Tresana: Castles, Churches and Landscapes along the Magra

Tresana amid History and River Landscapes

Tresana lies on the right bank of the Magra River in Lunigiana and is a picturesque hilltop village. In Tresana’s historic feudal centre, the Chiesa di San Giorgio stands on the southern slope of the hill occupied by the Castello. Tresana thus connects the river landscape along the Magra with the elevated setting of its historic feudal centre.

The Chiesa di San Giorgio stands in the village centre. Its Baroque façade is structured by a Doric entablature and paired pilasters. The Castello di Tresana can currently be visited by prior appointment. An appointment must therefore be arranged separately when planning a visit.

Castles, Ruins and Sacred Sites

The Castello di Villa lies within the municipality of Tresana. From the village of Castello, it can be reached on foot via red-and-white trail markers; the starting point should therefore be included when planning this route. The building is a simple structure with a square floor plan and cylindrical towers at opposite corners. It was built from the stone masonry commonly used in Lunigiana.

The Chiesa di San Siro is located in the upper part of the village on an inner road that led from Mulazzo to the main route of the Via Francigena and was partly used as an alternative route. The Santuario della Madonna del Canale, also known as the Santuario della Vergine del Carmine, has a 17th-century porch supported by sandstone columns. According to legend, the sanctuary was probably founded around 1625 on the Rio Canale di Tresana, a right-bank tributary of the Torrente Osca.

Only a few ruins of the Castello di Giovagallo remain today, including a truncated section of a tower and several rooms reclaimed by earth and vegetation. The history of the Castello connects the Malaspina marquises with Dante Alighieri: in 1266, first with Manfredi and later with his son Moroello and his wife Alagia Fieschi as generous patrons of Dante. The surviving ruins and the historical connection with Dante belong to different periods.

Routes through Lunigiana

The Via Marchesana is a 70-kilometre route through Lunigiana. As its third stage, it includes the section “Tresana and the Osca Valley”. The Via Marchesana should therefore be regarded as a multi-stage route when planning your own itinerary.

The Magra, Protected Areas and Regional Cuisine

The Fiume Magra protected area in Lunigiana also includes land in Tresana. Along the river, ANPIL areas protect important wetland and river habitats of high natural and landscape value.

In Lunigiana, chestnut flour is traditionally used for dishes such as Castagnaccio, chestnut cakes, Pattone, Lasagne bastarde, Pane marocca and polenta. The Parco Fiera, also known as Parco di Barbarasco, is a 11,313-square-metre green space in Barbarasco with chestnut trees, recreational facilities, services and event infrastructure.

Other Places in Tresana

Other places in Tresana: Barbarasco and Villecchia.

To the higher-level travel overview: Massa-Carrara.

More Destinations

More places in the same destination:

Mulazzo, Villafranca In Lunigiana, Gragnana, Prota, Malgrate, Corlaga.