The suspension bridge of San Marcello Piteglio: a breathtaking walk through the hills

San Marcello Piteglio - San Marcello Piteglio is a municipality in the province of Pistoia, in Tuscany, formed by the union of the municipalities of San Marcello Pistoiese and Piteglio. It is a place surrounded by greenery and nature, and among the many attractions there is the suspension bridge of the Ferriere, until 2006 the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world.

It connects the two sides of the Lima stream between Mammiano Basso and Popiglio. It is 227 meters long with an elevation of 212 meters and 80 centimeters wide. The primary function of the bridge, built in 1922, was to facilitate the passage of the workers who had to go from Popiglio to the opposite side to work in the various factories. The construction of the bridge prevented them from walking a full six kilometers around to get to the other side. The idea of the bridge was by Vincenzo Douglas Scotti, count of San Giorgio della Scala, and then director of the Mammiano Basso rolling mill. Today the bridge is instead a tourist attraction for those who love the mountains, the thrill of such an adventurous walk, but it is also unfortunately known for several suicides.