A Guide To Tuscany

By Jennifer Bailey

Tuscany is a large region in central Italy - so big, in fact, that it is divided into nine provinces namely Florence (the capital), Siena, Grosseto, Lucca, Pisa, Massa-Carrara, Arezzo, Livorno, and Pistoia. It goes down in history as one of the key European provinces that seriously imbibed a tradition of arts, culture, and higher education, and it continues to do so even today.

Brief history

The Tuscan region was once the ancient Etruria, which the Romans occupied during the mid-4th century BC. Following the fall of Rome, the region was declared a Lombard duchy. During the 11th to the 12th century, the provinces of Florence, Pisa, Siena, and Lucca declared themselves as republics, making way for the burgeoning trade and arts. Florence, under the leadership of the Medici clan, seized most Tuscan cities two centuries later. The region then became a grand duchy, and later united with the kingdom of Sardinia.

Culture

Tuscany is considered "the cradle of the Renaissance," and has obviously done more than its far share of sculpting modern European culture. The greatest artists of the world such as Fra Angelico, Benvenuto Cellini, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci all hailed from the region. Intellectuals such as Galileo and many other scientists also came from Tuscany, which probably explains why the province gives much emphasis on higher education even up to this day. Tuscany is home to some of the best European universities.

Economy

Tourism and fashion are one of the main fuels of Tuscan economy. Florence-based textile companies and Ponte Vecchio jewelry workshops are among the many major employers in the region. Farming is still one of its central occupations, but manufacturing follows closely behind. The region produces everything from textiles (mostly cotton and wool) to chemicals, to metal products, and even tools and machinery, precision instruments, motor vehicles, glass, refined petroleum, and fertilizer.

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