At the end of a hill over which the ancient village of Collodi unfolds, in the province of Pistoia, rises the park named after the great Italian journalist and novelist and his better known tale «The adventures of Pinocchio».

A park that is not just a fun park, but the result of the precious work of artists from the past century reunited to tell one of the most read and known fairytales in the world. And observing the village of Collodi you understand at first sight that the fairytale was really set in this little town, which still holds a magical quality to it.

In the park there are corners which tell the moments of the tale, small signs for each sculpture and special place, with quotes from the book which lead us back inside it, especially if, at it often happens, an adult stops by to read it acting out as theatrically as possible...

Upon entering, you meet a giant chess board, where the greatest part of kids immediately stop to engage in an unlikely game of chess, and a few adults wait to no avail (but it can happen, in the cooler months...) to get involved in a real game.

Walking further into the park you meet the statue of Pinocchio and the Fairy with Azure Hair (a bronze statue made by Emilio Greco), the play ground and on the left a real puppeteer who every two hours delights visitors with a «glove» puppet show. A show within the show for so many children who by now rarely see such performances.

The surprising little Mosaics Square (built by Venturino Venturi) recreates like a mosaic, the most important parts of Pinocchio’s adventures. In a trail that is already a labyrinth among hedges and secret passages you continue, passing through Pinocchio’s village, the Fairy’s house, finally reaching the Terrible Shark, where we meet Geppetto... but also the Pirate’s Ship, with its own dark cave with their hidden treasure and the beautiful Ivy and Bamboo labyrinth.

The Park of Pinocchio proves that it is able to hold the comparison, despite its old style, with the hyper-modern and plasticised parks releasing all the poetry and the intensity you can find in the book written by Collodi. A place where imagination, dream and imagination run free within the park. The park stays open every day from 8.30 till sunset.
(Photo: Carlo Collodi National Foundation)

April.2002

Park of Pinocchio
Province of Pistoia (In Italian)
Tourism in Tuscany