Borgo di Vinca

A village of dark stone among marble mountains

Vinca lies stretched out on the last plateau before the steep ascent into the Apuan Alps.
A village of proud people, it is now visited by tourists drawn by its well-known local bread or by the hiking trails leading to the summit of Pizzo d’Uccello.
Marble, which has added beauty to buildings since ancient times, enriches even the small parish church. Inside, in a marble niche, stands a beautiful statue of the Madonna and Child, a fine early 15th-century sculpture from the Lucca area.

For some years now, the church has also housed the “Maestà” that for centuries stood in the small roadside chapel at the beginning of the mule track leading up into the mountains. Now replaced with a replica, the marble image dates back to 1569 and was placed there out of devotion by the parish priest and the prior of the local Confraternity of the Corpus Domini.

Here, over the course of three days starting on August 24, 1944, one of the most brutal Nazi-Fascist massacres against civilians took place, an attempt to crush the partisan resistance.
Vinca, like Sant’Anna di Stazzema and dozens of other villages between Versilia and the Apuan Alps, became the scene of horror during that terrible period 76 years ago.
Today, people also come to Vinca to remember, to reflect, and to pay tribute, even with just a thought, to the innocent victims: more than 170 elderly people, women, and children, all coldly murdered.

The memorial shrine, the large stele bearing the names of the victims and the many graves still preserved in the cemetery all stand in remembrance, including the monument of the dying mother with her child on her chest.

The entire surrounding landscape, of rare beauty and among the most evocative, forms a truly unique natural setting that stirs a deep and poignant sense of sorrow.
Among the victims of the terrible Nazi-Fascist massacre was Vinca’s parish priest, Don Luigi Ianni, only 27 years old.
When the massacre began, he was not in the village: he had gone to Monte Sagro with his father to ask the partisans to organize a defense of the town. But it was too late.
Upon learning what was happening, he tried to return, but was stopped by German troops, who failed, however, to convince him to turn back.
Hours later, he was arrested by members of the Black Brigades who, together with his father, executed him by firing squad along the road not far from Monzone.

How to Reach the Village of Vinca

From Aulla, follow the signs for Fivizzano/Equi Terme.
After passing the village of Rometta, continue for a few kilometers and turn right following the signs for Equi Terme/Monzone onto the Provincial Road “Via Pian di Molino.”
Go through Monzone and continue following the signs to Vinca for approximately 7 kilometers.