Lunigiana is a region that embraces mountains, hills and sea, crossed by major and small rivers. The territory touches Liguria and Tuscany, with some of its sites currently located in the province of Emilia.
Its inhabitants consider themselves descendants of the historical population that lived on the Apuane Mountains, the “Apui“, and for which the silent Stele statues represent silent, mysterious, charming offsprings.
Villages, castles, churches are the witnesses of the manifold and troubled story of Lunigiana over the centuries. The Malaspina Marquis Family ruled here with its feudal power and magnificent fortresses, battling alternatively against Florence, Genoa, Lucca for the control over the primary communication route from Rome to France that crosses Lunigiana.
The region can nowadays be divided into Upper and lower Lunigiana, the latter being roughly correspondent to the Val di Magra, the Valley crossed by the Magra river and with a strategically mouth to the sea.
In Fivizzano, at the foot of the Tuscan Emilian Apennines mountains, time seems to stand still at the Medicean time, when the village's main square was designed, although the area was inhabited since prehistoric times.
Today interesting archeological site, with a well-preserved amphitheater and a museum of important relics witnessing the glorious story of Lunae, "the port of the Moon", the ancient city from which trades and transport of the marble quarried in the nearby Carrara started.
Prehistoric site, it had its golden age between the fourteenth and eighteenth centuries, when it was the capital of an independent marquisate governed by the most important branch of the Malaspina family of Spino Fiorito, whose marquises were imperial vicars in Italy. This has left deep traces in architecture, art, and local culture.
Sarzana is the main city of Magra Valley, in the lower Lunigiana, derived from the Roman city of Luni, it had its Golden Age in Middle Age and Renaissance, as witnessed by its fortresses and mansions.
Pontremoli could be considered the "Capital" of Lunigiana, the possible ancient "Apua" city, founded by the Apui people. The place to be to find the real atmospheres and secrets of the Lunigiana region.
One of the towns that gave origin to the lower Lunigiana after the Roman city of Luni was destroyed.
One of the towns that gave origin to the lower Lunigiana after the Roman city of Luni was destroyed.
The walls of the ancient castle of di Fosdinovo, among the most beautiful Malaspina fortresses of Lunigiana, tell the story of the unfortunate Marquis Bianca Maria Aloisa, killed for her impossible love.
The Orange Flags: signs of great little Italian extraordinary. Since 1998 the Touring chooses among the many municipalities of the Italian hinterland (maximum population of 15,000 inhabitants) that make choices for a quality tourist accommodation and offer excellent local products. To date, there are over 220 Orange Flags waving in those places that bear witness […]
On the eve of the Summer Solstice, some spirituality and nature events celebrate the days of light. Borgo San Lorenzo is an inland village behind Lerici: here, in the twilight of the woods at sunset, an evocative spectacle between nature and millenary constructions that celebrates light in the days of summer Solstice has been occurring […]
A series of passages, and in particular a scenic walkway that from above the highway leads to the archaeological area, to take a journey through time: from our days in a few steps to the glories of Luni Antica The cove photo is by ecodellalunigiana.it The area of ancient Luni is an important archaeological park, […]
Mushrooms, Panigacci, Testaroli, Erbazzone, and a lot more to taste, to explore the many traditions about local food.
The Lunigiana region in Middle Age was a net of castles, making communications possible among the region’s small villages, mostly built and owned by the local feudal Malaspina family.
The Equi Thermal baths and the Giaredo canyons, and on the sea the magnificent Montemarcello Park.
Two small, but magnificent cities, full of story and art, Pontremoli and Sarzana tell of the incredible importance the Lunigiana region had in many stages throughout history.
An amphitheater and a new multimedial exhibition can now be visited in the location where the Roman port of Luni used to be.
The Via Francigena (formerly Via Francesca or Via Romea) is one of the longest and richest routes in history that is found in Europe, is a real pilgrimage that leads from Canterbury to Rome and was considered one of the most important European communication routes in medieval times.
From the Cisa pass the Via Francigena descends along the side of Tuscany, meeting the land of Lunigiana.
The route of the Via Francigena in Lunigiana is divided into:
The walls of the ancient castle of di Fosdinovo, among the most beautiful Malaspina fortresses of Lunigiana, tell the story of the unfortunate Marquis Bianca Maria Aloisa, killed for her impossible love.
The Orange Flags: signs of great little Italian extraordinary. Since 1998 the Touring chooses among the many municipalities of the Italian hinterland (maximum population of 15,000 inhabitants) that make choices for a quality tourist accommodation and offer excellent local products. To date, there are over 220 Orange Flags waving in those places that bear witness […]
On the eve of the Summer Solstice, some spirituality and nature events celebrate the days of light. Borgo San Lorenzo is an inland village behind Lerici: here, in the twilight of the woods at sunset, an evocative spectacle between nature and millenary constructions that celebrates light in the days of summer Solstice has been occurring […]
A series of passages, and in particular a scenic walkway that from above the highway leads to the archaeological area, to take a journey through time: from our days in a few steps to the glories of Luni Antica The cove photo is by ecodellalunigiana.it The area of ancient Luni is an important archaeological park, […]
An ancient sandstone warrior watches silently over the Parish Church of Santo Stefano in Sorano, a jewel of Romanesque architecture that stands out, unexpected in its austere beauty, among modern buildings. We are in Filattiera, at the crossroads of valleys and roads, a place furrowed by the course of the Magra and the passage of […]
On 6 October 1306 Dante Alighieri was the exceptional witness of the Peace of Castelnuovo, the event that put an end to the long war between the Bishops of Luni and the Malaspina family for the ever-uncertain borders between the castles of Lunigiana and spiritual power in the territory. It is the historical episode documented […]
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