FORTE DEI MARMI
Forte dei Marmi is a seaside resort that is one of the most popular and beautiful on the Tyrrhenian coast. There is a 16th-century pier from which historic ships carried Apuan marbles. In Italian, Forte dei Marmi means "Fortress of Marbles". The city got its name from the fortress, which rises in the middle of the main square. The fortress was built by Grand Duke Peter Leopold, known as Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor since 1788. The fortress was built to defend the coast from external attacks. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, it became a site of marble reserves mined in the Apuane Alps (the same mountain range as the famous Carrara marble), as the marble was moved from there to the shipping pier. Forte dei Marmi is a popular destination for businessmen, managers, politicians, film and sports stars. Forte dei Marmi offers its guests peace and quiet: it is a town right in a pine forest with a beautiful sandy beach. The place is never too crowded and is ideal for cycling and shopping.
