Serra Pistoiese
The earliest record ofSerra is in 1040, as a stronghold belonging to the Conti Albert! di Capraia. and then yielded to the Pistoiese at the end of the 13th century. The castle was destroyed in 1327 but quickly rebuilt. Visitors to the ancient village are immediately struck by the unusual urban structure which winds along the ridge of the mountain, linking with a single road the two ancient gates which can still be seen in the ancient walls. Inside the fortified outer walls is the church of San Leonardo, with its beautiful medieval stone capitals. In the bell tower - which was originally a watchtower - is the old door to the castle, surmounted by a stone Medici coat-of-arms. Particularly interesting is the site of the old church of Furfalo, one of the oldest in the Pistoia area. the ruins of which can be seen in a wood between the village of Serra and the Nievole Valley, and which is a profoundly holy place for mountain residents; during the Easter period religious rituals are still practiced here.