San Marcello Pistoiese
San Marcello Pistoiese was a comune in the Province of Pistoia in the Italian region Tuscany, located about northwest of Florence and about northwest of Pistoia. It has been a frazione of San Marcello Piteglio since 2017.History
Before the Roman conquest, the area was likely inhabited by some Italic tribe, such as the Ligures. The Roman senator Catilina died in 62 BC in a battle not far from here.
During the Middle Ages, San Marcello was an independent commune, until it fell to Pistoia in the late 14th century. The frazione of Gavinana was the location of the eponymous battle in 1530.
The original settlement started to grow substantially after the construction of the road connecting Pistoia to Modena, which passed through it. In 1864 it was connected by the Ferrovia Porrettana, from Pistoia to Bologna, later expanded with an electric tramway line, from Pracchia to San Marcello.
The town has the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in Italy, Ponte sospeso di San Marcello Piteglio, connecting the frazione of Mammiano Basso and Popiglio, and spanning the river Lima.Science
San Marcello is home to the Pistoia Mountains Astronomical Observatory.
