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HISTORY: Lunigiana - Vía Francigena - The Village, The Castle and the Grondola Tower.

The Lunigiana is a historical region that stretches over two zones: the northern side of Tuscany and the easternmost part of the coast of Liguria, along the river Magra, organized exactly over theprovinces of La Spezia and Massa - Carrara.

Both territories were inhabited in ancient times by the Romans pre Sengauni, also known as Liguri Montani or Liguri Apuani.

Lunigiana, a term derived from two words a suffix and a geographical location "Luni" colony founded   by the Romans, located on the flow of river Magra.

The name was for the first time documented about of 1141.

It is possible to drive from the north via the A1 route to Parma and thence to the A15, in the first toll there is Pontremoli, then Aulla, Santo Stefano, Magra and Sarzana.

It may also take the route A7 (Milan-Genoa) and then connect with the A12 (Genoa-Livorno).

For southern Lunigiana is achieved through the A1 motorway towards Firence and then the A11(Firence-Mare) then the A12 (Livorno-Genoa), which joins the A15.

By train you can go from north to Pontremoli and Aulla to train Milan-Livorno, or combine in Parma and take the railway line-La Specia Parma.

Air was up to neighboring International Airport "-Galileo Galilei" Pisa; well as airports and Genoa Firence

The Via Francigena (Roman Street or Via del Monte Bardone) was one of the main Italian routes travelled in the antiquity; in Middle Ages,

served to joint and communicate different cultures in Europe.

Thereabouts they have passed, from different origins, armies, hikers, soldiers, traders, saints and emperors; passing in different directions, for alternative routes and shortcuts, but all have walked by Lunigiana (see map photograph).

For example, among others: the bishops and abbots of recent popes and popes Innocent II and Callisto II, the very famous kings and emperors as: ArrigoV, King Lothario, Filippo Augusto King of France, Frederick I and Frederick II (three times), John King of Bohemia and Poland, Charles VIII and Charles V and pilgrims coming from the north to Rome.

The main route was Pavia, Piacenza, Parma (also converged on which other equally important: Mantua, Reggio), Fornovo, Mount Bardone (Cisa), Montelungo (Mount Longobardo) and Pontremoli.

branch of secondary importance was the renowned Route of the Monestario the named or Piacentino (Piacenza) or Bardigiana, through Bardi, Borgo Torresano (Borgotaro), the passage of Bratello, Grondola also arriving to Pontremoli.

All roads just described were travelled in the Medieval Age and the Modern Age, but also for German troops to retreat in Germany during World War II, and today by the local population or by fans of Nature and History.

Grondola is a charming and cobblestone medieval village inhabited by a people deeply attached to their roots and traditions.

It is located in Lunigiana, Commune Pontremoli belonging to the Province of Massa Carara (Italy).

It is easily found, some eight kilometres along the Strada del Bratello (SP 39) at the intersection with the A15 (E33), the Autostrada Cisa (Parma - The Specia).

It is located on the ridge that divides the Valley Green with the Valley Magri on the northeast side of Verde, (Mount Molinatico), at an altitude of 630 meters above sea level, thus able to control both paths of Bratello and the Cisa.

Grondola was known for the first time in 1296 as a dependent of the parish church of Vignola and changed hands several times: from Malaspina to Piacenza, Pontremoli, Parma.

In the central square of the village, you can see a plaque, located in front of a bar, which indicates this Public Space is called "Prima Piazza della Repubblica."

Searches state this historic Plaza was the first Italy Square, as a result of a referendum; he has called "Piazza della Repubblica."

We can also observe an explanation of the history and local customs with descriptions and photographs of friezes and architraves (lintels).

One of the friezes, which can be seen in the same square, is a daisy petals perhaps six of Celtic origin, used very frequently in the portals of the Luningiana as a symbol of good omen.
It also can be seen in the carved stone lintels, old structures, there are three majestic dedicated to the Madonna.

From this square are born in different directions, two roads which ones communicate the town with the whole Italy.

