CASTLES OF LUNIGIANA

Castiglione del Terziere Castle - Bagnone
Whitin the greater structure of the present-day Castiglione Castle, the result of layer upon layer of successive accretion, one can clearly recognise the original fortress arranged according to the typical medieval scheme of a central keep surrounded by an outer wall, in this case, with at least one turret guarding its south-eastern flank. Vestiges of the early wall as well as the style of construction, in particular the cylindrical pillar within the four-sided central keep, indicate the fortress was built before the 11th century, that is, in the High Middle Age. In 1351 the Marquis Franceschino Malaspina, dubbed "il soldato" (the soldier), obtained lordship of the independent fief of Castiglione del Terziere and carried out a significant restructuring of the eastern wing; he had the walls fortified and built the rounded turret still standing today.

In 1451 the fief passed under the control of Florence, and Castiglione became the seat of the "Capitanato di giustizia" (Captaincy of justice). Over the ensuing century, the Seigniory and later the Grand Duchy carried out progressive remodelling of the edifices to better adapt them to their new functions as seat of administration and diplomatic relations for those areas of the territory which, though subordinate to Tuscany, were part of the Magra Valley of the Malaspina. Recently, Loris Jacopo Bononi restored the castle to its renaissance splendour. The restoration executed under his guidance has brought to light the splendid details and stylistic elements (marble multiple lancet windows, frescoes and other decorations) of the palace where, for nearly three centuries, the Florentines administered justice in the Lunigiana.

The castle now houses the Centro di Studi Umanistici "Niccolò V" (Center for Humanistic Studies). Founded by Bononi, it boasts an extraordinary library collection specialised in the History of Florence and the Lunigiana, as well as Italian Literature. Over the more than twenty years since the Center's inception, the castle has become the destination for history scholars and specialists from Italy as well as abroad.

Piagnaro Castle - Pontremoli
The Piagnaro Castle, poised atop the hill dominating the northern approach to the town of Pontremoli, arose in order to control the cross-roads which, traversing Mount Bardone, provided the link between the Po Valley, to the north-west, and the Magra Valley and Tyrrhennian coast, to the south-east. The original fortress, whose costructions probably dates back to between the 9th and 10th centuries, was still quite functional in 1167, when it was used to repel the advancing army of Federico I.

Today, however, little remains of the original structure. What is clearly visible, instead, is the centralised system of fortification, known to have been constructed in the 13th century (and which local tradition attributes to King Enzo in 1247). Its defensive system hinges upon the massive semicircular keep, access to which is furnished by an independent entrance. The central figure of the Piagnaro Castle's rather complicated history has always been the nearby walled town of Pontremoli, for which the castle maintained its role as armed sentinel during the course of the 15th to 18th centuries. The fortress was renovated, remodelled and enlarged numerous times, as can be seen from its current arrangement. Still today it resembles, rather than a true castle, a fortress, which it has in fact been, considered since 1650.

Arriving in the Lunigiana
By air: Pisa airport, Firenze airport, convenient train and bus connections
By train: Lines Rome-Turin Parma-La Spezia Lucca-Aulla
Local bus routes: CAT (Consorzio Apuano Trasporti) tel. 0585-857551
Motorways: A11 Firenze-Mare A12 Genova-Livorno A15 La Spezia-Parma Exits: Massa, Carrara, Aulla, Pontremoli
State roads: SS 1 Aurelia SS 62 del Passo della Cisa SS 63 del Passo del Cerreto

Visits to the Castles (information)
APT - Azienda di Promozione Turistica di Massa Carrara (Massa Carrara Tourist Agency) tel. 0585/240063 - 240046

Province of Massa Carrara - Cultural Affairs offices tel. 0585/810909

Aulla (Castle) tel .0187-400252
Bagnone (Tower Hall) tel. 0187-429010
Fivizzano (Tower Hall) tel. 0585-92391
Fivizzano (Castle) tel. 0585-92466
Fosdinovo (Castle) tel. 0187-68891
Massa (Tower Hall) tel. 0585-490259
Pontremoli (Library) tel. 0187-830134
Villafranca (Tower Hall) tel. 0187-493013
Villafranca (Museum) tel. 0187-493417