::Territorio::

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PRESENTATION The commune of Villa Collemandina extends 34.81 square km. and has a population of 1391 inhabitants. lt has an excellent geographicalposition and moderate dllmate thanks to The protection from the cold north winds by the formation of the Apennine ridge. Made up of seven fractions placedamong 550 and 1600 m.s.Lm., The municipality of Villa Collemandina is immersed in the green of chestnut trees and meadows and gathered around the mass of the Pania di Corfino. Each village is an oasis of tranquilllty, The surroundings are among the most varied and suggestive: in the front, The chaTh of The Apuan A/ps of precious marble, below, The Serchio River valley and its cultivated terraces, to the back, the Pania and The Apennines. The variety of local flora and fauna, The easy excursion tralls, the characteristic villa ges, are an appealing attraction to many tourists, who find courtesy and hospitallty in the modem hotel structures and in private homes.

HISTORICAL NEWS Recent archeological discoveries show that the territory was first inhabited by the Etruscans, then by the Ligurian Apuans unti/the Roman con quest in 180 AC. Some towns are very old and their history is certainly that of the origins of al/the Garfagnana villa ges, located almost always in high positions and fortified with a defensive purpose. Before the year one thousand, in fu/I feudalism, this zone became the property of a powedul Longobardic family of Rolandinghi or Orlandinghi who established their home or curia in Villa di Colimundinga from their family founder (the name in the course of centuries became modif́ed to Coilemandina). In the year 1265, the nobles of Villa united their domain with the free commune of Castiglione di Garfagnana (fortress of the Republic of Lucca), where they exercised nota ble political influence. In 1430, Villa Coilemandina became a dependent of the Casa Estense, and it remained in this state until the unity of ltaly, excluding the brief napoleon period and the princedom of E/isa Bonaparte. Between 1803 and 1806, due to the suppression of the pre-existing “comune/li” (each village was self-governed as an independent commune), it formed the Comune di Villa Collemandina. Initially on the hill, there was the maste(s castle; afterwards on the ruins of the edifice, arose the area occupied by the present church and the beautiful ornate cloister of sixteen smail columns made of sandstone that until the last centuty a/so served as a cemetety. /nside the parochial church there are two marble alters, both works of Nicola Civitali dated 1533 and a wooden triptych of valuable workmanship recently restored.