What to see in Barga, itinerary including the main monuments and places of interest, including Duomo San Cristoforo, Conservatory and Palazzo Pretorio.
Tourist itinerary
The visit of Barga offers tourists remarkable panoramic views from the square of the Duomo, the uphill streets of the ancient village and interesting monuments.
A town in Tuscany in the province of Lucca, Barga is located in the territory between the Mediavalle del Serchio and the Garfagnana, lying on the Remeggio hill at 410 meters above sea level, along the Apennine slopes, among which Monte Giovo stands out.
The current urban structure of Barga has the typical shape of the medieval village, surrounded by a wall accessible from Porta Reale, Porta Macchiaia and Porta di Borgo.
Narrow alleys and steep stairways lead to the top of the village where the Duomo stands.
With origins dating back to the period between the end of the Lombard period and the early Middle Ages, or between the fourth and eighth centuries, the moment of greatest splendor of Barga mainly affects the time interval from the fifteenth to the seventeenth century, when Barga fell under the dominion of Florence.
The Renaissance-style buildings date back to this period, including Palazzo Pancrazi, the town hall, Palazzo Balduini and Palazzo Bertacchi.
Other very beautiful buildings are located along the winding and steep streets of Barga, where works of considerable artistic value are preserved.
What see
The Conservatory with the church of Santa Elisabetta, the church of the Santissimo Crocifisso, the church of the Santissima Annunziata and the church of San Francesco are very interesting.
The Duomo, together with Palazzo Pretorio, constitutes a kind of fortified citadel protected by imposing walls and access doors.
The assemblies of the medieval community took place on the large lawn surrounding the Cathedral, bordered to the north by the Palazzo Pretorio, and it is for this historical function that the space has retained the name of arringo.
Recommended readings- Artimino (Tuscany): what to see
- San Galgano (Tuscany): what to see
- Poggibonsi (Tuscany): what to see
- Castiglione di Garfagnana (Tuscany): what to see
- Tuscany: Sunday day trips
The Duomo, dedicated to San Cristoforo, was built several times between the eleventh century and the sixteenth century.
Inside, the marble pulpit stands out, probably the work of Guido Bigarelli from Como, which is a fine example of the typical art of the Como masters, the statue of San Cristoforo, made of polychrome wood in the early Middle Ages, and the Della Robbia terracotta of excellent workmanship.
The crenellated bell tower houses the ancient bells, whose chimes inspired the poet Giovanni Pascoli, the poem "L'ora di Barga".
From the square in front of the Duomo you can enjoy an exceptional panoramic view of the surrounding mountains, with a specific explanatory map, placed on the wall that acts as a parapet, showing the names of the various peaks, including Monte Forato and Pania della Croce, in the Apuan Alps, and Monte Giovo, in the Apennines.
