The First Discovery:
The town of Fiesole sits atop a hill. To the east of the town is another hill called Monte Ceceri. Monte Ceceri is named for the flocks of swans that once lived there. Apparently, the swans were called "ceceri" based on the word "cecio meaning chickpea or wart because of the excrescence on their beaks." Who knew?
We decided to hike up Monte Ceceri. During our hike, we made a discovery. Monte Ceceri was once a quarry that supplied stone for the construction of Fiesole more than 2,000 years ago. The quarry also supplied stone for Medieval and Renaissance Florence.
The stone quarried from Monte Ceceri is known as "pietra serena"(serene stone or rock) and you can see it all over Florence today. Pietra serena is a gray colored sandstone. Artists such as Michelangelo, Cellini, Brunelleschi and Cellini used pietra serena. One example is Brunelleschi's use of pietra serena in the Basilica of San Lorenzo. He used pietra serena for the church's columns, pictured below. What is amazing is each column is a single piece of stone, rather than stacked slabs.
We decided to hike up Monte Ceceri. During our hike, we made a discovery. Monte Ceceri was once a quarry that supplied stone for the construction of Fiesole more than 2,000 years ago. The quarry also supplied stone for Medieval and Renaissance Florence.
The stone quarried from Monte Ceceri is known as "pietra serena"(serene stone or rock) and you can see it all over Florence today. Pietra serena is a gray colored sandstone. Artists such as Michelangelo, Cellini, Brunelleschi and Cellini used pietra serena. One example is Brunelleschi's use of pietra serena in the Basilica of San Lorenzo. He used pietra serena for the church's columns, pictured below. What is amazing is each column is a single piece of stone, rather than stacked slabs.
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| The Basilica of San Lorenzo: The columns along the nave are single pieces of pietra serena quarried atop Monte Ceceri and then carted several miles to Florence. |
Peitra serena was even used to construct the early 16th century building where we live in Florence. Check out the photo below.
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| A pietra serena column supporting the central stairway in Via Laura #20 (Florence) |
Monte Ceceri was home to many quarries located all over the hill, as many as 19. The quarries included a school for training stonemasons, a workshop and usually a storeroom for keeping tools and provisions (such as wine). As a result of the activity over the centuries, Monte Ceceri was barren--no trees or other flora. A century ago, quarrying ended, a forest was planted and Monte Ceceri is again a green oasis overlooking nearby Fiesole and Florence.
Here are some photos from our visit.
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| A map of trails and other features of Monte Ceceri |
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| A site of one of the many former quarries on Monte Ceceri |
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| A drystone storehouse near a quarry on Monte Ceceri |
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| A description of one quarry on Monte Ceceri |
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| A description of one quarry on Monte Ceceri |
Next Up: The second discovery.
P.S. From our apartment, we can see Monte Ceceri. Monte Ceceri is the green hill in the right third of the photo below.
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