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Lajatico is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pisa in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southwest of Florence and about southeast of Pisa. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,353 and an area of .〔All demographics and other statistics: Italian statistical institute Istat.〕 Lajatico sits in mainly hilly terrain at variable elevations from above sea level) and dominates the end of the Valdera valley and the opening of the valley known as Val di Cecina. La Sterza, one of its hamlets (frazioni), is the natural door between these two geographical areas. The Sterza, Era, and the Ragone rivers form natural borders, placing Lajatico in a very central position to reach Tuscan cities and seaside resorts.〔Emma Jones. ''Adventure Guide Tuscany & Umbria''. Hunter Publishing, Inc, 2005 ISBN 1-58843-399-4〕 Lajatico is, however, best known as the home town of tenor Andrea Bocelli. His annual concerts at the Teatro del Silenzio are attended by people from all around the world, every year. Lajatico has the following hamlets (frazioni) associated with it: Orciatico, an ancient small medieval village; Spedaletto, a stomping ground of Lorenzo de' Medici; Villaggio San Giovanni, and La Sterza.〔 Lajatico borders the following municipalities: Chianni, Montecatini Val di Cecina, Peccioli, Riparbella, Terricciola, Volterra. ==History== Lajatico, as the suffix “atico” indicates, surely has Lombard heritage, but the first settlements are much more ancient. Archaeological evidence suggests (a funeral stone, some urns, terracotta vases, etc.) that the village is Etruscan in origin.〔Mario Torelli, ''Concetta Masseria, Mauro Menichetti. Atlante dei siti archeologici della Toscana''. L'ERMA di BRETSCHNEIDER, 1992 ISBN 88-7062-785-3〕 The first written document mentioning Lajatico dates from 891. From then on, the Castrum Ajatici was property of the powerful Pannocchieschi family of Elci. In 1139, Ranieri Pannocchieschi gave to the Bishop of Volterra, Adimaro Adimari, his property stretching to Lajatico and neighboring areas. In 1161, another part of Lajatico was given to the Bishop of Volterra, until Bishop Ildebrando Pannocchieschi, due to a Papal Bull of August 1186, took over the political jurisdiction.〔Lorenzo Pignotti, John Dudley Browning. ''The History of Tuscany: From the Earliest Era; Comprising an Account of the Revival of Letters, Sciences, and Arts, Interspersed with Essays on Important Literacy and Historical Subjects; Including Memoirs of the Family of the Medici''. Publisher: Young, Black, and Young, 1826〕 In 1202, Lajatico and part of Volterra came under the influence of Pisa until 1284, when Pisa was defeated by Genoa in the battle of Meloria. At the end of the hostilities, Lajatico came back to the Bishop of Volterra, who brought it, together with Orciatico, Pietracassia and other castles, under the jurisdiction of the city of Florence, which held it until the peace of Fucecchio, in 1293. Aside from 1362, when Florence occupied Lajatico for a short time, and kept it under the jurisdiction of Pisa until 1406, when Pietro Gaetani, a Pisan noble who decided to sell out his native land, and gave the castles of Lajatico, Orciatico and Pietracassia to the Florentines. In 1434, the Florentines demolished not only the walls of the town, but also the wall and towers of the surrounding villages to punish all their inhabitants for having decided to submit themselves to Niccolò Piccinino, who was on the Vicounts of Milan’s payroll. In 1664, the same castles with their territories were conceded as a marquisate to the Corsini until 1776, when Lajatico annexed the municipality of Orciatico and, in 1869, also annexed part of the territories belonging to the municipalities of Montecatini and Volterra.〔 1869 was also the year in which the Banca Popolare di Lajatico was created. Dr. Guelfo Guelfi founded “La società per l’educazione del popolo” to promote education, support and mutual aid among the members. In 1883 the section relating to the Mutual Aid broke away from the above-mentioned “Società” to found, one year later, the “Banca Popolare Cooperativa di Lajatico”. It was the forbearer of the present and important bank operating in the area. Finally, in the past century, Lajatico was the subject of a novel entitled “Quattro notti a Lajatico” (Four nights in Lajatico), written by Augusto Gotti Lega, one of its most distinguished citizens. Another illustrious citizen of Lajatico, even if for a short time, was the father of the famous poet Giosuè Carducci.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Lajatico」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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