The Luretta Valley (
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
: ''Val Luretta'') is a
valley
A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains and typically containing a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams over ...
in the
Ligurian Apennines
The Apennines or Apennine Mountains ( ; or Ἀπέννινον ὄρος; or – a singular with plural meaning; )Latin ''Apenninus'' (Greek or ) has the form of an adjective, which would be segmented ''Apenn-inus'', often used with nouns s ...
formed by the river of the same name and located entirely in the
province of Piacenza
The province of Piacenza () is a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Its provincial capital is the city Piacenza. As of 2016, it has a total population of 286,572 inhabitants over an area of , giving it a population density of 111.38 ...
.
Physical geography

The Luretta Valley is formed by the Luretta River, which originates from the confluence of two branches, the Luretta of Monteventano, also known as the Upper Luretta, and the Luretta of San Gabriele, also known as the Lower Luretta;
[.] it extends as far as the
Po Valley
The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain (, , or ) is a major geographical feature of northern Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of including its Venetian Plain, Venetic extension not actu ...
, where the Luretta flows into the
Tidone, bordering the and Valleys to the west and the to the east. At the head of the valley are the Caldarola Pass and Mount Serenda, from whose slopes the San Gabriele branch of the Luretta rises.
Passes
The Luretta Valley is connected to the Trebbia Valley by the Caldarola Pass.
Mountains
Among the most important mountains in the valley are Mount Serenda (759
m a.s.l.), on whose slopes one of the two branches of the Luretta flows,
and Mount Bissago, on whose slopes there are several castles, including that of Rezzanello.
Hydrography
The main watercourse in the valley is the Luretta river, 28 km long and with a catchment area of 101.6 km².
The secondary network of tributaries of the Luretta consists of the Rio Tarone and the Rio Magnana on the
orographic left and the Rio Canto, the Rio Sarturano and the Rio Frate on the orographic right.
History
The oldest finds, preserved in the Tidone Valley Archaeological Museum in
Pianello, date back to the
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...
. Later, the valley was the site of settlements of people of
Ligurian origin.
In Roman times the valley was inhabited with the foundation of several settlements: the ''Tabula alimentaria traianea'' mentions the ''Pagus Luras'', a
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
hydronym
A hydronym (from , , "water" and , , "name") is a type of toponym that designates a proper name of a body of water. Hydronyms include the proper names of rivers and streams, lakes and ponds, swamps and marshes, seas and oceans. As a subset of top ...
for the Luretta river, the ''
vicus
In Ancient Rome, the Latin term (plural ) designated a village within a rural area () or the neighbourhood of a larger settlement. During the Republican era, the four of the city of Rome were subdivided into . In the 1st century BC, Augustus ...
'' of ''Pomarius'' (Pomaro) and ''Canianum'' (Montecanino),
the ''fundus Acutianus'' (Agazzano)
and ''Licinianus'' (Lisignano).
In 218 B.C., the valley's foothills were the scene of the
Battle of the Trebia
The Battle of the Trebia (or Trebbia) was the first major battle of the Second Punic War, fought between the Carthaginian forces of Hannibal and a Roman army under Sempronius Longus on 22 or 23 December 218 BC. Each army had a strength o ...
between the Roman legions led by
Consul
Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states thro ...
Tiberius Sempronius Longus and the
Carthaginian The term Carthaginian ( ) usually refers to the civilisation of ancient Carthage.
It may also refer to:
* Punic people, the Semitic-speaking people of Carthage
* Punic language
The Punic language, also called Phoenicio-Punic or Carthaginian, i ...
troops led by
Hannibal
Hannibal (; ; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Punic people, Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Ancient Carthage, Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War.
Hannibal's fat ...
, who won the confrontation.

In the
late Middle Ages
The late Middle Ages or late medieval period was the Periodization, period of History of Europe, European history lasting from 1300 to 1500 AD. The late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern period ( ...
the area was affected by the struggles between the
Guelphs and the Ghibellines, in particular between the troops of the Guelph
Piacenza
Piacenza (; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy, and the capital of the province of Piacenza, eponymous province. As of 2022, Piacenza is the ninth largest city in the region by population, with more ...
and those of the Ghibelline
Pavia
Pavia ( , ; ; ; ; ) is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, in Northern Italy, south of Milan on the lower Ticino (river), Ticino near its confluence with the Po (river), Po. It has a population of c. 73,086.
