In the lands of Matilda - Nelle terre di Matilde

In the lands of Matilda is an itinerary that takes place through the Lombardy and theEmilia Romagna and ends in Tuscany.

Introduction

The itinerary - also usable by walking along many marked paths - runs through a large part of the territory that was, at the turn of the 12th century, governed and lived by Matilda of Canossa. Important testimonies of it remain in the villages, parish churches and castles of the area.

Background

The Grand Countess Matilde is certainly one of the most important and interesting figures of the Italian Middle Ages: lived in a period of continuous battles, intrigues and excommunications, she was able to demonstrate extraordinary strength, also enduring great pain and humiliation and showing an innate attitude to command. Her faith in the Church of her time earned her the admiration and deep love of all her subjects. She was a powerful feudal lord and ardent supporter of the papacy in the struggle for investitures; it came to dominate all the Italic territories north of the Papal State. In 1076 it came into possession of a vast territory which included the Lombardy, L'Emilia, the Romagna and - as duchess / marquise - the Tuscany, and which had its center in Canossa, in the Reggio Apennines. In May 1111 she was crowned with the title of Imperial Vicar-Vice Queen of Italy by Emperor Henry V.

The extensive territories, also known as Matildic lands, of domain of the Canossa included Mantua, Reggio Emilia until the Parma, the Modenese and the Ferrara and extended to the Tyrrhenian Sea, including the Tuscany, L'Emilia, areas of the Lombardy between Lake Iseo and the Adda, theUmbria western and the Maremma Lazio.

How to get

To learn more, see: How to get to Mantua.

By plane

• Verona-Villafranca Airport
• Parma airport

By car

• A22 motorway del Brennero: exit Mantua north.
• A1 motorway del Sole: Reggio Emilia exit.

On the train

• Mantua railway station. On the director Verona-Modena.

Stages

• 45.15638910.7911111 Mantua - Matilde di Canossa, third child of the powerful feudal Canossa family, was probably born here in 1046. The city of the Gonzaga, world Heritage, preserves important historical testimonies of Matilda. First of all the Rotunda of San Lorenzo, in piazza delle Erbe, which according to tradition was built by the grancontessa starting from 1083 with a circular plan in Romanesque style.
  • 45.15638910.7911111 Rotunda of San Lorenzo, Piazza delle Erbe - Mantua. Free offer admission. Monday to Friday: summer 10.00-13.00 and 15.00-19.00 - winter: 10.00-13.00 and 14.00-18.00 - Saturday and Sunday: 10.00-18.00. An important example of Romanesque art, it was built with a central circular plan and is characterized by a women's gallery, which preserves evidence of frescoes from the 11th-12th centuries, a rare example of Romanesque-Lombard painting, clearly of the Byzantine school. 
  • 45.16055610.79752 Mantua Cathedral (St. Peter's Cathedral), Sordello square, ☎ 39 0376 320220. In the Cappella dell'Incoronata there is the tombstone (Hic jacet egregius Dominus Bonifacius illustris Mark, et Pater Serenissimae Comitissae Mathildis, qui obiit MLII die VI Indict. V.) of Bonifacio di Canossa, father of Matilde, who died in 1052. 