Divided into several borrows: Colla, Casale, Costa and Chiesa, houses stretching along the main street leading to the Piazza della Repubblica where the bar is located. Beyond it is the way to the church of San Nicomede.

Marquis Albert Malaspina, Son of Obizzo the Big, a known character amongst followers of history and literature, owned the region and began building the walled town in the second half of the twelfth century and the castle in the fifteenth century.

The fortification was not only limited the castle, but included much of the surrounding territory.

Malaspina made Grondola a strategic point for the defense against the expansion of the domain of its neighbours.

At the end of the twelfth century, began disputes between Pontremolesi and Piacentini.

The reason was the strategic position of the castle which was located in the western part of town, and that his possession meant control of the two tracks of the Apennines, the path of Borgallo or the Cisa and the Brattello.

Malaspina who was probably helped the Emperor Frederick I (Barbarossa) to cross the Apennines by the Via del Bratello, (Route Monastery), given the refusal of the pontremolesi, supported by the Güelfa part of the Lombard League, to use the Mount Bardone's route  (Route of the Cisa); Frederick I and Piacentini belonged to gibelinos.

In 1195 Malaspina was forced to sell Grondola to Piacentini, through Iacopo Calvo who had power in Pontremoli, the assignment was done recently in 1198, receiving the fief again after three years in the form of vassalage.

The population of Pontremoli was contrary however, for their interests, to the vicinity of Pianceza, therefore led a policy of alliances and balances like the one signed with Frederick II in order to control the region.

In 1241 Grondola goes on to the power of the Commune of Pontremoli which rebuilds the castle in contravention of the former malaspiniane's promises not to rebuild the old fortress.

Then the emperor ordered as punishment: the destruction of the tower and the door of Pontremoli.

In 1245, Grondola goes on to the power of Parma on order of Frederick II.

In 1247 Pontremoli gets permission to rebuild the door and the tower and fight for Grondola.

In 1248 the grant was revoked to Parma and the village went to Pontremoli.

In 1324 the population of Grondola swore loyalty to Parma and then in the following centuries did accordance with Pontremoli.

The Castle and the Tower of Grondola

The castle Grondola is an old building built to control access to Magra Valley.

The Tower and the Castle (Castrum Grundulae) are among the roads in the Brattello, Migneno, CIS and Arzengio of Cirone, located on the crest of the mountain that separates the valleys of the Green and Magra.

The town and castle have had a turbulent history: in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries there were disputes and violent clashes between the

Marquis of Malaspina, with the municipalities of Pontremolì, Parma and Piacenza and Castle was in the midst of these secular struggles.

The Piacentini (Piacenza) and Parmensi (Parma) disputed the castle for centuries, while Malaspina first and the town of Pontremoli later, were limited to exploit conflicts of the two communities for control of the Apennines.

Continuing changes were justified by the strategic importance of this place.

In 1271 a pact between pontremolesi and parmigiani restored passage through Monte-Bardone, the Castle lost its importance and in the same year the Castle went on to the hands of parminiagi, which was taken as a sign of victory over the territorial domain.

In 1285, the tower was rebuilt again and the remains are those that are present today.

The Medieval control of this place and its castle led to the destruction and subsequent rebuilding of the fortification, which today is in a state of ruinous leaving only remnants of the tower and the wall.

The Castle retains the medieval architectural form with a simple structure composed of a large tower base quadrangular, constructive technique that allows us to attribute the work to the second half of the thirteenth century.

Of the castles built to control access to the Val di Magra, of Grondola is undoubtedly one of the most important.

The post-medieval reconstructions have not altered the original design.

The abandonment of the same, in the sixteenth century, did not recover as was done with the restorations that were made to most of the castles of the province.

The ruins that can be observed today, are probably those which belonged to the tower rebuilt in 1271 by pontremolesi, after the destruction of the original fortress.

Not far from the ruins of the tower, visible from the small square of the church of San Nicomedes, restructured in the seventeenth century, is the village of Grondola.

Note: Dates of events showed may not be correct. We will continue investigating and correcting as we will find correct dates.