The city was a major polit ...
.
In 1164,
Frederick Barbarossa
Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (; ), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death in 1190. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March 115 ...
led an attack in the valley that resulted in the destruction of numerous fortresses, including Montecanino and Monteventano. The fighting between the two opposing factions continued until the thirteenth century: in 1212 a battle took place near the castle of Rezzanello between the Guelphs, who had taken refuge there, and the Ghibellines, who prevailed.
In 1242 Obizzo Malaspina destroyed the castle of Pomaro, in 1255 Oberto Pallavicini destroyed the castle of Groppo Arcelli, and in 1268 Ghibelline troops again destroyed the fortress of Monteventano.
In the same century, the
Scotti family The Scotti is an aristocratic family centered around Piacenza in Northern Italy. The family is also known as also known as ''Douglas Scotti'' for claiming descendancy from the Scottish Clan Douglas.
History
Legne holds that a knight from the Dou ...
settled in Agazzano and made it the capital of their estates, as well as an important commercial center.
In 1372, part of the valley was occupied by troops in the service of the Pope, as part of the war between the latter and the Duke of Milan
Galeazzo II Visconti
Galeazzo II Visconti ( – 4 August 1378) was a member of the Visconti of Milan, Visconti dynasty and a ruler of Milan, Italy. His most notable military campaigns were against Pope Gregory XI, around 1367. These battles fought between the pap ...
.

During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, in the context of the
partisan war, the valley was home to a number of partisan brigades and the scene of important clashes between them and German and republican troops. Between the end of 1943 and the beginning of 1944, several bands were formed in the area, among which, in Sanese di Piozzano, stands out the Fausto band, commanded by the
Carabinieri
The Carabinieri (, also , ; formally ''Arma dei Carabinieri'', "Arm of Carabineers"; previously ''Corpo dei Carabinieri Reali'', "Royal Carabineers Corps") are the national gendarmerie of Italy who primarily carry out domestic and foreign poli ...
officer Fausto Cossu, which, after merging with other bands, formed the ''
Giustizia e Libertà
Giustizia e Libertà (; ) was an Italian anti-fascist resistance movement, active from 1929 to 1945.James D. Wilkinson (1981). ''The Intellectual Resistance Movement in Europe''. Harvard University Press. p. 224. The movement was cofounded by ...
'' brigade, which then reached the rank of division with a total of about 4,000 men.
In April 1945, a bloody battle took place near Monticello Castle between a group of partisans barricaded inside the castle and 2 companies of the
Black Brigades
The Auxiliary Corps of the Black Shirts' Action Squads (), most widely known as the Black Brigades (), was one of the Fascist paramilitary groups, organized and run by the Republican Fascist Party (''Partito Fascista Repubblicano'', PFR) operat ...
, the ''Leonessa'' and the ''Mantova''. In the battle, the partisan commander Lino Vescovi, known as the ''Valiant'', who led a handful of men in support of his comrades, was killed. Despite Vescovi's death, the partisans managed to defend their position, forcing the attacking troops to retreat.
Landmarks and places of interest

;
Castle of Agazzano: Built in 1224 by Alberto Scoto and modified in the 16th century, the fortress has a rectangular plan. The entrance consists of two bridges connected by a
ravelin
A ravelin is a triangular fortification or detached outwork, located in front of the innerworks of a fortress (the curtain walls and bastions). Originally called a ''demi-lune'', after the ''lunette'', the ravelin is placed outside a castle a ...
, which give access to the keep through an inner courtyard surrounded by an elegant
loggia
In architecture, a loggia ( , usually , ) is a covered exterior Long gallery, gallery or corridor, often on an upper level, sometimes on the ground level of a building. The corridor is open to the elements because its outer wall is only parti ...
supported by columns whose capitals are
coats of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic ac ...
