History

In the Middle Ages the whole of the Upper and Middle Serchio Valley north of the bridge and gorge at Calavorno came under the name of Garfagnana. In modern times its boundaries take in the territory of what was once Garfagnana Estense - of the ducal family of Este - and of the adjacent Lucca Vicariates of Gallicano, Castiglione and Minucciano. From the local place names it is clear that in prehistoric times this area was settled by the Umbrians who were later ousted by the Etruscans of whom some really first-rate archeological finds have recently been unearthed.

But the people who asserted themselves to the greatest degree in the Valley were the Ligurian-Apuanians of whom we have traces in the numerous cremation tombs (in the form of a box made of stone slabs) which have been found more or less everywhere. The Ligurian-Apuanians constituted a great hindrance to Roman expansion and upon their defeat in 179 B.C. they were deported en masse to Sannio and thus began in Garfagnana the period of Roman colonization which absorbed the residue of the population and gave birth to the new, proud people of Garfagnana who even to this day conserve a well-marked ethnic integrity.

This period left a rich legacy of latin praedial toponymy, a road network of great interest (the Roman roads branching out from the bottom of the Valley towards the Apennine passes of Carpinelli, Pradarena, Forbici, Radici and Saltello) and trading centres of considerable importance (Pieve Fosciana, Piazza al Serchio, Sillano, Gallicano and Castelnuovo).

On the fall of the Roman Empire it was the Lombards (570-774) who, in the succession of barbarian invasion, left the most lasting signs of their presence in this region: with their settlements in Garfagnana there was a rapid spread of Christianity. There followed the dominion of the Franks and of the Italic kingdoms. Around the year 1000 we have the stabilization of the Holy Roman Empire whose influence lasted almost up to the Unification of Italy, even though under different authority (Lucca, Florence, Pisa, Modena, etc.). During the twelfth century while Lucca - already a free commune - was carrying out a continuous expansion in the Serchio valley other free communes of Garfagnana (over 100) were in the process of being formed under the tutelage of the Republic of Lucca and under the Dominion of Castruccio (1316-1328). Following the death of Castruccio there was a century of serious struggle and strife, with the interlude of thirty years Pisan domination (1342-1369) and the thirty years of peace under the Dominion of Paolo Guinigi (1400-1428).

As it was no longer defended by the Republic, Garfagnana fell easy prey to both the Dukes of Ferrara of the Este family and to the Florentines (Barga territory). These occupations were intended to be temporary but they dragged on until the Unification of Italy, with a temporary period of French occupation and of the Napoleonic principality of the Baciocchi (1805-1814). Peace in the Province of the Dukes of Este was disturbed by only three violent wars fought between 1583 and 1613 between Lucca and Modena for the dominion and possesion of Garfagnana. In 1859 Garfagnana was united to the newly formed Province of Massa and only in 1923 did it again become part of the Province of Lucca. The military campaigns conducted in Garfagnana during the Second World War are well known. The upper Serchio Valley was crossed by the Gothic Line and was the scene of violent positional warfare which brought enormous ruin and sacrifice to the land and its people. During this period strong partisan groups of "Volunteers for Liberty" were operating in the area.

Hotel Restaurant ALPINO
Via G. Pascoli
55051 Barga (LUCCA)
Tuscany - ITALY

E-Mail: alpino@bargaholiday.com