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The recent development of Piazza al Serchio is due to the fact that it has always been the crossroads of the streets connecting Garfagnana with Emilia and Lunigiana. This reality also represents the basis of its history.
The first settlements date back to the Mid Palaeolithic period since many different tools remains were found in the territory, in the area between Forcola and Sant’Anastasio particularly. In the first millennium B.C. the inhabitants of Liguria conquered the area and during the Middle Ages their towns became the main administrative and military centres; they constitute now the territories of the current Districts. By the end of the II century B.C. the Romans arrived and they soon became the owners of the valley until the VI century A.D. The most important mark of their power was the building of the Clodia road which went back from Lucca up to Piazza al Serchio following the river. Here it branched in a street going to Sillano and Pradarena and in another one going to Passo dei Carpinelli and to the Aulella valley in Lunigiana, to the important commercial centre of Luni in particular. The “romanization” of the territory did not suffer too many damages either after the falling of the Roman Empire or after the long Gothic war.
The end of the VI century did not represent a negative period neither, although Garfagnana was in the hands of the Longo Bard people.
During the Middle Ages the Curtis was the main structure of the economic- agricultural organization. The Domus Curtis, the responsibility of which depended on the lay or the ecclesiastical dominus, belonged to the Curtis. During the Longo Bard period the Curtis became the sala, the house of the farmer. All the activities of that period developed around it; agriculture, breeding and even commerce. The name Piazza al Serchio was probably due to the wide square used to commerce in the nearby of the current train station ( the Italian word piazza means square) which was extremely important during the Middle Ages. The name of the local river was then used to complete the name of the town. During this period fortresses began to increase along the Clodia road and also in Piazza al Serchio where a castle was erected (during the XI century). It was called Castrum vetus, that is to say Castelvecchio which was built on a rocky projection. It was a naturally defended place overlooking the Borgo Sala. Before the Passo di San Pellegrino was opened (1077) and consequently before Castelnuovo was the main centre of the valley, the important festivals of April and September took place in Piazza al Serchio (on Tuesday, the day of the current market). The geographic position of Piazza al Serchio is thus strategic because it allowed the control of the roads going to Lunigiana and to Emilia.
Everyone was deeply interested in this peculiar position. The Countess Matilde’s possessions in Garfagnana were claimed by the Apostolic See, the Borgo Sala in particular, which was the residence of the Bishop of Lucca, Walprando until the VII century; in his will he left it to the Mensa Vescovile in Lucca. The Bishops began thus to purchase the properties in the area of Piazza from the VIII century. These purchases were followed by legal titles which, through systematic confirmations of the Emperors of the Sacred Roman Empire (Enrico VI 1194, Ottone IV 1209,Carlo IV 1355) led up to the mention of the Committee and to the authorization for the enforcement of the feudal powers in the areas of Piazza and Sala. Until the XVIII century Piazza al Serchio was under the power of the Bishops of Lucca and of the Bishop of Luni – Sarzana.
In 1446 the Bishops were at the Estensis’ disposal, but they could enforce their authority anyway and so Piazza al Serchio was under the Ducato di Modena until the Italian Unity. The possession was confirmed in 1808 too by the Duke Francesco IV to the Archbishop Filippo Sardi, who was proclaimed Count of Piazza and Sala.
Although the real power was in the hands of the Bishops of Lucca, the Estensis put hard taxes in the zone. There were many protests coming from the religious authorities, from the Bishop Sforzariario in particular, but the Duke Ercole II together with the General Member of the Province, Giovanni Aventi, showed his dissent and did not consider such requests.
History of the small towns |
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