. The main façade is framed by two cylindrical towers, with the entrance tower in the middle (the carvings of the chains that raised the
drawbridge
A drawbridge or draw-bridge is a type of moveable bridge typically at the entrance to a castle or tower surrounded by a moat. In some forms of English, including American English, the word ''drawbridge'' commonly refers to all types of moveable b ...
are still visible), and has not been significantly altered over the years, preserving its original grandeur. Flanked by an 18th century residential palace, it is privately owned and can be visited by appointment.
; Bosonasco Castle: The medieval castle was later heavily altered from its original appearance and converted into a farmhouse. It is never mentioned in medieval records.
[.]
;Castelbosco: Located near the village of Campremoldo Sopra, a hamlet of
Gragnano Trebbiense
Gragnano Trebbiense ( Piacentino: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Piacenza in the Italian region, Emilia-Romagna, located about northwest of Bologna and about southwest of Piacenza.
The battle of the Trebia
The Battle ...
, it is first mentioned in a document dated 1314; it was rebuilt in 1482 by Antonio Maria Scotti. According to some versions, the painter
Giovanni Battista Tagliasacchi died inside in 1737. The building, which has a rectangular plan with two towers, a central one that has been greatly modified and one that has been lowered to the level of the walls, is used as a farm and houses the
Shit Museum
The Shit Museum () is a museum in the province of Piacenza, in the north of Italy, and is reported to be the world's first museum dedicated to feces. The museum opened on 5 May 2015, having been founded by agricultural businessman Gianantonio Loc ...
.
;Castelvecchio: The oldest building in the Campremoldo area, of uncertain origin, was first mentioned at the end of the 12th century as belonging to the Pecorara family. In 1372 it was conquered by the papal troops who had invaded the Piacenza area, while in the 17th century it was destroyed during the war between
Odoardo I Farnese and Spain. What remains of the original building is a structure with traces of a drawbridge and a courtyard made up of dilapidated buildings, some of which have been converted into dwellings: most, however, are reconstructions built on the basis of the original structures. According to a legend, a treasure is buried inside, which has never been found despite several excavations.
;Gazzola Castle: Located in the center of the municipality of the same name, it has been used as the town hall, accessed from what was originally a courtyard. Heavily modified, the part of the building that retains its original medieval appearance is the one that overlooks the fields behind it.
; Castle of L'Ardara: The complex, located on a promontory and surrounded by steep walls on three quarters of its sides, is in good condition thanks to a restoration, although its appearance has been greatly modified compared to the original. The original keep, partially incorporated into more recent constructions, has a
Gothic arch in
sandstone
Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...
. On the outer walls there are the remains of two towers on the side facing the plain and two towers of lesser height on the upstream side; on the same side was the entrance with a partially preserved stone portal.
;Lisignano Castle: Located on the banks of the river Luretta. A castle in this area was first mentioned in a document dated 1244, which mentions that the Marquis of Hohenburg, vicar of Emperor
Frederick II, was accommodated there. The castle was commissioned by the Arcelli family and changed hands several times. It has a rectangular plan with cylindrical towers at the corners and is surrounded by a moat fed by the waters of the river. In the 18th century it underwent major works with the construction of a
Baroque
The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
portico and a grand staircase.
; Montecanino Castle: Built in the 11th century, it was destroyed by
Barbarossa
Barbarossa, a name meaning "red beard" in Italian, primarily refers to:
* Frederick Barbarossa (1122–1190), Holy Roman Emperor
* Hayreddin Barbarossa (c. 1478–1546), Ottoman admiral
* Operation Barbarossa, the Axis invasion of the Soviet Uni ...
in the 1260s. It was later rebuilt and changed hands several times until it became the property of the
Scotti family The Scotti is an aristocratic family centered around Piacenza in Northern Italy. The family is also known as also known as ''Douglas Scotti'' for claiming descendancy from the Scottish Clan Douglas.
History
Legne holds that a knight from the Dou ...
in 1528. In the following centuries it fell into ruins, and when it was bought by the Casati family in the 19th century, only a few ruins remained. Of the original imposing complex, with 6 towers, some structures and parts of the surrounding walls remain. The
keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word ''keep'', but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residen ...
was demolished in 1963 because of the risk of collapse due to its state of neglect.

