Barga artistic itineraries

Itinerary From Port Royal to the church of San Francesco

Perched on a rocky outcrop, overlooking the charming Barga Valley Serchio in the middle of the Garfagnana. The web of narrow streets and winding that unravels between the buildings reflect the irregular plan of the typical medieval village, protected by walls, accessible from three doors . We come from the Royal which is the front yard of Pit, a name which indicates the original existence of a protective moat around the walls, filled nell'Ottocento and that currently there is a centuries-old cedar of Lebanon. From here take the path along which Pretorio align buildings and on which open streets that offer views of picturesque beauty, like the one that you admire, past the square Barghesano ser, sull 'Arringo, so called in memory assemblies that held the medieval community. This large green space, located at the hill of Barga, is the heart of civic and religious life of the country, represented by the Praetorian palace and cathedral.

Duomo

Built on several occasions between the XI and XVI, the church shows a fascinating admixture of various styles. The skin was made with clear blocks alberese, limestone that purchases various shades and nuances depending on who is exposed to rain or sunlight. The main door is flanked by two slender columns at the top of which are two lions, and is topped by an arch carved with acanthus leaves, with a lintel in bas-relief, which depicts a scene of harvest. Equally interesting is the side door, faces the Loggia del Podest?, whose bas-relief is attributed to the sculptor Roman Biduino and show the miracle of the "Golden Scifo" St. Nicholas.

Once in the temple, lit by the narrow and deep windows, worth a stop watch Ciborium oils of saints, beautiful terracotta attributed to Andrea della Robbia and the splendid marble pulpit, which attributed to Guido Bigarello from Como, is a work of great masters Comacini.

Palazzo Pretorio

Residenza del Podest? in Florence between 1341 and 1859, this is the oldest building of Barga, built in the first half of the fourteenth century with the prison below. Since 1993, its environment has been set up the Museum.

The exhibition is designed to allow the knowledge of Barga and its region in terms of natural, historic and artistic interest, from prehistoric times to get to the Renaissance. In addition to archaeological finds, the vestments, the paintings and sculptures, there is a vast collection of photographs, drawings and graphic reconstructions. Interesting is also the section on geology and paleontology, where fossils are collected from Serchio Valley and the mountains Pisani.

Going down in the jail, we pay attention to the mechanism of th 'clock tower of the cathedral of Barga, while outside, you notice the gnomon of a sundial (the meridian line is missing), made in mid-eighteenth century by engineer George Kindt, a professor of Meridians. " It was common for sundials of this type were used to adjust the clocks mechanical servants.

A curiosity: on the wall that separates the balcony from the stairs leading to the old prisons, you can observe the ancient unit of measure: the "arm fiorentino" (0, 583 meters) and the "knife", which corresponds to the length of the weapon that citizens could lead to the defense, and the "half bushel Florentine" (12.2 liters) and the "Florentine bushel (24.4 liters) used for grain.

Back nell'Arringo, soffermamioci to admire the view that opens in the hills dotted with farmhouses and country profiles on the net and draw in the brightness of the sky by the peaks of the Apuan Alps, and the Pizzorne dell'Appennino. This view, already beautiful, is tinged with enchantment when, on 10-11 November and 30-31 January each year, there is a "double" sunset. The sun dies a first time, disappearing behind the ridge, and then return to rosseggiare framed Forato into the mountain, giving rise to effects of light and color are truly astonishing, and then disappear a second time.

Going for a staircase we reach the church of the Holy Crucifix.

Church of the Holy Cross

This is one of the oldest churches of Barga. The facade of the late taste cinquecentesco is tripartite four sandstone pilasters and crowned by a tympanum. Inside is a fine example of wooden boundary of the area's precious presbyteral rich furnishings in the altar of carved wood.

Walking through the Hope you will reach the largest port of the village: Port Macchiaia. Further down Via di Mezzo we arrive in Piazza Garibaldi, where stands the imposing mass of sixteenth-century palace Balduini, home from barghigiano Balduino Balduini, bishop of Aversa, "physical" and home of Cardinal Del Monte, the future Pope Julius III. Shortly after opening Salvi square where we see two buildings stand out in the sixteenth century Florentine style: Pancrazi the palace, the former residence of the wealthy merchant Martino Pancrazi and now the town, and the Loggia dei Mercanti, which is home to the market place whose Barga products most important were the salt and silk. From here we move to the streets Angelio and then to Via di Mezzo, flanked by beautiful eighteenth century palaces, where the theater of Differenti which in 1911 saw Giovanni Pascoli keep the conversation " The Great Proletarian s'? move "during the War of Libya, and that every year welcomes some of the greatest jazz musicians who come here for the Barga Jazz Festival. Another interesting building overlooking Via di Mezzo is the church of Santissima Annunziata, one of the most beautiful religious buildings in baroque style.