5 – BAGNONE (ENG)

The Village of Bagnone is a charming medieval settlement nestled on the slopes of the pre-Apennine hills of Tuscany and Emilia. The town is remarkably well-preserved, thanks to its vibrant local activities, including cafés, grocery stores, small artisan shops, and high-quality restaurants. The surrounding area is home to renowned farms that produce local delicacies such as the Treschietto onion, chestnut flour, and refined herb pies (torte d’erbi). Bagnone is also famous for its small waterfalls, located on the right side of the village, formed by the flow of the Bagnone Stream over the rocks.

The territory of Bagnone has been inhabited since prehistoric times, as evidenced by the discovery of a Stele Statue in Treschietto, now preserved in the Stele Statues Museum in Pontremoli.

The name Bagnone first appeared in 963 in a document in which Emperor Otto I listed the courts, parish churches, and castles under the protection of the Bishop-Counts of Luni. The oldest part of the town developed along the left bank of the Bagnone Stream, from which it takes its name. In this area, there once stood a circular tower, which served as a watchtower overseeing the valley’s roads and was connected to other similar towers, including those of Malgrate, Groppoli, and Mulazzo.

Later, Bagnone became a fief of the Malaspina family of the Spino Fiorito branch of Filattiera, and in 1351 gained the status of an independent fief, remaining under Malaspina rule for about a century. From the mid-15th century, Bagnone became part of the Lords of Florence and later the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, until the Napoleonic era. In 1815, it was included in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, and in 1849, it passed to the Duchy of Parma, remaining under its rule until 1859. After the Unification of Italy, Bagnone became part of the Province of Massa-Carrara, a status it still holds today.