Why is Pitigliano nicknamed Little Jerusalem or the tuff town?

Pitigliano bears these two nicknames for two different reasons: “ Little Jerusalem ” recalls its Jewish history, while “ ville de tuf ” describes the volcanic rock on which the town is built. From the 16th century, Jewish families, notably from neighboring territories, found refuge there. A synagogue, attested in 1598, and a Jewish quarter with a matzo oven, ritual bath and kosher cellar bear witness to this presence. The nickname also evokes the bonds formed between Jewish and Christian inhabitants; it does not mean that the Jewish community is numerous there today.

As for the tuff, look at the town from the valley: its houses seem to extend the cliff, but it is above all the soft volcanic rock that shaped the landscape and made it possible to dig cellars and passages. In the surrounding area, the vie cave, ancient paths carved into the tuff, clearly show how the inhabitants used this stone. If you want to place these traces in local history, you can also read our guide to Etruscan heritage in Maremma.