The area, known for its mineral wealth exploited until a few decades ago, was certainly inhabited as early as Etruscan times. Here are the largest copper mines in Europe, active until 1907 and now open to visitors. Montecatini, ­with its church, the 14th-century Belforti Tower, the beautiful Palazzo Pretorio and the squares, which give the village a small-town feel, was founded as a castle and residence for the soldiers who came down to Italy in the retinue of Emperor Otto I around 960. The large tower and walls are still visible and impressive today, overlooking a green and unspoilt area covered in dense woods.
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