Routes through the nature and landscapes of the Lucca area

Itinera Romanica +

Step by step in the Romanesque cultural heritage

Thanks to the itineraries mapped and valorised by the Itinera Romanica + project, it is possible to follow ancient paths that lead to the discovery of the minor Romanesque heritage spread throughout the territory. Parishes, monasteries, hermitages, the parish church of Sant'Andrea a Gattaiola, the parish church of Santo Stefano protomartire a Pozzuolo, the church of Sant'Andrea a Meati the Eremo della Spelonca and other sacred buildings stood in an isolated position, not infrequently on a hill, from which it was possible to have a visual control over the territory; the decentralised position proved to be 'central' both as a reference point for spiritual life and as a strategic military function; it was also dictated by the need to make the most of the natural resources (stones, wood, water) of vast domains.

The pilgrimage routes themselves led to places of special devotion, often decreeing their fortune. Often the sacred buildings located close to these routes underwent a particular development in the Middle Ages: built as small chapels, they were enlarged and enriched with rooms destined to welcome pilgrims, thus becoming stopovers - of rest and refreshment, material and spiritual - of the pilgrimage.