A Tour of Mulazzo

Why not treat yourself to a week long vacation study course in our beautiful and magical hill-top village?

The History of the Village: Beginnings  to the 14th Century, by Chantal Santos

When approaching this picturesque medieval village, which stands in the territory of Lunigiana, 351 metres above sea level, one immediately understands its importance in the area. Like a splendid crown strategically placed on top of the hill, it serves as a very effective vantage point for the surrounding valley. This is probably the reason why the Marquises of Malaspina chose it as the seat of their fiefdom.

For centuries, the territory of Lunigiana, "the key and door to the Apuan Alps", proved to be a popular choice for a number of ancient tribes, who inhabited the area from prehistoric times. Bearing witness to this are the many intriguing anthropomorphic sculptures known as the "Statue Stele " dating from the Bronze Age found in this area.

After the fall of the Roman Empire in 476, Lunigiana was occupied by a succession of tribal societies that included the Ostrogoths, Byzantines, Lombards and Franks. Subsequently, in 802 CE, The Holy Roman Emperor and King of the Franks, Charlemagne, invested the "Adalberti" with great sections of Lunigiana.

The name of Malaspina was first used in the 12th century when one of the "Adalberti" family became known as mala - spina (bad thorn). The Malaspina family later divided themselves into two branches called the Spino Secco (dry thorn) and the Spino Fiorito (flowered thorn) having power on both the eastern and western side of the important River Magra.

It was with Obizzo Malaspina of the Spino Secco branch (western side) that the community of Mulazzo was born in the 13th century.

Dante Alighieri (1265-1321)

The world famous poet and philosopher, author of the Divine Comedy and father of the Italian language, is linked to Mulazzo by way of the Malaspina. A long standing tradition has it that in 1306, while residing in the Malaspina Tower as a guest of the Malaspina, Dante acted as an intermediary for stipulating peace between the Malaspina and the Bishop-Count of Luni. Drawing from this experience, it is said that he wrote some of the cantos for his Divine Comedy.

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