The nearest medieval village of Lunigiana to Garfagnana
The village of Ugliancaldo, built during Roman times, is a hamlet in the municipality of Casola in Lunigiana. It lies right on the border with the Garfagnana region, just 5 km from Minucciano in the province of Lucca.
Constructed by the Romans in a strategic position to defend the Lucido and Tassonaro valleys, the village is surrounded by woodlands, predominantly ancient chestnut trees. For many centuries, chestnuts were a primary food source for the people of Lunigiana consumed as a fruit and ground into flour for making pasta and bread.
Ugliancaldo, like most of the villages in the Lunigiana region, was under the rule of the Malaspina family, in particular the Malaspina of Fosdinovo and of Castel dell’Aquila in Gragnola.
In 1418, it came under the rule of Florence, becoming a thriving artisan center and a strategic hub for connecting Lunigiana with Lucca through the Garfagnana region.
From Ugliancaldo, the view is breathtaking: it feels as though you could reach out and touch the peaks of Mount Pisanino and Pizzo d’Uccello, majestic mountains of the Apuan Alps range.
Travel curiosities
Over the centuries, Ugliancaldo has been known as “the village of the Scorpion.” This name likely originates from the scorpions carved into the stone of the small oratory at the entrance of the village. Dating back to the 17th century and dedicated to Saint Roch, the oratory features floral motifs among its stone carvings, as well as two coats of arms: one of which depicts a scorpion, a symbol that also appears, in larger form, on one of the building’s façades.
You can find further information about the village in the book by Adriana Giorgi Hollet, Memorie di Lunigiana, Ugliancaldo the village of the “scorpion” (the book is also translated into English).
How to Reach the Village of Ugliancaldo
From Aulla, follow the signs for Casola in Lunigiana. Before reaching Casola, follow the signs for Mezzana/Casciana. Once you pass Casciana, follow the signs for Ugliancaldo.
Nearby you can find
The village of Casola in Lunigiana, Parco Archeologico delle Statue Stele, Pozze di Casola, Codiponte Bridge, Parish Church of the Saints Cornelio and Cipriano – Codiponte.
