Gragnanella between village history and Lago di Pontecosi

Gragnanella is located in the Apuan Alps in the Garfagnana and belongs to the municipality of Castelnuovo di Garfagnana. The place is particularly interesting if you would like to include a historic village centre, religious heritage, a waterside landscape and hikes with different routes in your travel plans.

Historic Village Centre and Lakeside Landscape

The old village of Gragnanella lies on a hill and has the structure of a small fortress. Numerous entrances are bordered by arches and portals. The area of the Gragnanella district extends to the shores of Lago di Pontecosi, which is located in the municipality of Pieve Fosciana.

Lago di Pontecosi is a hydroelectric reservoir created on the Serchio River, used by overwintering waterbirds such as coots and various species of wild duck. Lago di Pontecosi has picnic areas and fishing spots; on the opposite shore there is a large equipped green area.

Church, Crucifix and Local History

In the centre of Gragnanella stands the parish church of San Bartolomeo Apostolo, dedicated to Saint Bartholomew the Apostle. The church houses a wooden crucifix from the 17th century. The crucifix is made of wild willow wood and was created during the Baroque period.

The memorial plaque on the church façade commemorating the fallen of Gragnanella in the First World War recalls six fallen residents of the village. It was installed on 17 August 1919. Gragnanella once had a castle, which is now destroyed.

Religious Traditions

The Feast of the Most Holy Crucifix is celebrated in Gragnanella every ten years. The wooden crucifix kept in the Church of San Bartolomeo in Gragnanella is moved and placed on a throne for the celebrations every ten years.

The procession of the large crucifix, held every ten years, dates back to a decision made by the local community in 1985. The crucifix was carried through the village as an expression of gratitude for surviving the dangers of the Second World War.

Hikes with Different Routes

A circular route of approximately 10 km is considered easy and suitable for everyone. On this hike, the route continued from Gragnanella along an old mule track to Pontecosi. A guided hike ran from the historic centre of Castelnuovo via Buggina and the Sentiero dell’Ariosto through Antisciana to Gragnanella. For your travel planning, this means you can choose between a circular route and a route through several villages.

A Local Event with Regional Appeal

The traditional “Pizza in Piazza” event takes place in Gragnanella. The local Circolo Anspi organises it to collect donations for Telethon.

When choosing your accommodation, you can therefore set a clear focus: the old village centre, the church, the crucifix, the memorial plaque and the former castle represent local history; the reservoir with its birdlife as well as picnic and fishing areas represent a waterside landscape; and the hikes offer activity between several villages. This makes Gragnanella a tangible destination both for culture-oriented days and for more active planning.

More Destinations

Casone, Castiglione Di Garfagnana, Colle

Back to the higher-level travel overview: Castelnuovo Di Garfagnana.