History and traditions

The history of the Florentine Plain relates to the reclamation performed in the last century which gradually changed the regime of the surface water over the entire territory by creating a complex network of canals of lesser or greater importance which today still efficiently collect and drain the surface water.

The flat land, the high clay content of the soil and frequent stagnation of the water are all elements which have influenced the history of these places, and are even reflected in the local place names (Padule=Marsh, via del Pantano=Bog Road).

Until a few decades ago, most of the land on the plain was dedicated to agriculture, lending a rather dense pattern of allotments and plots and other agricultural activities related to horticulture.

Now the plain landscape shows the signs of the radical changes in farming methods with the arrival of farm machinery, the gradual changes in market demand and the number of labourers.

Thus landscape of the plain is now characterised by large fields prevalently dedicated to mono-cultures and lacks the typical hedgerows, rows of trees etc. of well-conserved farming areas.