Colonnata

Colonnata is a district of the municipality of Carrara in the province of Massa -Carrara, Tuscany region, in the Apuan Alps, which lies at an altitude of 532 meters. The place that counted 307 residents in 2001, concludes a gorge above Carrara, through which the river flows Carrione. Colonnata is only on a single street, numerous switchbacks, accessible.

History

Colonnata was founded in 40 AD, for the extraction of marble. According to tradition, is the name " colonnata " on a colony of slaves back, which were used by the Romans in the marble quarries. The existence of such a colony is attested to by numerous historical and archaeological evidence.

The town is a place of quarry workers, which is above the basin Bacino di Fantiscritti, in the Carrara marble is broken. Near colonnata are mainly the Carrara marbles Venato, Arabescato, Bardiglio and also the statuary, the sculptor stone, mined.

Located in the marble quarries of Massa, which there abundant building material overlooks the village Colonnatas. Buildings, squares, pedestrian paths and monuments are built of marble. Many private houses are unrendered, and show facade elements made ​​of Carrara marble.

• Worth seeing is the marble monument located in the village and the cemetery for the unfortunate quarry worker.
• In the church of San Bartolomeo of colonnata there is a bas-relief in marble and bronze, on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the death of Pope John XXIII. were prepared.
• The Piazza Palestro is completely covered with marble slabs. In 1957, a marble monument of the Italian national hero Giuseppe Mazzini was erected on the piazza.

Lardo di Colonnata

In colonnata are restaurants, cafes and small shops that offer the specialty of the place, the Lardo di Colonnata ( Lardo di Colonnata ). This particularly mature, fat bacon aged in marble basin approach half a year. It is quite possible that have already been introduced in colonnata in Roman times method of preservation of pork. Lardo di Colonnata used to be the food of stone workers, the required calorie -rich food for their hard work. Today it is a specialty.

Bergdorf Vergheto

Northeast of colonnata, 1.5 km from the city, is located at 840 m altitude, the abandoned mountain village Vergheto (44 ° 5 ' 39 " N, 10 ° 10' 14" O44.09402777777810.170416666667 ). At one time inhabited by quarrymen in the summer months, offers from there an impressive panoramic view of the surrounding mountains and marble quarries. After Vergheto and in the mountains of marble rocks introduces labeled with 38 hiking trail that leads from Vergheto up to a small turn to the left where the marked trail starts 195. First is the way to go easily, then you will pass a small source of a mountain river, from there it goes steadily uphill. One comes to the Cima del Vergheto (837 m high), then click on the Cima d ' Uomo ( 968 m high). If you continue past the La Bandita, you come back down to Collonata. The path requires about 3-4 hours of time is challenging and there are good sneakers, better yet sturdy shoes required. The descent is tiring, but rewarding for those unforgettable views across the marble quarries.