Giants of Peccioli — Four Figures Rising from the Earth

Italy is full of beautiful things. But there aren’t many that make you stop mid-step and wonder for a moment what exactly you’re looking at. The Giants of Peccioli are one of those places. These monumental sculptures emerge directly from the earth, recreating enormous human figures reaching up to 9 metres in height and weighing over 1,000 kilograms. They are handmade using simple tools and raw materials, which somehow makes them feel even more powerful.

Officially, they’re called Presenze — The Presences.

But everyone simply calls them The Giants. The best way to experience them is together with a visit to Peccioli itself. It makes for a perfect slow Tuscan morning.

Where Did They Come From?

This story begins with a landfill. Literally.

In the late 1990s, the mayor of Peccioli made a controversial decision and approved the construction of one of Tuscany’s largest waste disposal sites in the nearby village of Legoli. But instead of hiding it, he decided to transform it into something useful for the community. The landfill began producing clean energy from waste, and the profits were reinvested into culture, art, and local infrastructure.

Then, in 2009, the design company Naturaliter was given a challenge: do something with this place. The designers imagined the enormous landfill crater almost like a scene from Dante’s vision of the underworld. But instead of hiding the waste, they proposed something completely unexpected: gigantic human figures emerging from the earth itself.

The sculptures symbolise rebirth from waste — the idea that new life can grow from places associated with destruction. Each sculpture weighs over 1,000 kilograms and is handmade. A structure of polystyrene and polyurethane foam is coated with cement fibres designed to withstand the weather.

And they’ve been standing there since 2011.
Two inside the landfill area, two outside.

Where Are They — and How Do You See Them?

There are four Giants in total. But not all of them are equally easy to visit.

The Giant at the Fonte Mazzola Amphitheatre — FREE ACCESS

This one stands right beside Peccioli, at the Fonte Mazzola Amphitheatre. Partially emerging from the ground, it overlooks the rolling hills of Valdera and can also be clearly seen from the Terrazza Panoramica. No booking, no tickets, no restrictions. You can visit anytime.

The Two Giants at Triangolo Verde in Legoli — FREE BOOKING REQUIRED

The two remaining sculptures — including one female figure — stand inside the Triangolo Verde landfill site in Legoli, just a few kilometres from Peccioli. This is where the entire idea was born. Inside the site, you’ll also find murals by David Tremlett painted across the reservoir walls, as well as frescoes by Sergio Staino.And from July 2025 onwards, two enormous prehistoric mammoths, also created by Naturaliter, joined the installation.

Opening Hours Monday–Friday: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM, Saturday: 9:00 AM–1:00 PM, Sunday: only on the third Sunday of each month, 10:30 AM–5:00 PM

How to Book: Since 2025, access has been managed through an automated booking and entry system called Maggiordomo Verde, available 24/7.You register online, receive confirmation, and the gate opens automatically upon arrival.
Bookings: visit.belvederespa.it

Important: Bookings for Saturday and Sunday visits must be made by Friday before 5:00 PM. After that, reservations are no longer accepted.

The Giant on the Roof of the Business Incubator — FREE ACCESS

They say the fourth sculpture is located on the roof of the business incubator in La Fila, near the road leading into Peccioli. Apparently, you can spot it from the car as you drive into the village. We didn’t manage to find it ourselves though… so if you do, let us know.