Sesto Fiorentino

The history

The first settlements in the territory of Sesto date back to pre-historic times. A few thousand years later, in the 7th and 6th centuries B.C. the Etruscans had settled on the southern slopes of Monte Morello. In the Roman period, the town spread over the plane along the old Cassian way. The name “Sesto” is derived from the military stone which marked the sixth mile from Florence. The adjective “Fiorentino” was added as late as 1869.

In the Middle Ages it stayed under the dominion of the bishop of Florence; the exorbitant taxes imposed increased the anger of the population and there was an attempted rebellion which caused the inhabitants to be excommunicated in 1260. Sesto later passed under the control of the Florentine Republic and came under its jurisdiction, as did Fiesole.
In the Renaissance, thanks to the general improvement in living conditions and the draining of the marshes and swamps which surrounded it, the town started to develop. Many properties and old houses, bought by the nobility and rich Florentine merchants, were transformed into country residences and villas with parks and gardens. Among these the villa Guicciardini Corsi Salviati still stands out. It was constantly embellished and enlarged between the 16th century and the first half of the 17th century.

The founding of the Manifattura Ginori, in 1737, and its continuous development brought about a progressive change, during the course of the 18th and 19th centuries, to the economic and social structure of the city. Towards the end of the 19th century, resulting from the process of industrialization which affected the whole of Italy, Sesto too, saw the setting up of many workshops and factories which operated in different sectors of production: from ceramics to soap, to the food industry and that of straw. Such firms worked alongside the Richard-Ginori which, with its 1400 employees was by far the biggest company, with considerable importance in the economy of Sesto.
At that same time, a strong civil and democratic conscience developed, which remained unaltered during the Fascist dictatorship and which was expressed by the population in taking part in the Liberation and the birth of the republic.

The last few years of the 20th century saw the expansion of new economic sectors: the service sector and large retail distribution in particular, while in the manufacturing sector companies have sprung up which operate in the field of chemistry, mechanics, advanced information technology and fashion.
These companies work alongside the production of ceramics which still constitutes an important part both of the economy and the historic and cultural heritage of this town.