; Monteventano Castle: It is located on the peak from which it takes its name, 420 meters above sea level and characterized by steep slopes on all sides. It was besieged and conquered by Frederick Barbarossa and later by the
Ghibellines
The Guelphs and Ghibellines ( , ; ) were factions supporting the Pope (Guelphs) and the Holy Roman Emperor (Ghibellines) in the Italian city-states of Central Italy and Northern Italy during the Middle Ages. During the 12th and 13th centurie ...
led by Ubertino Landi, who burnt it down. Later it was under the control of the Arcelli family from the 14th to the 17th century. During the
Resistance, it housed the partisan brigades of ''
Giustizia e Libertà
Giustizia e Libertà (; ) was an Italian anti-fascist resistance movement, active from 1929 to 1945.James D. Wilkinson (1981). ''The Intellectual Resistance Movement in Europe''. Harvard University Press. p. 224. The movement was cofounded by ...
''. The whole complex is dominated by the keep, 30 meters high, placed along one of the sides. Near the bell tower of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary are the remains of a second tower, semicircular in shape.
;Monticello Castle: Situated at 549 meters above sea level on the ridge between the Luretta and Trebbia valleys, it was first mentioned in 1372 when it was occupied by troops in the service of the Pope. In 1945 it was the scene of a battle between partisans and Germans, in which the partisan Lino Vescovi, known as the ''Valiant'', was killed. The building has a square plan with round corner towers, except for one that has a square plan. The entrance, consisting of a low turret, bears signs of the original presence of a drawbridge.
;Pavarano Castle: Located on the top of the homonymous mountain, it belonged to the Arcelli family in the 14th century and then to the
Sforza family
The House of Sforza () was a ruling family of Renaissance Italy, based in Milan. Sforza rule began with the family's acquisition of the Duchy of Milan following the extinction of the Visconti family in the mid-15th century and ended with the de ...
until the end of the 17th century. Initially surrounded by two orders of walls, it was completely abandoned between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, also undergoing, over time, profound changes from the original structure. Of the original building, the perimeter walls are preserved; on the side facing upstream, there is a series of small trilithic windows.
;Rezzanello Castle: Already in the 11th century it belonged to the Benedictine monks of
San Savino, and in 1212 it was a refuge for the Guelph troops fleeing from the city during the battle with the
Visconti
Visconti is a surname which may refer to:
Italian noble families
* Visconti of Milan, ruled Milan from 1277 to 1447
** Visconti di Modrone, collateral branch of the Visconti of Milan
* Visconti of Pisa and Sardinia, ruled Gallura in Sardinia from ...
, who besieged the castle and forced it to surrender at the end of the battle. In 1454 the monks gave the control of the castle to Dr. Bartolomeo Chiapponi. Afterwards, the ownership of the castle passed to the
Hieronymite monks and from them to the
English College in Rome
The Venerable English College (), commonly referred to as the English College, is a Catholic Church, Catholic seminary in Rome, Italy, for the training of priests for Catholic Church in England and Wales, England and Wales. It was founded in 157 ...
, while the rights of the Chiapponi family passed to the Scotti family, who, in exchange for a large sum of money, settled the disputes that had arisen between the Roman College over the ownership of the building. In the twentieth century it was restored by the architect Guidotti in neo-Romanesque style. It has a trapezoidal plan with round towers at the corners.
; Vei Castle: A castle with a rectangular plan, it was converted to rural use a few years after its construction and suffered a gradual decline. What remains of the complex is a taller structure in the center, the only remains of the tower, and the oldest part still standing. Completely abandoned, it is in a very poor state of preservation.
;Tower of Montebolzone: Built at an unknown time, it was destroyed in 1243 by Pavese and Germans in the service of Emperor
Frederick II. The tower has a square base and is built in stone in the lower part, about two thirds of the height, and in brick in the upper part, with traces of
merlons
A merlon is the solid, upright section of a battlement (a crenellated parapet) in medieval architecture or fortifications. Merlons are sometimes pierced by narrow, vertical embrasures, or tooth-like slits designed for observation and fire. The sp ...
and a decorative sawtooth motif. The
keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word ''keep'', but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residen ...
of the old castle is about twenty meters high, which was later destroyed.
