The Poggio Ripaghera Saint Brigida Protected Area in Pontassieve

The protected area was founded in 1995 by the Tuscan Region in order to defend the environment and some historical finds came to light in the territory of Pontassieve.

The area extends along the middle eastern area placed between the Mugello and the Arno valley, on a surface eight hundred hectares wide.

The territory is covered by a thick woody vegetation of chestnut-trees, beech-trees, oak-trees, pine-trees and by different rare flowers like the "Scilla" and the "Dente di Cane". The area also shows interesting geological aspects.

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Very interesting are also the remains of some historic monuments such as the remains of some Medieval towers and castles, the ancient bridle paths, today still paved, and the rural houses dating back to the XVVV-th century.

It is also possible to visit the "Santuario della Madonna del Sasso" (Our Lady of the Rock Sanctuary) whose building goes back to 1490, on a pre-existing oratory dating back to the XI-th century, as a consequence of Our Lady’s apparition in that place.