The Matildic Way of the Holy Face
An ancient path through spectacular Tuscan peaks and lush valleys, leading to the legendary crucifix housed in Lucca's cathedral.
Walking from Mantua to Lucca, in the lands of Matilda of Canossa, a journey to the Holy Face, the wooden statue dating back to the 7th century AD, known as the "Black Christ of the Lucchese," which has always been housed in the Cathedral of San Martino in Lucca, the final stop on the itinerary. This ancient route, traversed over the centuries by soldiers, pilgrims, and wayfarers, overlooks Tuscany, immersed in the nature of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennine National Park.
Step by step, from the Apennine mountains, the route winds toward the Garfagnana and the Serchio Valley, passing imposing castles, medieval villages, Romanesque churches, and "diabolical" bridges. The route then follows the Serchio River for much of its length, crossing Ponte a Moriano and then reaching Lucca, amidst historical sites and works of art of great value. The approximately 100 km of its Tuscan stretch leads to the heart of the city and to one of the oldest and most venerated wooden crucifixes.