About the year 1000 AD, some anonymous pilgrims coming from all over Europe after a tiring journey arrived in Rome to visit the Apostles' tombs. They later ventured over the Holy Land and the James Apostle's tomb, up to Santiago de Compostela, that at that time was seen as the limit of the Earth. One of the oldest itineraries is known as the Via Francigena, the Via Francesca or the Via Romea: it dates back to 990-994 AD and was planned by Sigerico, the archbishop of Canterbury. The main European way through the Apennines was made of comfortable passes, refuges for resting and lively merchant towns. After the hard passage from the Alps area and from the large river Po valley, this way gave the pilgrims a large view over the sea from where one could see branches living for Rome, for the Holy Land and from Spain: furthermore, it was linked with easy paths bringing to Tuscany hills. The Via Francigena, with its branches to the city of Lucca, used to be over centuries the most accessible linking between central Europe and the main Christian places of worship. It was used by pilgrims, powerful people and merchants as well as for the passage of weapons. Castles, parish churches, walled towns and some small churches forgotten in the vegetation still testify to the ancient passage. In Arzengio, the Via Francigena, also said Via di Monte Bardone, is particularly important: it is older and more important, as it was build and used by the ancient Romans; both the village and the way itself may testify to that. It may have been one of the oldest settlements in Lunigiana. We thank heartily lawyer Angelo Bertocchi for the edition of the section dedicated to the history of Arzengio, reporting this clearly enough and with sufficient documentation.

We thank Dott.ssa Stefania Cattini for the translation.





Above, the sign showing the station in Arzengio, on the Via Francigena;
below, another sign with the symbol of the pilgrim, on the way that brings to the Crocetta.





Above, the ancient Way that used to bring to the Magra River Valley with the town of Pontremoli on the background;
below, a small altar dedicated to the Madonna on the same street, not far from the entrance to the village.





The sign on the top indicates in the upper part (not readable) the direction to Ceretoli, a small village next to Arzengio, while in the
lower part it shows the direction to Arzengio; below, the Way paved with stones, whose beauty has been intact over the centuries.





Above, the ancient way where it enters the village, after a circumvallation around it; below, the same way with an ancient
stoned wall, seen from the other side.





Above, the fork that separates the way to Pontremoli (right) from the one to Ceretoli (left); below, the beginning
of the old circumvallation around Arzengio; on the background, the village of Ceretoli.





Above, the castle shows the pass of the Crocetta, ie a crossroads as well as an old refreshment-room for wayfarers;
below, the small church named after the pass.





Above, front view of the church of the Crocetta; below, the inscription on the front façade shows the date
of the building and the image of the monk who had the church built.





Above, the sign shows the Way to Arzengio and to other resorts that can be reached from the pass of the Crocetta;
below, a peculiar "tunnel" of vegetation on the way between Arzengio and the above mentioned pass.





Above, view from above of the "slope of the massacres", so called because it is particularly impassable: below, one of the fourteen
crosses, depicting the Passion of Christ on the Calvary, placed on the way that separatesthe village of Arzengiowith the church
on the pass of the Crocetta.





Above, a detail of the Way that brings to the pass of the Crocetta, in sunny days the play of light between the vegetation
and the paved floor is really suggestive; below, a little further, the white-red sign shows the ancient Via Francigena.