Guide to help english visitors
HOW TO REACH SERRAMAZZONI
The town of Serramazzoni is located in the Province of Modena, in the mountains of Frignano. The municipal territory covers an area of 9.3 square kilometers at an elevation of 791 meters above sea level, and borders on the towns of Prignano sulla Secchia, Pavullo, Polinago, Marano, Sassuolo, and Maranello. The telephone area code for Serramazzoni is 0536 and the postal code is 41028. The population of the town is 7163. To reach Serramazzoni, take Route SS 12, which is also known as the "Nuova Estense" highway. This road runs all the way to the Abetone Pass, connecting the Upper Modenese Apennines with Tuscany. When coming from Maranello, take the "Giardini" national highway.
A HISTORICAL PROFILE
Serramazzoni is a fairly young town. It was not until the roads called Via Vandelli and Via Giardini were built in 1749 and 1776 respectively, that a village developed on this mountain ridge. We find the area mentioned in the Statutes of Modena in 1327 as "Serra de Legorzano. The fourteenth-century statutes included the obligation to obey the laws of Modena for people living below Serra de Legorzano. The heads of families were required to attend the Feast of the 31st of January for three days, bringing with them a large candle in homage of San Geminiano, the patron saint of Modena. Taxes for the people living below Serra de Legorzano were lower than taxes for those living above the ridge. If people from above the ridge wished to live in Modena, they were required to pay a special tax, while those from below the ridge were exempt. Thus we see that Serra de Legorzano was a boundary line, not a town. It was never mentioned in old records as a town before the construction of Via Giardini. The town took on importance and became an independent municipality only in 1860, at which time it was called the "Municipality of Monfestino in Serramazzoni". It has been known as "Serramazzoni" since 1948. The history of the territory centers around the Monfestino Castle. We do not know when the castle was built. The oldest part of it, still partially standing today, was once made up of a tall, square tower surrounded by massive walls made of local stone. It is almost certain that the strategic position of the castle, perched on a cliff overlooking the plains below, delayed penetration into this mountain region by the Lombards for about two hundred years. After the fall of the Lombards, the Franks took over the area, and the independence enjoyed up until that time was lost. The upper part of the territory became known as Frignano, while the lower part was called Terra della Balugola, and became the property of the Church of Modena, which gave it in fief to the Da Balugola family. The members of this family held important offices in the Church of Modena for centuries and obtained many privileges. In 1239, after the Savignano army from Bologna had advanced into the foothills of the Apennines, the Da Balugola castle of Farneta was burned down. From that time on, the Da Balugola family gradually lost their power and prestige, and the entire fief was eventually occupied by the Savignano, who entered the Monfestino Castle and held it until 1364. They officially governed Monfestino until 1406 when, after innumerable uprisings, Nicolò d'Este III sent his army to squelch them. They were taken as prisoners to Ferrara, and the victorious captain, Uguccione Contrari, was rewarded with the Monfestino fief in addition to Vignola, which had been granted him in 1401. The Contrari dynasty died out in 1575, and Vignola and Monfestino were annexed to the Duchy of Ferrara and sold to the Boncompagni family in 1577. They ruled it until 1796, when the feudal system was abolished under Napoleon. During the occupation by Napoleon's army (1796 - 1814) and throughout the Restoration (1814 - 1859), many changes were made in the Monfestino territory. By 1859, Monfestino had lost its important strategic role to the village that lay along the road connecting Modena to Tuscany and the rest of Europe: Serramazzoni. Regarding the origin of the name of this town, the geographical term "serra" means "barrier or mountain chain that stretches for some distance without interruption". The town lies on the mountain ridge that goes from Torre della Bastiglia to Mount Ravaglia, and creates a real barrier for anyone climbing the mountain from the plains. The Mazzoni family, after whom the town was named, continued to live in Serramazzoni and Ligorzano until the 1870's. They owned most of the land in the area that stretched from old Ligorzano to Serra de Legorzano. Domenico Mazzoni built one of the first houses in Piazza della Repubblica in Serramazzoni. A very old village found higher up the ridge than Serramazzoni is still called "Casa Mazzoni" today.
A TOUR OF THE TOWN
ROCCA SANTA MARIA
This is one of the oldest, most beautiful churches in the mountains of Modena. It was built out of local sandstone, on a spot overlooking the plains. The church is laid out in the shape of a basilica, with a nave and two side aisles divided by broad rounded arches set on four columns and four low, rounded half-columns. The church was part of a fortress that was once known as the Catonian Castle. In 1038, the Bishop of Modena gave the castle with all its lands and the church to Marquis Bonifacio of Tuscany III, father of Countess Mathilde of Canossa.
MONFESTINO
Four kilometers from Serramazzoni along a scenic road, we come across Monfestino. The village and its castle are one of the most important parts of the history of this area. We do not know when the castle was built, but the oldest part of it was definitely a square tower. The castle has been renovated and restored to its original splendor. Although we cannot enter it, we can admire its round towers and massive walls while walking down a green pathway to a spot from where we can see the highest peaks in the Apennines and the white glaciers of the Alps. At night, the plains below are lit with thousands of lights. MONTAGNANA The outlying village of Montagnana is located along Via Giardini, about 10 kilometers from Serramazzoni and 7 kilometers from Maranello. The church in the town is dedicated to St. Andrew. It was built in 1883 and has the oldest bell in the Province of Modena, on which one may read the inscription "the year of Our Lord 1262".
FAETO
This is a little village located 4 kilometers from Serramazzoni, at the end of a road that climbs to 869 meters above sea level. It is surrounded by centuries-old oak trees and chestnut groves, and offers the visitor an unequaled view. Paradise Park is located about one kilometer from Faeto.
VALLE
This village is located 6 kilometers from Serramazzoni and 3 kilometers from the "Nuova Estense" highway, in a green valley. The entire village, which has important buildings dating back to the sixteenth century, is currently being renovated.
PAZZANO
Here we find the Oratory of San Rocco, which was built by survivors of the plague in 1630. The village served as inspiration for the poet and writer Guido Cavani of Modena from 1940 to 1960. He described the place in his novel "Zebio Cotal".
SAN DALMAZIO
This is located along the road from Serramazzoni to Marano, 7 kilometers from Serramazzoni. The Gentilizi home is located in the center of the village, as proof of how old the village is; this old "tower house" dates back to the year 1474. A small memorial in the village square serves to commemorate San Dalmazio's fallen soldiers and the emigrants from San Dalmazio who died in a mine in Dawson, Illinois in 1913.
VARANA - CAMPODOLIO
This is an outlying village with two names. Varana comes from the Roman name Varus, who was a Roman landowner. Campodolio is a more recent name, which derived from the name for a type of grass that is grown here for forage.
SELVA
Traveling down Via Giardini towards Pavullo, we turn right 4 kilometers after Serramazzoni to take the road to Selva.
| creato: | giovedì 20 maggio 2010 |
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| modificato: | venerdì 17 marzo 2017 |