Coreglia Antelminelli

Coreglia Antelminelli is a municipality of the province of Lucca in the Italian region of Tuscany with 5225 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012).

Geography

Coreglia Antelminelli lies to the east of the River Serchio and northwest of Lima in the mountains of the Garfagnana to 595 m slm Height, about 37 km north of the provincial capital of Lucca. The regional capital Florence is located 67 km south-east.

The districts include Calavorno, Ghivizzano, Gromignana, Lucignana, Piano di Coreglia, Tereglio and Vitiana.

The neighboring municipalities are Abetone ( PT), Bagni di Lucca, Barga, Borgo a Mozzano, Fiumalbo (MO), Gallicano and Pievepelago (MO).

History

The name suffix, which the community contributes since 1862, refers to the family of Antelminelli which exercised the power here during the Middle Ages long time. The best-known representative of the family was the Ghibelline Condottiere Castruccio Castracane. The town was first mentioned in the 10th century. From the 11th century, the town was economically and politically dependent on Lucca and occupied in 1316 by Castruccio Castracane. The place remained, except for a few brief conquests by Florence, in the sphere of the Republic of Lucca.

Economy

Coreglia Antelminelli was from the 17th to the 20th century, along with other neighboring communities in the valley of the Serchio as Barga and Bagni di Lucca, the center of production of decorative plaster figures ( busts, religious motifs, animals, etc.). The manufacturer (Italian Figurinai or Figuristi ) of these figures sold them himself, especially at fairs, and moved as migrant workers throughout Europe ( particularly France, Germany ) and later overseas. The Figurinai were thus the forerunner of a whole series of subsequent economic emigration movements from Italy.

There are individual establishments in the Serchio Valley, following the tradition of producing plaster figures. The main economic activity of the structurally weak area today, however, is tourism.

Culture and sights

Structures

The image of the scene is determined mainly by buildings from the 16th century. Older buildings are:

• The pre-Romanesque church of San Martino with its origins in the 9th century, is one of the oldest in the province of Lucca. The facade dates from the 16th - 17th century, the Campanile from the year 1854.
• The parish church of San Michele ( built around 1000).
• The medieval castle of Rocca di Coreglia on the highest point of the village.

Museums

The Museo della Figurina di Gesso e dell'Emigrazione (museum of plaster figures and emigration ) was opened in 1975 in the Palazzo Vanni. It shows over 1300 exhibits, especially from the 18th and 19th centuries. Many of the exhibits ( forms and figures ) were donated to the museum by the now dispersed throughout the world living heirs of the Figurinai.

Community partnerships

The place has a community partnership with his namesake Coreglia Ligure since 2005.