Fabbriche di Vergemoli

Historical background
The territory of Fabbriche di Vergemoli was born in 2014 from the merger of the municipalities of Fabbriche di Vallico and Vergemoli. Both territories have a very ancient origin. Archaeological finds in the Buca di Castelvenere confirm the presence of man in the territory since the 4th century before Christ. This area was the land of Ligurian Apuans, Romans, and Lombards.

Their history sees them involved in power struggles between Modena, Lucca, Pisa and Florence, until, in the 15th AD, they became possessions of the Este family. It will be with this illustrious family that the settlements will grow economically and politically, also enriching themselves with defensive structures.

After a period in which Vergemoli and Fabbriche di Vallico were occupied by the French of Napoleon Bonaparte, the Este family returned in 1814 and ruled until the villages were annexed to the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.
They will become a single municipality only in 2014.

Handicrafts and gastronomy in Fabbriche di Vergemoli
Strolling through the streets of the Villages in the territory of Fabbriche di Vergemoli, there are not a few stores that one encounters, some of which are truly ancient. Among them we find in the capital of Fabbriche di Vallico Il Molino Biologico (Organic Mill), which for more than 300 years has continued in its milling activity. A water-powered mill that still grinds stone. The prevailing activities are those of catering the best known are "Il Molino Vecchio" in Fabbriche di Vallico, "Ristorante Pizzeria da Sandra" in Fabbriche di Vallico and finally "Il Canapale."

The restaurants on the former Vergemoli Municipality side, on the other hand, are "La Buca" and "Il Rondone" both in Fornovolasco and "L'Agriturismo Antica Trattoria dell'Eremita" located right next to the fascinating Eremo di Calomini, an interemnate sanctuary carved into the rock.

Ironworking was the major source of income in past centuries, becoming in fact a very fine tradition throughout the Fabbriche di Vergemoli area. Iron was initially imported from the Island of Elba, and later the said material was found locally and mining of this mineral also began in the territory. The most famous mines are still present in Loc. Trimpello, now only the entrance halls of the vast mines, later abandoned, remain.

If ironworking in Fabbriche di Vergemoli is a symbol of the area's craftsmanship, there is certainly no shortage of typical gastronomic specialties, real delicacies all to be enjoyed. Trout, of the rainbow or fario variety, cheeses, porcini mushrooms and sausages are the basis of the local cuisine, in addition to Garfagnana's IGP spelt and Neccio DOP flour from Garfagnana. Certainly the typical dish of Fabbriche di Vergemoli is the tasty Pitonca, a kind of polenta enriched with lard and vegetables: it is mostly enjoyed fried and cut into squares.

What to see in the village
The Colandi Bridge, also called Ponte della Dogana, in its characteristic humpback shape, is undoubtedly the symbol of the municipality of Fabbriche di Vergemoli. It stands in the main town, Fabbriche di Vallico, and was built around the 14th century. Also called Ponte della Dogana precisely because the exact spot where the bridge stood marked the border between the Republic of Lucca and the Duchy of Este. The Colandi Bridge was therefore the frontier between the two ancient states and prisons also stood in this place. Perfectly preserved this bridge is used daily by the citizens of Fabbriche di Vallico.

The territory of Fabbriche di Vergemoli is very large and includes numerous villages and mountain pastures in which there are countless religious buildings. For example, in the village of Vergemoli, there are even two existing churches that of St. Anthony, located right at the top of the village, and that of St. Quirico and St. Giulitta. In Fornovolasco, on the other hand, there is the church of St. Francis of Assisi, which was flooded by water during the 1996 flood. After this episode, Tuscan artist Paolo Maini decided to fresco the walls of the church, giving it a new life.

One of the suggestive places to visit, a destination of continuous pilgrimages in the province of Lucca, is the Hermitage of Calomini; located at the base of an overhang about 70 meters high and set in the rock.

This hermitage is located on the road leading to the village of Vergemoli, and although the structure has been expanded and restored over the centuries, it is still possible to see the wall of the cave where this place of worship was initially built.

The main church is, in fact, in 18th-century style, the sacristy that was the original point is, since the 17th century, furnished with carved furniture. It is also possible to visit the old kitchen and the monks' cells, also carved into the rock like the sacristy.

There are several legends about how this place came to be, the best known telling that, around the year 1000, Our Lady revealed herself to a young woman from Calomini who immediately went to the village to talk about it.

The townspeople then took the image of Mary immediately to the nearby town of Gallicano to be celebrated. After not even 24 hours the image of Our Lady was found in the spot where she had shown herself to the young woman. It was thus decided to build the shrine in the cave.

The hermits of Calomini guarded this place for five centuries, until 1868; now the Capuchin fathers of Lucca take care of it.

In summer, the hermitage can be visited every day, and the rest of the year only on Sundays during Mass.

The Cave of the Wind
Located in the locality of Trimpello, the Wind Cave certainly represents the biggest attraction of the area, one of the most famous and visited tourist caves in Europe. It presents an 'exceptional variety of aspects of underground karst ranging from living and shining stalactites and stalagmites, to small lakes, streams, forms of erosion, mud formations and even perfectly vertical shafts that can be visited by convenient trails. The choice of various visiting routes makes it an ideal excursion destination for individuals, couples, families, school or adult groups, gatherings, etc.

There are three routes through which it is possible to visit the Wind Cave: the first is the shortest and flattest, until you reach a fairly steep staircase that leads to the 50 m deep Giants' Chasm. The second route passes through the Hall of the Acheron, where three streams flow into a single underground river, but also through a gallery that, given the cemented silt on the walls, looks almost like a dense fir forest. The third route in the Wind Cave leads to the threshold of a spine-chilling shaft that is nearly 90 m. deep, with an underground canyon running through its darkest meanders.