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Castle Castello del Aquila

Castello dell'Aquila, 1, Fivizzano (Massa)

Tel. 0585 99157 Fax. 0585 998041 Mobile 335 6628357

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HOSPITALITY
The Castello dell’Aquila (Eagle’s Castle) offers hospitality to those wanting to spend a week-end or vacation experiencing the emotion of spending time and staying the night in an antique historical dwelling built in the Lunigianian area.
Inside the imposing Tower that rises to a height of 30 meters, also called Grande Mastio or Dongione, nine ample rooms have been created for a total of 24 sleeping places, scrupulously respecting the indications of historians and traditional engineering-architecture experts, for that concerning which building materials were used (prevalently sandstone for the walls and oak and chestnut wood for the stairs, ceilings and floors).
In addition to the Tower rooms, guests can ask to use during their say, two large parlors and three halls for their activities.
The restoration has allowed the recovery of the antique Cappella del Crocifisso (Crucifixion Chapel), restored for Catholic worship with the bishop’s blessing of June 18, 2005.
The Cappella del Crocifisso is available for prayer gatherings, individual spiritual reflection and the participation of religious functions, when officiated by the congregation of the local Parrocchia di Gragnola.

CERIMONIES
The considerable versatility of the Castello allows the carrying out of conferences, luxurious convivial ceremonies, and commemorative events.
Conferences, book signings, conventions, business dinners, wedding receptions, anniversaries, and lunch work-meetings offer the guests the beauty of unforgettable moments, taking place inside a unique environment, in a courtyard open wide towards the sky or on panoramic terraces, or even inside the gathered warmth of the antique walls.
The restaurant is entrusted to the best cooks and sommeliers of some of the best catering companies. Service is provided by qualified personnel; the monitoring of every phase of the ceremony is handled by the Castle staff with the purpose of guaranteeing the guests, besides the comfort and joy of the tastes of culinary art, the most serene tranquility and harmonious stay.
The entertainment, organized upon request, is open to every type, from cultural events, to the listening of classical music or opera, from dancing to easy listening music, from poetry readings to re-enactments of medieval tournaments in full costume.

HISTORY
The Castello dell’Aquila dominates from atop a hill of the medieval village of Gragnola, in the Fivizzano territory, in the province of Massa Carrara (Lunigianian area of Tuscany, Italy, EU).
The origins of the fortified hilltop settlement are correlated to the monitoring of the medieval transits that reached Rome from central Europe, crossing as a consequence the Gragnola junction. According to some historians Gragnolo would be Forum Clodi, the place found in the most antique “European atlases” of history, noted as Tabula Peutingeriana and which resurfaced again during the first centuries, at the high point of medieval times.
Research and publications testify that in 1366 was born, to detachment of Fosdinovo, the independent fief who drew his very name from Castello dell’Aquila. There are two dynasties that take their name from Castello dell’Aquila, both coming from a branch of the Malapina of Fosdinovo: the first began with Galeotto of Fosdinovo (1352-1367) after which came his son Leonardo I (1393-1403). This dynasty died away in the middle of the 15th century. The second one came from Lazzaro, son of Antonio Alberico marchese of Fosdinovo whose offspring died way in the first half of the 17th century. Now Castello dell’Aquila, after having been abandoned for all of the 1900’s, has been completely restored and brought back to its antique splendor, thanks to the current owner. During the restoration work, February 19, 2004, a sepulcher, containing the complete skeleton of a Knight from the 1300’s killed by a shot of a crossbow to the throat, was discovered. This discovery has drawn the attention of the scientific world and has become a target of investigation.
The reports have been published on the web-sites of many Universities and Anthropology and Legal Medicine Institutes.

HOW TO REACH THE CASTLE

BY CAR:
Highway (toll road):
Follow the A 15 Parma/La Spezia until the Aulla exit, taking from there direction Fivizzano - Reggio Emilia by way of Strada Statale (State Road) n.63 of Cerreto; 8 kilometers before Fivizzano, turn right at the intersection and follow the signs for Gragnola, Gassano, Equi Terme. Once past Gassano, after 5 km in direction Equi Terme, is the medieval village of Gragnola, dominated by Castello dell’Aquila up on the hill.
Road:
Strada Statale (State Road) n. 62 of Cisa (Parma-Sarzana) to Aulla, then proceed in direction Fivizzano - Reggio Emilia as explained above, Strada Statale n. 63 of Cerreto (Reggio Emilia-Aulla), where you’ll find the intersection for Gragnola, Gassano, Equi Terme explained above.
BY TRAIN
From either Parma or La Spezia station take the “Pontremolese” train to Aulla station. There take the small train for Lucca which connects the Lunigiana with the Garfagnana and makes a stop also at the Gragnola station.
BY AIR
It’s possible to reach Castello dell’Aquila of Gragnola from the Massa-Cinquale, Genoa, Pisa, Florence and Milan airports, and then following the instructions listed above by car, or train.
BY BOAT
You can reach Castello dell’Aquila of Gragnola disembarking at the Livorno, La Spezia, Genova ports or in the numerous tourist docks along the Tuscan or Ligurian coastlines, then following the Highway or State Roads or taking the train, following the above listed instructions.