The best city hikes and walks in Parco Della Magra - Vara

Il monumento noto storicamente anche in riferimento al colle come castello di San Martino corrisponde alla celebre Fortezza di Sarzanello. Si tratta di un'imponente struttura fortificata di origine medievale situata sulla sommità del colle di Sarzanello, che domina dall'alto la città di Sarzana e l'intera Val di Magra

The Canale Lunense cycle-pedestrian path is a flat route of about 12-20 km that runs along the banks of the irrigation canal in the Magra Valley, in Liguria. The Route Municipalities crossed: Connects Santo Stefano di Magra, Sarzana, Castelnuovo Magra and Luni, reaching the archaeological area. Characteristics: The ground is predominantly flat and suitable for walking or cycling (mountain bike or hybrid bike recommended for some sections).

"Il Genio della Stirpe" in Sarzana is a large and striking sculpture in white Carrara marble, about six meters high and located at the southern end of Piazza Garibaldi. Main details Author and date: The work was designed by the Carrara sculptor Carlo Fontana in 1907 and completed in 1914. Subject: It depicts a muscular giant standing on a rock, holding a shield with the profile of Giuseppe Garibaldi. Meaning: It symbolizes the future and strength of the Italian people protected by the hero of the Risorgimento. It is often mistakenly called "Monument to Giuseppe Garibaldi". Construction: It was carved from a single, immense block of marble, the transport of which from Carrara to Sarzana required a complex effort involving numerous pairs of oxen.

The church of Sant'Andrea, an ancient rural parish belonging to the Diocese of Luni, can be considered the surviving monument richest in historical evidence connecting ancient Sarzana with the formation of the new city and new villages. It stands, in fact, at the confluence of the two main roads that crossed the territory, the Aurelia and the Clodia. The Pieve is certainly the monument that preserves the greatest number of historical and architectural testimonies of medieval Sarzana. The first document that speaks of it dates back to the 12th century; in fact, in 1137, it was chosen by Bishop Gotifredo of Luni as the seat of the diocesan Synod. Subsequently, it was mentioned in 1153, in a bull of Pope Anastasius IV as a baptismal pieve and remained so even after the transfer of the episcopal see, in 1201, from Luni to Sarzana. As it has come down to us, the church does not reflect its original conformation, which was probably of much more modest dimensions.

The Genius of the Race is a white Carrara marble sculpture, one of the largest statues in existence, standing approximately six meters tall. It was designed by Carlo Fontana of Carrara, who was commissioned to design it in 1907 and completed it in 1914. Its transportation from Carrara to Sarzana required numerous pairs of oxen and was one of the most complicated ever undertaken. The sculpture was intended to be dedicated to Giuseppe Garibaldi, but Fontana decided against creating a figure of the Hero of Two Worlds, which by then was found on monuments throughout Italy. Instead, he decided to depict a young, muscular giant with one arm resting on an enormous shield featuring the profile of Garibaldi, a symbol of the Italian people facing a future defended by the cult of their popular hero. The statue rests on a four-by-two-meter monolith from the Gioia quarry, which, however, was left unworked and unworked.

In the historic center the streets are full of life, clubs, shops, antique dealers

The Citadel, also known as the Sarzana Fortress or Firmafede Fortress, was the first fortification in Sarzana, built in the 13th century. It was owned by the lord Castruccio Castracani, who made numerous significant modifications to its defenses. After its destruction by Florence in 1487, it was rebuilt on the orders of Lorenzo de' Medici. In 1494, the Republic of Genoa, having regained possession of Sarzana, completed work on the Citadel. The fortress is used as a venue for cultural events and exhibitions and also houses the Fortress Museum, an interactive exhibit that traces the history of Sarzana and the Lunigiana region.

Of the five gates that once provided access to the town, Porta Romana and Porta Parma remain on the opposite side. We are on the ancient Via Romea, and today's Via Mazzini is a vestige of it. Its current appearance, clad in white Carrara marble, dates back to 1783; on the exterior is the coat of arms of Genoa and, higher up, a statue of Mary.