• 45.03333310.9166672 San Benedetto Po - City inextricably linked to the Canossa family with Count Tedaldo, Matilde's grandfather, who in 1007 founded thePolirone Abbey.
  • 45.0424210.928583 Polirone Abbey, Piazza T. Folengo - San Benedetto Po. Full 5 €; reduced 4 €; educational paths 6 €. Matilda di Canossa was buried in the abbey in 1115 by her wish and remained here until 1632, when she was moved to the Basilica of San Pietro in Vatican. 
• 44.9446710.857823 Bondeno di Roncore - In this small town, now part of the municipality of Hold it up, Matilde died on 24 July 1115.
• 44.710.6333334 Reggio Emilia - Around the year 1000 Reggio formed the countryside that belonged to the Marquis Tedaldo di Canossa, which in 1076 became the patrimony of the Countess Matilde. The city has named several school buildings after Matilda.
• 44.57640811.4564085 Canossa (Ciano d'Enza) - It is located on the right bank of the Enza stream, on the border with the province of Parma. It is located 25 kilometers southwest of Reggio nell'Emilia, in the Emilian Apennines.
  • 44.57638910.4563894 Canossa Castle and Museum, ☎ 39 0522 877104, @[email protected]. full € 4.00. From November to April: open every day from 9.30 to 17.00 - From May to October: open every day, from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9.30 to 19.00. Main center of Matilda's activities, it was built around the year 1000 by Adalberto Atto di Canossa and included a Benedictine convent and the church of Sant'Apollonio. Here in 1077, during the political struggle that saw the authority of the Church led by Gregory VII contrasted with the imperial authority of Henry IV who, to obtain the revocation of the excommunication imposed on him by the pope, was forced to humble himself (humiliation of Canossa and "go in Canossa ") waiting on his knees for three days and three nights in front of the entrance portal of the castle, while a snowstorm raged. 
  • 44.582410.42565 Rossena Castle, Rossena di Canossa hamlet, ☎ 39 0522 878974, @[email protected]. Winter hours (with the change of daylight saving time): Saturdays 14-18, Sundays and holidays: 10-12.30 / 14-18 - Closed on Christmas and the morning of 1 January. - Summer opening hours: Saturday 15-19, Sunday and holidays: 10-12.30 / 15-19. Month of August: two daily visits: 10.30 am and 6 pm. The imposing fortified complex that belonged to Bonifacio di Canossa, Matilda's father, stands on a reddish cliff. It is one of the most evocative places of the Matildic era. 

• • 44.5801310.423676 Rossenella Tower, ☎ 39 0522 810430. € 1,00. March, April, October, November: Sundays and holidays from 2.30 pm to 6.30 pm - May, June, July, August, September: Sundays and holidays from 3.00 pm to 7.00 pm. The remains of the quadrangular tower stand isolated on a rocky peak. It was part of the defensive system of the Canossa castle. 
• 44.6629210.473916 Bibbiano - Feudo dei Canossa, preserves evidence of its past in the municipal coat of arms, represented by the Canossa dog: Truncated [...]; the second in red to the passing silver dog, holding a silver bone in its jaws.
• 44.63333310.4666677 Quattro Castella - It takes its name from four castles, owned by the Canossa family, which rise on four hills: Monte Zagno, Monte Luzzo, Bianello, Monte Vecchio.
  • 44.627510.4827787 Bianello Castle, Via Bianello, 8 - Quattro Castella (The complex does not guarantee accessibility: it has passages, stairs, steps and environments in which it is not possible to access prams, strollers and or people with mobility difficulties. There can be no more than 75 people inside the castle), ☎ 39 338 6744818, @[email protected]. full ticket € 5.00 - reduced admission € 2.00. It stands on the Bianello hill and is the only building that remains almost intact from the Matildic period, which the countess used frequently. Linked to important historical events, in the castle Matilde di Canossa was crowned Vice-Queen of Italy in 1111 by Emperor Henry V, on the way back to Germany. 
  • 44.626310.46368 Bianello Oasis. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: free admission - Saturday and Sunday 9.00 - 18.00. Managed by LIPU, it was born with the need to protect the numerous fauna present in the area. Inside there is the castle of Bianello. 
• 44.51111110.50258 Casina - It rises at an altitude of 574 m.s.l.m. The territory is dotted with ancient churches and oratories built in the Romanesque style.
  • 44.51777810.8186119 Sarzano Castle, Casina, ☎ 39 333 2110379. Every week from Easter to November 1st, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and all holidays, from 10am to sunset. Built in the mid-10th century, it was bought by Adalberto Atto di Canossa, ancestor of Countess Matilde. 
  • 44.5187310.4534210 Leguigno Castle, Locality Leguigno - Casina (It can only be visited externally). Built in the 12th century, it was part of the Canossa castles. 
  • 44.53482210.43786511 Parish church of Santa Maria Assunta, Location Pianzo - Casina, ☎ 39 0522 810430. Probably built in the Lombard period. 
  • 44.4978310.4639612 Beleo Oratory, Location Beleo di Casina, ☎ 39 0522 810430. Probably built in the 11th century by Matilde di Canossa. 
  • 44.5491110.5047713 Parish church of San Bartolomeo, Location Paullo Church of Casina, ☎ 39 0522 600715. By appointment only. It is one of the oldest parish churches in the Reggio Apennines, with Romanesque architecture dating back to the 9th century. 
• 44.45666710.5205569 Carpineti - Characteristic village on the Apennines at 560 m.s.l.m. it retains a characteristic square dedicated to Matilde di Canossa.
  • 44.44876110.52731914 Carpineto Castle (It can be visited from March 30 to the end of September), ☎ 39 339 2313875. admission without guided tour (except for the keep): free; entrance to the keep without guided tour: € 2.50 per person. It was the favorite residence of Countess Matilde. In this building the great countess in 1077 decided to host Pope Gregory VII after the famous meeting of Canossa with the emperor Henry IV. In 1082 it hosted the Bishop of Lucca, Sant'Anselmo and then the popes Urban II and Pasquale II. 
  • 45.4803710.492515 Abbey of Marola (7 Km from Carpineti), ☎ 39 0522 813127. Free entry. All the year. Benedictine abbey, built at the time of Matilde di Canossa around 1080. 
  • 44.45666710.52055616 Church of San Donnino, San Donnino di Carpineti hamlet. Tradition has it that it was built by the great countess Matilde di Canossa. The building has a single nave with a gabled façade; of particular interest is the interwoven frieze on the portal. 
• 44.38333310.56666710 Toano - Located at 850 m.s.l.m. It belonged to Bonifacio di Canossa, father of the Countess Matilda di Canossa, in the second half of the 1000s. To see is the 10th century Pieve di Santa Maria.
• 44.36666710.4511 Gazzano - Fraction of Villa Minozzo.
• 44.36666710.4512 Villa Minozzo - It was part of Matilda's possessions and defense system.
  • 44.3571410.4329617 Fortress of Minozzo (Rocca del Melocio), Hamlet of Minozzo - Villa Minozzo. The ruins of this building remain visible, dating back to the time of Matilda but of very ancient foundations. 
• 44.209410.488713 Pass of the Roots - Altitude 1529 m.s.l.m. Separate the Tuscany from Emilia.

