchy of Toscana was accepting and tolerant as many Jews fled the papal states' persecutions in Rome during the 1500s and sought refuge here and other cities. By the time of the Unification of Italy, the community comprised about one-third of the town's population. Unfortunately, over time there was a slow emigration to the cities and overseas and the Jewish population dwindled. World War Two and the fascist racial laws scattered the remaining thirty families, who found refuge on farms in the surrounding countryside. A point of pride for Pitigliano was that none were directly taken from the town to concentration camps but given help and hiding places until the end of the war. 

Thewar's bombings, however, unsettled many parts of the tufa bluff, and destabilized the synagogue. Between that, disrepair, and disuse due to the community's emigration, it was closed definitively in 1959 and shortly after the roof collapsed and the building couldn't be saved. But twenty years later, one family felt the pull to rebuild and re-establish Pitigliano's Jewish history and culture. Enrico Spizzano said he was "the last Jew born in Pitigliano" and wanted to preserve its distinguished roots, establishing an association called La Piccola Gerusalemme. The town council rebuilt the synagogue, and the association started a museum. How, it has become renowned, and draws travelers from around the world. 

Around town, there are kosher shops, olive wood artisan goods, and the local winery also makes kosher wines, both red and white varieties. The bakeries turn out two special sweets: Tozzetti ebraico, an almond and sugar cookie, and lo sfratto, which are unlevened sticks made stuffed with walnuts, honey, orange and nutmeg. Give them a try!

This fascinating town rests on top of a cliff and exudes a romantic and mysterious air. It unfolds along the high tufa ridge with narrow, almost-secret alleys and opens into little overlooks. Beneath are age-old wine cellars carved right into the rock on which Pitigliano is built, with a network of secret tunnels andThe Bianco di Pitigliano is a crisp white that is gaining in popularity.

The Etruscan Paths

The Etruscans left more than just burial chambers in southern Tuscany, they also left a fascinating network of pathways called the Vie Cave. Despite the name, the vie cave (prounced vee-ay cah-vay) aren't caves; they're tunnel-like passageways that are carved out the tufa rock, deep canyons that were hewn out to form paths. The narrow lanes are open at the top, but are deep chasms meandering through the hills and gulleys of the landscape. They are steep in places, with high walls that block the sun, and yet are intriguing and unique.

The vie cave network linked towns, religious sites and necropoli, chiseled by hand without mechanical means. The reasons for these roads are unclear. In the Middle Ages, the stone channels were put to use as aqueducts. Today, they're pleasant paths to wander and enjoy the cool ambiance away from the scorching sun for a day of hiking in a unique setting. It will be one of the most unusual hikes you're likely to do!