San Godenzo: a brief history, remarkable facts and a fascinating area.

With the principal town as a nucleus, the eight fractions of the Village of San Godenzo (Casale, Castagneto, Castagno d'Andrea, Ficciana, Gugena, Petrognano, San Bavello and Spaliena) stretch over a territory of approximately 99 square Km, between the ‘Alpe di San Benedetto’ and the mountain slope of the Falterona, and with a medium altitude beyond 700 meters above sea level.

During the last thirty years, the population fell from little more than 3000 to 1200 inhabitants: the clearest indication of the agricultural crisis that has determined the abandonment of the mountain area and has been compensated by the industrial development, in zones outside the center of the San Godenzo region. Only recently the economic possibilities of the mountain area i.e. the traditional activities (breeding, forestry, and tourism) and the connected handicraft work have been developed in a structured way.

Brief History:

San Godenzo belonged to the Counts of Guidi da Porciano, and most probably originated in the Xth century from the “Longobarda” in Italy, which had constructed in defense of their territory, numerous fortresses and castles: San Bavello, San Godenzo, lo Specchio, Monte a Orida, Poggio al Puledro, Castagno and Serignana.

In 1344, the fortresses and the castles of San Bavello, San Godenzo and Ficciana fell under the control of the Florentine Republic.  In 1366 the castles of Serignana, Monte a Onda and Castagno were bought for 2650 florin. 

Nearly none of the fortresses and castles remains because Florence organized “discouragement waves” to prevent that the feudal lords would rebuild their independence. 

San Godenzo, an ancient feudal dominion, was decreed Podesta Office (“Uffizialato Podesteria”) at the beginning of the XVIth century, as a stopping place on one of the difficult roads which in the Grand Duchy era led to Romagna.

The last World War has caused a tragic moment in the history of this village, which found itself in the fire line ("linea gotica") the principal town and the different villages were mined causing heavy destructions.  Luckily, one of the more famous and outstanding monuments in the region, the abbey of San Godenzo, was saved.

The Abbey of San Godenzo:

The abbey is a very ancient one: the first notions go back to 1028, when the bishop of Fiesole, Jacopo il Bavaro, dedicated itself to the reconstruction of an ancient parish church, a Benedictine one of IXth century --donated by monks to the Episcopal mess of Fiesole-- imposing to the builders the model of the contemporaneous cathedral of Fiesole.  In the renewed parish church, Jacopo il Bavaro placed the reliquary of San Gaudenzio, a hermit of the VIth century who came a lot to the local population, in honor of which the ancient church of the IXth century would have been built.

The abbey is world famous for the historical event of 1302, when a number of Ghibelline outlaws and ‘Guelfi’ (part of which where woman) gathered in secret (Ghibelline Died: June 8, 1302) in order to organize together with the counts of ‘Guides’ and the Ubaldini, a military union that would change the political order of Florence.

From than on - as far as we can trace it back - "Dante Alighieri" was the bandit of the town for two years. The conspiracy ended in a failure with the defeat of Lastra (1305): the poet disappointed from the events and even more from the occasional allies, gave up for ever and left all by himself."

In the course of the centuries the Abbey had endured several transformations, has been restored in 1907, 1921 and 1947, in order to bring it back to the original shapes, with typical basilica structure.  Valuable objects are conserved inside: an altarpiece of Bernardo Daddi (XIVth century); a sculpture of Baccio d' Agnolo (1507) a lime-tree wood statue representing San Sebastiano, placed in the left nave. The greater altar, which is dated back to the period of the foundation of the abbey, introduces remarkable inlays in multi-color marble.

On the occasion of the ninth centenarian of the abbey, in 1929, an enormous mosaic was realized in the apse.

San Bavello:

From the different churches in the neighborhood, one to remember is the church of San Bavello, constructed around 1000, more or less at the same time of the San Bavello fortress which was destroyed by Florence in 1341.  The church dedicated to San Bavello (dialectal expression of San Babila), according a legend was erected following the will of countess Matilde of Tuscany, it remains the sole trace to testify the splendor of the houses in the medieval age. It has suffered from various deteriorations in the course of the centuries and in 1924 a total restoration was completed to repair the damages of the earthquake of 1919.

San Giorgio:

Coming from the main road of Dicomano that passes through San Bavello and San Godenzo, a winding mountain road towards the north (be careful: a left turn in a sharp curve) arrives in Castagneto and Petrognano, where the church of San Giorgio can be found.

San Niccolò:

Arriving in San Godenzo from Dicomano a road to the right leaves towards Castagno d'Andrea and the slopes of the Falterona.  Before arriving there, at an altitude of 582 m. arises San Niccolò founded around 1100.

Castagno d'Andrea:

According to a legend it is said that in one of the last houses of Castagno d'Andrea the famous painter Andrea (1409-1457) was born.  In remembrance, on the facade of the house a commemorative plaque can be found.

