Castelnuovo di Garfagnana

Castelnuovo di Garfagnana is a town in the province of Lucca, Toscana, Italy. It is located at around coord|44|7|0|N|10|25|0|E. Castelnuovo di Garfagnana rises at the confluence of the Serchio river and the Turrite Secca river, close to the intersection among the roads passing through the Appennino and the Apuane Alps.

The local economy is mainly based on the production of cereals and on the activity of numerous chemical and textile industries.

The place name comes from the compound of "Castelnuovo", with reference to a castle built after a previous one, and of "Garfagnana", coming this latter from the Latin proper name of person "Carfanius", to which the suffix "-ana" was added to indicate possession.

The locality is quoted for the first time in an official document dating back to the VIII-th century with the name of "Castro Novo" (new fortified settlement).

From the XIII-th century Castelnuovo di Garfagnana developed as a market thanks to its close position to rivers along which important trading activities took place.

The real consolidation of the village occurred during the XIV-th century under the jurisdiction of the powerful city of Lucca.

Since 1316 the control of Castelnuovo di Garfagnana was given to Castruccio Castracani, who made a bridge built in order to join the castle to the village.

At the beginning of the XV-th century the inhabitants of Castelnuovo di Garfagnana rebelled to the domination of Lucca, putting themselves in 1430 under the protection of the Estensi's family, whose members were the Lords of Ferrara.

Under the Estensi's control, the village of Castelnuovo di Garfagnana got a great importance by becoming first seat of Vicarship and then by building imposing religious buildings like the actual Cathedral.

In 1512 the town was occupied by the troops led by Francesco della Rovere, Duke of Urbino, and few years later it was conquered by the Republic of Florence, holding this latter the control of the town just for few years.

In the next years the Estensi came again to the power and their domination lasted up to the invasion of the territory by the French army led by Napoleone Bonaparte.

During the French domination, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana entered the Cisalpine Republic, including this latter the territories of the Apuane Alps.

After the collapse of the Napoleonic Empire, in 1814 Castelnuovo di Garfagnana came back again to the Estensi who governed up to the Unity of Italy occurred on 1861 by the action of the King Vittorio Emanuele II of Savoia.

Among the most important monuments to see in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana we point out here the Duomo (Cathedral), the Convento dei Cappuccini (Capuchins' Convent), the Rocca Estense (Estensi's Fortress) and the Castello di San Nicolao (Saint Nicholas Castle).

Among the several celebrations periodically taking place in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana we remind here the traditional "Befanate" held yearly on Epiphany night. The "Befanate" are ancient popular songs that some groups of musicians go and sing through the urban streets.

Points of interest

* Giardino Montano dell' Orecchiella, a nature park and botanical garden