The Lunigiana takes its name from Luni, a Roman town, perhaps pre-dated by an Etruscan settlement, which became the principal urban center on the northern Tuscan coast. Some contend that the name Luni refers to the moon, a celestial body whose beauty is made all the more attractive when framed by the white-peaked Apuan Alps and high Apennine mountains. Others maintain, though little or no evidence exists, that the region was populated by those who worshiped the moon. As if to unite history and myth, the symbol of contemporary Lunigiana is a crescent moon held in the claw of a bear. The earliest inhabitants of this region may have been the Apuani (from which is derived the name of the Apuan mountain chain), an ancient Ligurian people, as well as Etruscans who may have inhabited towns along the coast and even the hamlets near in-land trade routes [...]
Fivizzano, a walled city in the province of Massa and Carrara, Tuscany(Italy), became part of the Republic of Florence in the 15th century thus gaining the Tuscan republic an important foothold in Lunigiana, a key region which Genoa, Lucca, Pisa, Milan and Florence had sought to dominate since the early Middle Ages. It is also known as "The Florence of Lunigiana" because of historical economic, cultural and political links with Florence.
Numerous events and festivals take place in the Fivizzano district, from the Daffodil Festival, located in the splendid grounds of the Villa Pescigola estate, followed in June by Fivizzano Sapori, a cultural-gastronomical festival showcasing typical produce of the Lunigiana and the wider province of Massa-Carrara, the National Parks of the Tuscan-EmilianAppenines, the Cinque Terre and the Regional Park of the Apuan Alps.
The Disfida degli Arcieri di Terra e Corte, (Archery Contest of Country and Court) which takes place in July, is a re-enactment of an archery contest that first took place in1572.
Amongst summer festivals, the following are of note: Tre Sere nel Passato, a re-enactment of a medieval market that takes place in the Malaspina town of Gragnola, in the Fivizzano district; the music festival Volerock; the beer festIn Fermento, theSagradellaPattona, (flat-bread festival) in the hamlet of Agnino and the by now famous TANGOWORLDevent, which takes place in Fivizzano in September.
From 24 to 26 December the Presepe Vivente(living crib) has as its setting the ancient workshops of the village of Equi Terme, against the stupendous backdrop of the Equi caves.
The prehistoric route- The first signs of man
Equi Terme: The Tecchia (Shelter)
Equi is the first inhabited site in Lunigiana where the Tecchia was used by Neanderthal hunters in the Middle Palaeolithic.
The little sepulchral caves
We enter the natural canyon called “Solco” where it is possible to see a lot of sepulchral caves in which dead bodies were buried in the Neolithic Age. Tana della Volpe (the Fox’s Earth) is one of these caves. Grotta delle Felci (the Ferns’ cave) was a cave used as a shelter. Buco del Diavolo (the Devil’s Hole) is a cave that was probably bound to the cult that worshipped water.
Tenerano: The Tecchia (the Shelter)
We then arrive at another larger “Tecchia”, a shelter situated against the sheer mountain side, used by man during the prehistoric times.
Pontevecchio: Alignment of the Statue Stele
We now arrive at Bocciari in Pontevecchio, where nine Statue Stele were found in perfect alignment. These mysterious human images, masculine and feminine, were carved in sandstone, from the Copper Age until the Roman Age.
Mommio: The Flint Quarry
As we leave the Apuan Alps and head towards the Apennine, it is the flint quarry what we see in the mountain which dominates Mommio. A place, perhaps, where prehistoric men and women came to pick the flint to create the stone tools necessary for their life.
The route of Roman and Medieval Art
The White Churches of Europe
There was a moment in history when Europe was formed: “it wasbuilt” – said Goethe – “along the Francigena route, along the Camino de Santiago, along the great pilgrimage ways”. The destinations were Rome, Santiago de Compostela, St. Michele of Gargano, Volto Santo di Lucca, Vienne and others. Along these roads wonderful Churches arose, almost always of white marble or limestone. This happened also in Lunigiana where the first phase of the Roman architecture is often formed by walls of white stone. Here, in Lunigiana, the Camino de Santiago, the Francigena Route and the Via del Volto Santo crossed, and Padanian and Tuscan influences met, leaving their traces in our roman and parish churches.
The eastern Lunigianese area maintains the best examples: Codiponte, Pognana, Vendaso... documented since 1148.
We start from Valle del Lucido, with St., which was once governed by Lucca Diocesi.
St. Terenzio Church
This church was founded by Transualdo in 728. Beautiful originals in marble remind us of its oldest phase.
St. Michele of Monte dei Bianchi
The Church walls of beautiful limestone were part of the “Monte” monastery, bound to Matilde di Canossa and to her family. It was also the monastery of the Bianchi di Erberia family, the most important “feudatories” in the Lucido valley before the Malaspina.
St. Cipriano parish church of Codiponte
It is the most important example of roman architecture in Lunigiana. This area was inhabited in the Iron Age and the Roman Age, then in the 8th century a Christian Church was built.
St. Paolo Parish of Vendaso
We then arrive at another prestigious roman parish Church
The Lunigiana is an historical territory of Italy, which today falls within the provinces of La Spezia and Massa Carrara. Its borders derive from the ancient Roman settlement, later the medieval diocese of Luni, which no longer exists.
Lunigiana covers an area from the Apennines to the Magra river, belonging in part to Tuscany and in part to Liguria. [....]
ref. : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunigiana
Supply /Last Minute
Quarazzana is one of the beautiful ancient villages for which the district of Fivizzano is renowned, located at roughly 600m above sea level.
Here time and nature have stopped in a bygone age; cows, horses and donkeys are to be seen calmly passing through the village on their way to their familiar pastures.
The village is surrounded by pine and chestnut covered hills, filled with daffodils, broom and hellebores amidst other rich and varied plant life. This makes it an ideal place to spend your holidays in the peace and tranquillity of the countryside, especially for those who enjoy being at one with nature, perhaps on horseback or bicycle or just hiking, or as a means of simply making a quick escape from the pressure of city life.
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One thing is for sure ..... you’ll never get boredi n Quarazzana, not even if you want!
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