Until 1796-1798 Castagno was an independent municipality, and it is for this reason that since a few years, during the month September, the Town Council is held in this locality.

San Martino:

Of the ancient church of San Martino, on the hill with the same name, only traces remain of the oratory of San Vespasiano. The current church of San Martino, situated in the center of the village, dates from 1840: destroyed in the last World War, it has been reconstructed as new based on an impression from a fresco of Peter Annigoni.

The Nature of San Godenzo:

If you have admired architectonic beauty of this region, than you will find and enjoy in the entire ‘Val di Sieve’, the great and unique nature of the Appennino separating Florence from Romagna. The hairpin curves of the road of Muraglione (S.S. 67), today rediscovered by the tourists, reveal evocative landscapes.  The remarkable names like the “Grip of the Little Horse” (Stretta del Cavallino) and the light declivity of the Fiera dei Poggi (“Festival of the big mounds”), named after an annual fair with a competition of inhabitants from Tuscany and Romagna, indicate the beauty and magnitude of this area.

Acquacheta waterfalls:

A locality that deserves of being mentioned is that where the cascade of the Cheta River is located.  This is mentioned in Dante’s song XVI of Hell where the falling of the infernal river is compared to this cascade:

" Even as that stream which holdeth its own course
The first from Monte Veso towards the East,
Upon the left-hand slope of Apennine,
Which is above called Acquacheta, ere
It down descendeth into its low bed,
And at Forli is vacant of that name,
Reverberates there above San Benedetto
From Alps, by falling at a single leap,
Where for a thousand there were room enough;
Thus downward from a bank precipitate,
We found resounding that dark-tinted water,
So that it soon the ear would have offended.
I had a cord around about me girt,
And therewithal I whilom had designed
To take the panther with the painted skin.”

[Note: Dante compares the fall of Phlegethon to that of the Montone (a river in Romagna) from the Apennines above the Abbey of St. Benedict. All the other streams that rise between the sources of the Po and the Montone, and fall from the left side of the Apennines, join the Po and accompany it to the sea.  In Forli, it loses the name of Acquacheta, and takes that of Montone.]

Recent events:

In the recent past, the region escaped a serious risk: it was planned that the Algerian methane gas pipeline would pass through the city and the area around it. The dedicated and hard opposition of the villages of San Godenzo and Portico di Romagna has avoided this scenario and ensures that the tourist is offered an intact and beautiful environment. The difficult access, the natural imperative of the area, has made it an oasis of fauna of particular value, whose conservation will have to constitute an engagement from all the citizens and the competent administrations.

At the feet of the Falterona, deep and majestic, where the nature is the absolute King, following the Appennine comb (‘crinale appenninico’), at 1200 m. above the sea level, one reaches the area of the Source of Borbotto.

The same landslide of 1960, that moved a wide area of ground modifying some of the aspects of the area, has attracted scientific interest of geological experts. 

For sure, this is the place to be for "trekking" (the modern version of the hiking), the lovers of the nature, oxygen and peace, in order to escape stress of the civilization in the valley.

Manifestations and Events

Remarkable arrival in the summer of tourists has stimulated the rebirth of ancient customs and has provoked several new initiatives of cultural and artistic characteristic, promoted from the ‘Associazione Andrea del Castagno’ and the ‘Associazione della Valle del Falterona’ of San Godenzo. After many years, as an example, the Fair of Hills has been resumed in August 1983, with wide participation of breeders, traders of cattle and visitors.  The cheerful animation in the town, the curiosity of people and the interest of the vendors, create the expectation that it has recreated a traditional gathering together between inhabitants from Tuscany and Romagna, a living and vital variant of the ‘classical’ folkloristic manifestations.

Another recurrent event, by now very famous, is the "Festival of the pecorino cheese", held the first Sunday of July. Participating are local shepherds as well as shepherds from the region around, whose products are renowned for quality and genuineness.  This group attempts to demonstrate the right and tight interdependence of the village and the tourist activity and has given the festival a meaning that extends far beyond that what is traditionally attributed to such a fair. In effect it is recognition of the values of the mountain and of its resources but above all of the above mentioned people and their atavistic passion that they protect for us, and not so much for the economic profit,

Finishing this short speech on Saint Godenzo, it seems right for us to remember the ‘Musical Summer Castagno d’Andrea’ (‘Estate musicale di Castagno d'Andrea’). Born several years ago nearly as a personal initiative of don Brezzi, parish priest of Castagno d’Andrea, it grows year after year to assume today national importance. Today the Association of Castagno d’Andrea is ensured of the participation of renowned Italian and foreign musicians.

Recurring events:

-         July - August: Dante Ghibellino historical revival.

-         August: Fiera dei Poggi.

-         August: Estate musicale - Il Castagno d'Andrea.

-         September: Festa del patrono.

-         October: Ballottata a Il Castagno d'Andrea

-         Weekly Market day: Sunday morning