From Sept. 19-21, 2025, the province of Massa-Carrara is back in the spotlight with The Land of 100 Castles, a weekend entirely dedicated to extraordinary openings of castles, historic residences and fortifications that make up the heart of Lunigiana and the Apuan Riviera. The initiative, now in its new edition, is part of this year’s MutaMenti festival in full swing. Fluid Spaces of a Jazz without Borders, creating a union between cultural heritage and contemporary musical languages. The event, organized by theCastles Valorization Institute and the Sigeric Community Cooperative, was created in close collaboration with municipalities in the province of Massa-Carrara and the Lunigiana and Riviera Apuana Tourism Communities. The goal is clear: to make the area increasingly accessible and recognizable through a project that is not limited to offering individual visits, but aims to create a fixed appointment, capable of strengthening the unified perception of a region that has in castles its identity. Closing will be a concert by Chris Collins and Hurricane Trio at Pontremoli’s Teatro della Rosa, one of the highlight events of the 9th edition of the MutaMenti festival, which is now starting. For all information and how to visit: https://www.istitutovalorizzazionecastelli.it/attivita/100-castelli-page/
According to Cinzia Nicolini, contact person for the Sigeric cooperative, "The Land of 100 Castles represents a strategic tourism product, a unique opportunity to visit numerous public and private places in the province in a single weekend." Emanuele Bertocchi, president of the Castles Valorization Institute, says, “The opportunity to fully convey the feeling of attachment to the land, a privileged immersion in the shared heritage: in the history of Massa-Carrara. Indeed, with the three-day event, it is proposed to traverse the movements of ancient peoples, the great mothers and warriors of sandstone, the memorials of the Resistance, the remains and temples of the Bishop of Luni or nobles such as the Malaspina: to them the credit of having erected more than 100 fortifications, the highest concentration of Castles in Europe.”
The Land of 100 Castles is proposed as a journey through different eras and suggestions. Visitors will have the opportunity to ideally cross the paths of the ancient peoples who inhabited the region, discover the testimonies of the Lunigiana’s stele statues, stop in front of the memorials of the Resistance, and observe the places linked to the noble families that have marked the local history. Among the latter, a prominent role belongs to the Malaspina, a dynasty that left an indelible mark on the Tuscan landscape with the construction of numerous fortifications giving rise to one of the highest concentrations of castles in Europe.
Each extraordinary opening becomes an opportunity not only to visit places normally less accessible, but also to understand their value within a broader historical storyline. Private residences, often closed to the public, open for the occasion, offering a valuable glimpse into the noble life and architectural transformations that have marked the centuries.
The formula proposed by The Land of 100 Castles aims to transform heritage into experience. It is not just about observing, but about experiencing places through itineraries that combine art, landscape and storytelling. The connection with MutaMenti, a festival that brings jazz music to unusual settings, accentuates this aspect: contemporary sounds enter medieval courtyards and halls, offering a counterpoint that highlights the topicality of heritage. The event is the result of many years of work that has seen the gradual systematization of cultural, scenic and tourist sites. Many of the castles and mansions that can be visited today have been made accessible in recent years through enhancement interventions and shared planning. In this sense, The Land of 100 Castles represents the synthesis of a collective journey, uniting institutions, associations, communities and individuals in the construction of a unified tourism product.
Over the three days, visitors will be able to build a personal itinerary, choosing from a number of open places and calibrating the experience according to their interests. The proposal is not only for history and architecture enthusiasts, but also for those seeking direct contact with the local landscape and culture. Beyond the tourism aspect, the initiative aims to reiterate the centrality of heritage as a factor of identity. To open a castle or mansion is not only to showcase a cultural asset, but also to allow the community to recognize itself in its own history. The event is thus shaped as a moment of participation and sharing, in which the past becomes a tool for understanding the present and imagining the future.
Friday, September 19, 2025
Piagnaro Castle, Museum of Lunigiana Stele Statues (Pontremoli): 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Special ticket €5.
Ducal Palace (Massa). 3:30 pm. Free admission, reservations required (0585 0816245, info@istitutovalorizzazionecastelli.it)
Saturday, September 2025
Piagnaro Castle, Museum of Lunigiana Stele Statues (Pontremoli): 10 am-6:30 pm. Special ticket €5.
Malaspina Castle (Fosdinovo). Visiting hours: 11, 12, 15, 16, 17. Special ticket € 8.
Brunella Fortress (Aulla). 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 4-6:30 p.m. Admission and guided tour every 45 minutes. Special ticket € 3.
Lusuolo Castle (Mulazzo). 10am-12:30pm with admission and guided tour every 45 minutes. Special ticket € 3.
Bagnone Castle (Bagnone). 10:30 a.m. Single entrance and guided tour. Free offer ticket. Reservations required (331 8866241, info@sigeric.it).
Pallerone Castle (Aulla). 3 p.m. Single entrance and guided tour. Special ticket € 8. Reservation required (331 8866241, info@sigeric.it).
Sunday, September 21, 2025
Piagnaro Castle, Museum of Lunigiana Stele Statues (Pontremoli): 10 am-6:30 pm. Special ticket €5.
Malaspina Castle (Fosdinovo). Visiting hours: 11, 12, 15, 16, 17. Special ticket € 8.
Brunella Fortress (Aulla). 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 4-6:30 p.m. Admission and guided tour every 45 minutes. Special ticket € 3.
Lusuolo Castle (Mulazzo). 10am-12:30pm with admission and guided tour every 45 minutes. Special ticket € 3.
Aghinolfi Castle (Montignoso). 3-6 pm. Special ticket € 3.
Bastia Castle (Licciana Nardi). 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Single admission and guided tours. Special ticket € 8. Reservation required.
Castiglione del Terziere Castle (Bagnone). 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Unique admission and guided tours. Full ticket € 15, reduced € 8. Reservation required.
Borgo e Torre di Dante (Mulazzo). 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. unique guided tours. Special ticket € 8. Reservation recommended.
Malaspina di Monti Castle (Licciana Nardi). 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. unique admission and guided tours. Special ticket € 8. Reservation required.
Village and Castle of San Giorgio (Filattiera). 3 and 4:30 p.m. unique guided tours. Free offer ticket. Reservations required.
Village and Castle of Ponzanello (Fosdinovo). 3 and 4:30 p.m. unique guided tours. Free offer ticket. Reservations required.
|
|
| Next weekend, three days of special openings in Lunigiana castles |
Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.