• 44.19200610.481914 San Pellegrino in Alpe - It's a fraction of Castiglione di Garfagnana, in the province of Lucca. In the Middle Ages it was an important transit site for trade between Tuscany and Emilia. To visit the Ethnographic Museum.
  • 44.1896410.4805518 Sanctuary of San Pellegrino. An important place of worship, it preserves the mortal remains of San Pellegrino and San Bianco. 

Return

Take the A15 della Cisa motorway at the tollbooth of Aulla.

Safety

Around

• Castelnovo ne 'Monti - Capital of the Reggio Apennines, at the foot of the Pietra di Bismantova.
• Frassinoro - To visit the Abbey of Frassinoro, from the 11th century, linked to Matilde di Canossa and her mother, Beatrice di Lotaringia.

Excursions

• Bismantova stone - Rocky massif of 300 meters, with a ship-shaped profile that distinguishes the landscape of the Reggio Apennines. It is a destination for sport climbing enthusiasts.
• Wind cave - Located in the center of the Natural Park of the Apuan Alps, it is one of the most important tourist caves inEurope. It can be visited in three tourist routes equipped with concrete paths, handrails and electrical systems.

Itineraries

• In the lands of the Gonzaga - An itinerary to discover what were the ancient capitals of the Gonzaga state.
• Val d'Enza and Val Parma —
• Castles of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza - Scattered over the Parma and Piacenza Apennines, but also present in the plain to guard the natural border of the Po, the numerous castles of the ancient Duchy of Parma and Piacenza characterize the whole area. Originally military bulwarks, many of them have kept the appearance of an inaccessible fortress, many have gradually transformed their war nature into a refined noble residence; all perpetuate over time the atmosphere of adventure, fairytale and legend that has always been linked to castles, many of which tell of the presence of spirits and ghosts.
• Historic villages of the Po - The itinerary, from west to east or vice versa, leads to know some historical villages that rise near the "great river".
• The Road of the Castles (Mantua) - Allows you to visit the main castles in the area.
• Rice road

Related items

• Mantuan cuisine

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