Located on the butterss that separates the valley of the Trossa stream, Pomarance overlooks the Cecina Valley, giving visitors striking views of a landscape that served as inspiration for Dante Alighieri’s Inferno. The Valley is in fact also called “of the Devil”, precisely because of the beliefs surrounding the many steam-blast eruption that rise from the ground and that have made the area famous for its geothermal riches. Pomarance is definitely one of those Tuscan villages that feel – and enhance – the magic of ancient legends. In its quiet and empty alleys, it is quite easy to believe in witches, amulets and the spell of the full moon.
Long disputed by the bishops of Volterra, Pomarance is also a rich example of Italian beauty and artistic culture. There are many itineraries that this corner of Tuscany puts on the table, as well as many places to discover while remaining within – or almost – the village walls. The Sillana Rock, for example, where artefacts dating back to the Etruscan age have been found; the Bicocchi House, one of the finest nobleman buildings dating back to the nineteenth century, is now used as a museum; the two theaters and also the Church of St. John the Baptist, where the precious canvas of the Annunciation painted by Cristoforo Roncalli, known as the Pomarancio, is kept.
In the village, legends and true stories are constantly intertwined, and it seems that even the old bell of the Dwelling of St. Michael to the ants, which is now located on the Tower of Marzocco, has its share of magic. It is said that once, in the last days of September, it gathered swarms of ants at every bell tolling. Today, of the Dwelling, only ruins remain, but it seems that the ants still gather, every year, in an attempt to bring it back to its original tower, now lost forever in time.
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