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Starting
from Fornaci, there is an ascent of three kilometres from the
valley up to the main entrance outside the walls of Barga. On
the way up it is worth stopping at the ancient Romanesque Pieve
(Parish Church) of Loppia, which has been a site of civil and
religious importance since the First Century A.D, and which contains
an impressive collection of sacred vestments and works of art.
Having
reached Barga, you are immediately struck by the sight of the
great wall which looms above the area known as the Fosso, at one
end of which is the main entrance to the medieval walled part
of the town, known as The Porta Mancianella or as the Porta Reale
(Royal Gate).
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| The
Fosso as seen from the bastions |
But
before setting off on your visit through the narrow and winding
streets of medieval Barga you should make a brief stop to admire
this beautiful open space. Along the bastions at the far end of
the Fosso you will find a huge cedar of Lebanon which was planted
in 1836 when it was already twenty years old. This tree and the
surrounding holm oaks cast a welcome shade over the whole area which
is a favourite place for children to play.
Here
also you will find a monument to one of Barga's most illustrious
sons, Antonio Mordini (1819-1902), who was one of the architects
of the Italian Unification and an astute and distinguished politician.
In his time he was Minister of External Affairs and then Minister
of War in the provisional government in Florence (1849), Garibaldi's
representative in Sicily, Prefect of Naples and finally, Minister
of Public Works (1867) in the government of the Kingdom of Italy.
The monument dedicated to him is the work of Raffaello Romanelli
from Florence, and the epigraph written by Giovanni Pascoli reads:
SENATOR,
FOURTEEN TIMES THE PEOPLE'S REPRESENTATIVE AND
EVEN ONCE,
DICTATOR
FOR GARIBALDI.
IN
THE YEAR IN WHICH THE THOUSAND FOUGHT, THE MOST ELOQUENT IN THE
CREATION A NEW ITALY FROM THE MEMORY OF ITS ANCIENT PAST
LISTEN
TO HIM CITIZENS. HIS IMMORTAL WORDS ENGRAVED IN BRONZE EXHORT YOU
STILL:
I SAY TO YOU, CLOSE RANKS AND UNITE
PASCOLI
The
Fosso must have looked very different before the plane trees which
separate it from the street were planted and when the ancient well
was still there, near the Porta Mancianella, which the women used
to draw water for their houses. And it was certainly more attractive
before it was asphalted and full of cars, when it was used for lively
ball games played with arm bands or with tambourines, as can be
seen from old photographs or from the charming picture by the Barga
painter Alberto Magri, whose works nearly all depicted some aspect
of Barga.
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SURPRISE "OUTSIDER" WINS
