Top 5 Castles around Minucciano

In the center of the village, the Malaspina castle stands out in all its grandeur: towers of different sizes, shapes and heights joined to the central palace form a whole where the military function coexists with the residential one. Low houses outline a sort of wall on the perimeter of that “verrucula” (small wart) that rises between the Mommio stream and the Collegnago canal; a real dive into the Middle Ages. Verrucola was embellished by the sculptor and painter Pietro Cascella with some works, especially fountains, placed to decorate the town at the end of a skillful restoration.

The tortuous valley of Lucido dug by water over millions of years, which has eroded day after day, grain after grain, the bottom and sides, carving dizzying furrows in the stone. Approaching the Balzone the hard rock towers impressively over the valley floor. Man wanted to make it his own by building a daring list to steal from the mountain its white stone, a miracle of geological formation. From below, passing along the adventurous railway that crosses the valley of Lucido and Aulella, the village of Monzone appears perched on a rocky tooth, almost threatening on days of bad weather. I have defined the railway as adventurous, because its construction lasted, in portions, for a good 67 years, from 1892 to 1959, crossing the impervious valleys of Lucido, Aulella and Serchio

Camporgiano is located on the right bank of the Serchio River, in a verdant valley that divides the mountain ranges of the Apuan Alps and the Apennines. Of Roman origin, the town was contested by numerous families and lordships since the Middle Ages; in 1446 it became part of the dominions of the Este family, until the Unification of Italy. The undisputed “star” of Camporgiano is the Rocca Estense, built on a rocky spur, and whose bulk dominates the main square of the town. At the top of the Rocca there is a sort of hanging garden in which some conifers stand out, giving the fortress an unmistakable character, dialoguing from afar with the fir trees that cover the heights of the surrounding reliefs. The fortress was built for defensive purposes in the 15th century and is an emblematic example of Este military architecture of the 15th century, with its trapezoidal wall and truncated conical corner towers protruding from the plan profile. Once the medieval center of the city, today the fortress does not retain much of its original structure due to the earthquake that struck the entire area in 1920. At the foot of the fortress you can also admire a stone fountain traditionally called the pilon. The main tower of the fortress houses the Civic Collection of Renaissance Ceramics, which brings together ceramics from a period ranging from the early fifteenth century to the second half of the seventeenth century, mostly found in the wells of the fortification during restoration work.

Framed by the Apuan peaks, the castle, which was also the residence of the Malaspina family, dominates the village.

The Verrucola fortress, whose first documented information dates back to the beginning of the 12th century, preserves all the elements of a medieval castrum with a true system of fortifications that responds to the military and legal organization of a feudal dominion. The castle walls include the courtyard, the chapel and several towers.

Fortezza delle Verrucole: Very imposing medieval fortress. From its walls you have a really fantastic view of the surrounding area. Mondays are days off here, otherwise the opening times depend on the season. The opening times and admission prices can be found here: https://www.fortezzaverrucolearcheopark.it/it/informazioni.html However, I cannot really recommend the museum of the castle.

The Verrucole Fortress in San Romano in Garfagnana, founded by the Gherardinghi family over a previous human settlement, dates back to a period between the 10th and 13th centuries. In 1986 the municipality of San Romano in Garfagnana bought the Fortress, starting the conservative and reconstructive restoration, completed in 2012. Since 2013, the Fortress can be visited regularly thanks to the Fortezza Verrucole Archeopark project.

Just fantastic this little village. The narrow streets and the never-ending steps. just great.