Town in the province of Lucca, located in the Valley del Serchia, along the foothills of the Alps, Borgo a Mozzano is a charming town of Roman origins. Mentioned for the first time in a document of 879, it was a fief which belonged to the powerful Lombard Suffredinghi family. Later assigned to the Republic of Lucca, in 1272, the town was seat of a Podesteria (Town Council). In the XVI century it became the capital of a Vicaria (a sort of County), and with the inclusion of the territories of lower Cerreto, it was proclaimed municipality and was seat of an important parish. With Napoleon and the abolition of the Vicarie, Borgo a Mozzano became the capital of the Canton of the Apennines. Later ruled by the Bourbons (1817), the territories were assigned to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany (1847) until its annexation to the Kingdom of Italy in 1860.
Sites of Interest:
- the Ponte della Maddalena, also called Devil's Bridge, emblem of Borgo a Mozzano, built in the XIV century on the river Serchia, by will of Matilda of Canossa. It features three asymmetric arches and owes its name to a popular legend: the builders, unable to raise the central arch, asked the help of the devil, who claimed in exchange the soul of the first person that crossed the bridge. When it was completed, the master builder had a dog cross for first, so the devil, deceived, disappeared in the waters of Serchia;
- the Church of San Rocco, dating back to 1527, although the present appearance is the result of a remake of 1791. Inside are preserved beautiful frescoes by Luigi Ademollo, a XVI century painting of Saints Rocco and Sebastian, as well as an organ of the XIX century;
- the Church of St. James, founded as a fortress, guarding the Via Clodia, at the time of Matilda of Canossa. Rich in works of art, the interior features three naves with a Doric columns in Cardoso stone;
- the XVI century Franciscan Convent;
- the Town Hall, which is seat of a small museum in which are on display several archaeological finds, including a tomb in Liguria;
- the Town Library.