History

The Municipality of Campiglia M.ma includes two towns: Campiglia, the administrative centre placed on two peaks whose highest spot is at 280 metres above sea-level, and Venturina, , little town in the plain, which has been developing since the beginning of the 20th century, mainly around the Aurelia road, close to the crossing for Piombino. The municipal territory extends in the Cornia valley, between the hill and the plain, facing the coastal strip from Follonica Gulf to San Vincenzo coast.
From the hills around Campiglia, which are included in the path of the Strada del Vino Costa degli Etruschi, you can enjoy a lovely view of the Arcipelago Toscano and of northern Corsica.
The human presence in the territory goes back to a period between 90,000 and 35,000 years ago, but the most important settlement traces date from the beginning of the Etruscan period, whose foundries, located at Madonna di Fucinaia, next to S. Silvestro archaeological and mining park are the remaining example. The Park was opened in 1996 and includes some of the most remarkable monuments of the area. The Fort of San Silvestro, was excavated by the archaeologists of Siena University; it is a little village created in the 10th century and which was active until the middle of the 14th for the exploitation of the mining veins and the production of metals and silver for the Mint in Pisa.

The park, that is an integral part of the Cornia Valley Park System, includes not only the little village with the church and the castle, but also the Museum of the Mine, made out of the buildings of the 19th century mines, and a path of 360 metres excavated in a tunnel where you can see the different mining phases from the 15th to the 20th century, as the same tunnel was used during different historical periods. All that is placed in a hilly landscape where nature offers meadows of lilies and wild orchids coming out of the limestone; anemones, crocuses, cornflowers in the damp underwood in the Temperino Valley and more or less difficult paths obtained from the old ways of access to the mines.

Even the old town in Campiglia whose first traces date back to the beginning of the 11th century, is, in its totality, a monumental reference point, including the Rocca, la the San Giovanni paris church and the famous Meleagro bas-relief, the the San Lorenzo paris church and its valuable works of art, the Praetorian Palace and the armorial bearings of the Captains, nowadays seat of the museum of the archaeological findings of the Fort, the Theatre of Concordi of the 19th century with an interesting play-bill; finally an urban set-up where the medieval houses-towers can be clearly seen in the successive layers of the restoration works that resulted in the present urban and architectural set-up.
Venturina is at 5 kilometres from the administrative centre to which it is linked by a provincial road, flanked by terraced hills planted with centuries-old olive trees. The Museum of Labour Civilisation, a collection of over 10,000 pieces witnessing the everyday life and the local history, is located in one of the stands of the Fair. In Venturina there are also the Caldana baths with the pool and the mineral water cures, and the Calidario, tourist centre with the health lake where you can dive in any season.

The two centres are included in a thermal park project, which will enhance the urban centre and the numerous green areas (urban park and Molino Lake) and which will also contribute to integrate Venturina in the future development of the valley.
Nel duecentesco Palazzo Pretorio, è di recente apertura l'Enoteca pubblica, un punto d'informazione e documentazione sui vini e sul territorio.