; Rizzi Tower: The complex is characterized by a tower built between 1430 and 1440 on the initiative of the Da Veggiola family, to which a fortified building was later added. The tower is separate from the rest of the building. Inside there is a courtyard characterized by the presence of arcades decorated with terracotta tiles.
Culture
The valley is part of the culturally homogeneous territory of the four provinces, characterized by common customs and traditions and a repertoire of very ancient music and dances. The main instrument of this area is the Apennine ''
piffero
The ''piffero'' () or ''piffaro'' is a double-reed musical instrument of the oboe family with a conical bore ( Sachs-Hornbostel category 422.112).
It is used to play music in the tradition of the ', an area of mountains and valleys in the north- ...
''.
Economy
The economy of the valley is essentially agricultural, with cattle and horse breeding, riding stables, wine and cheese production. There are many
trattorias and restaurants, even in the smallest hamlets, offering typical and
local wines.
Infrastructure and transportation

The valley can be reached from the Agazzano provincial road 7, which starts from the former state road 10 Padana Inferiore at San Nicolò a Trebbia, a hamlet of
Rottofreno, and reaches
Agazzano
Agazzano (Emilian language#Dialects, Piacentino: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Piacenza in the Italy, Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about northwest of Bologna and about southwest of Piacenza.
Among the main sites ...
after passing through
Gragnano Trebbiense
Gragnano Trebbiense ( Piacentino: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Piacenza in the Italian region, Emilia-Romagna, located about northwest of Bologna and about southwest of Piacenza.
The battle of the Trebia
The Battle ...
and
Gazzola
Gazzola (, or ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Piacenza in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about northwest of Bologna and about southwest of Piacenza. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,856 and an are ...
. From Agazzano, the provincial road 33 of Cantone starts, which allows the connection with the Val Tidone, and the provincial road 7 bis of
Piozzano
Piozzano ( Piacentino: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Piacenza in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about northwest of Bologna and about southwest of Piacenza.
Piozzano borders the following municipalities: Agaz ...
, which, having reached the municipality of the same name, takes the name of the provincial road 65 of Caldarola, which reaches the pass of the same name, allowing the connection with the Val Trebbia. From the road to Caldarola, just above Vidiano, the provincial road 60 of Croce branches off to
Pianello Val Tidone
Pianello Val Tidone ( Piacentino: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Piacenza in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about northwest of Bologna and about southwest of Piacenza.
Pianello Val Tidone borders the following ...
, in the valley of the same name.
Between 1907 and 1933, the central part of the valley up to Agazzano was served by the Piacenza-Agazzano tramway, which connected the provincial capital to Agazzano after passing through the municipalities of Gragnano Trebbiense and Gazzola.
Administration
The Luretta Valley belongs administratively to the municipalities of Agazzano, Gazzola, Gragnano Trebbiense, Piozzano and Travo; Gragnano and Piozzano include territorial parts on both banks of the river, Agazzano on the orographic left and Gazzola and Travo on the opposite bank. Among the municipal capitals, Agazzano, Gazzola and Piozzano are located in the valley, Gragnano in the plain between the Luretta and the
Trebbia
The Trebbia (stressed ''Trèbbia''; ) is a river predominantly of Liguria and Emilia Romagna in northern Italy. It is one of the four main right-bank tributaries of the river Po, the other three being the Tanaro, the Secchia and the Panaro.
...
, and Travo in the Trebbia valley.
The upper valley, belonging to the municipalities of Piozzano and Travo, was part of the Appennino Piacentino Mountain Community, later abolished and replaced by the Trebbia and Luretta Valleys Mountain Community.
See also
*
Piozzano
Piozzano ( Piacentino: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Piacenza in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about northwest of Bologna and about southwest of Piacenza.
Piozzano borders the following municipalities: Agaz ...
References
Bibliography
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External links
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{{coord, 44, 58, N, 9, 32, E, type:landmark_region:IT_dim:20000, display=title
Valleys of Emilia-Romagna
Province of Piacenza
Apennine Mountains