Tendola: Village History and Mountain Views at Monte Nebbione

Mountain Views and Rural Surroundings

Tendola lies at the foot of Monte Nebbione. From here, you can enjoy expansive views over the surrounding mountain ranges, from the peaks of the northern Apennines to the Apuan Alps. The visible mountains include Pizzo d’Uccello and Monte Sagro. Donkeys, goats and sheep graze in the area around Tendola. This gives the village a landscape setting that combines mountain panoramas with rural surroundings.

Medieval Village Structure and Stone Details

Tendola has a medieval village structure. The local architecture includes arches, vaults, covered passageways and winding alleys. The houses have stone portals with coats of arms, inscriptions and emblems depicted on marble plaques attached to the walls. As you walk through Tendola, you will also encounter 26 Maestà, which can be visited in the village. This combination of alleys, vaults and individual stone design elements makes exploring the village particularly rich in detail.

Church, Chapel and Maestà

The parish church of Tendola is dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria. Its interior features late Baroque architecture that was renovated in the 19th century. The small San Rocco Chapel is located in the upper part of the village; an image of the Madonna is mounted above its portal. Together with the 26 Maestà, the religious architecture can be experienced at several stops on a walk through the village.

History and Sculptures in the Village

More recent and historical connections are also part of Tendola. The Muretto dell’Amore displays the names and handprints of residents on cement tiles. The hamlet of La Preta is associated with events from the Second World War, particularly with Japanese-American soldiers known as Nisei. As part of the “Tendola artistica” event, a series of sculptures was created in 2006 and distributed throughout the village. In this way, personal traces, historical events and artworks from an event come together in the village landscape.

Hiking Trails to and Towards Tendola

Several hiking routes include Tendola and its surroundings. On the way to Tendola, the route follows CAI Trail 286 along Monte Nebbione to the village of Le Prade, near which the Museo Audiovisivo della Resistenza is located; the museum can be visited. Another CAI hiking route reaches the village of Tendola via a right-hand turn onto CAI Trail 296 after following CAI Trail 297. An easy hiking route starts and ends at the Museo Audiovisivo della Resistenza, heads towards Tendola and takes approximately 1.5 hours. The different routes and the approximate duration of the easy loop provide useful points of reference when comparing your excursions around the village.

Provincial Road, Cycling Tour and Fontana della Piletta

Tendola lies on the provincial road connecting Fosdinovo and Soliera. For cyclists, a historic cycling tour through the Lunigiana Storica reaches the village at the 26th kilometre. About one kilometre before Tendola, there is a rest area with two marble benches on the right-hand side of the road. A natural spring emerges there from an artistically designed marble fountain depicting “Madre Natura”. The Fontana della Piletta is also known as the “Sorgente della Pace” and is the work of Carrara sculptor Luca Crocetti.

Further Places for Your Travel Planning

Further places that you can include in your travel planning are Borghetto-melara, Carignano, Giucano and Marciaso.

To the overarching travel overview: Fosdinovo.