Located on a hillock to the left of the Magra, Castiglion del Terziere is one of the most evocative villages in the whole of Lunigiana, a fascinating area between upper Tuscany and Liguria. Here is the Castle dating back to the 6th-7th century: characterized by a solid quadrangular tower, it was a typical medieval fortress dating back to before the year 1000 and was renovated in 1351 by Franceschino Malaspina, who obtained its lordship. Its period of supreme importance and development coincided with the domination of Castruccio Castracani, Lord of Lucca, who established a stronghold here intending to bring together the Lunigiana, Garfagnana, Lucca, and Versilia in a single state. The ancient church dates back to the mid-sixteenth century, but was abandoned in 1783 because it was unsafe: some ruins can still be seen, including the foundations – visible in some places – and ancient objects such as two holy water fonts, some altars, the baptismal font, and some tombstones. On the site of the ancient church, there are today the war memorial and the old bell tower. The new church, also dedicated to San Leonardo abbot, was built immediately afterward, driven by Giovanni di Girolamo Corbellari and the parish priest Don Michele Pedroni, and was completed in 1787.
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