Borgo a Mozzano


Borgo a Mozzano is a town and comune in the province of Lucca, in northern Tuscany, located on the Serchio River.

History

The town is mentioned for the first time in 879, when a document mentioned one place In loco Mozzano prope Decimo. Later it was held by the Soffredinghi family, and then by the Republic of Lucca.
After the end of the Lucchese independence, it was part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and, from 1860, of Unified Italy.

Main sights

Borgo a Mozzano is dominated by the presence of Ponte della Maddalena also called "del Diavolo". The Devil's Bridge is located on the SP2 one kilometer north of downtown. The bridge's majestic structure attracts hundreds of tourists every year.
The Gothic Line, a German Second World War military defence line, passed through the comune. Sections of this fortification are well preserved and guided tours of the interior can be arranged.
The church and convent of San Francesco is based in Borgo a Mozzano, a monastery which now houses a home for the elderly. The 12th-century church of San Martino in Greppo, Borgo a Mozzano is located in the Diecimo district of the comune.
The 19th-century suspension bridge, Ponte delle Catene, Bagni di Lucca or Bridge of Chains, links Chifenti in Borgo a Mozzano to Fornoli in the neighbouring comune of Bagni di Lucca.

Transportation

The town of Borgo a Mozzano is centrally located between the Garfagnana and the Lucchesia, and can be easily reached by car with the SS12 "Brennero" or the SP2 "Lodovica". The nearest major airport is the Galileo Galilei International Airport of Pisa.
The comune has two train stations, Borgo a Mozzano and Diecimo-Pescaglia, which are served by the line Lucca-Aulla. Also, an infrequent bus system connects Borgo a Mozzano with the city of Lucca and the rest of the Garfagnana. Bizarrely, fares cannot be purchased on the bus, making it difficult to use. You can make a journey on the bus but often find you cannot return the same day due to lack of services. Busses are not used by tourists due to being so infrequent and not knowing where to purchase the fares.

Twin towns

Asteroid 44717 Borgoamozzano, discovered by Italian amateur astronomer Sauro Donati in 1999, was named in honor of the town. The official was published by the Minor Planet Center on 27 August 2019.