Home Destinations What to see in Serramazzoni, a village in the Modena Apennines

What to see in Serramazzoni, a village in the Modena Apennines

April 8, 2024 Modified date: November 8, 2024

Serramazzoni is an ancient mountain village, a place of passage since time immemorial, located in the province of Modena, in the Emilia Romagna region. The village is renowned for its balsamic vinegar and castles, which are immersed in lush nature. In this travel guide, we will explore what to do and what to see in Serramazzoni, a village in the Modena Apennines.

Where is Serramazzoni?

Serramazzoni is located in the Emilia Romagna region, about 25 miles from the city of Modena. The area is located in the mountainous district of Frignano. It is the perfect destination for nature holidays, dedicated to sports and hiking.

The history of Serramazzoni

The first written documents mention Serramazzoni in the Middle Ages. In particular, the village appears in the Statutes of Modena of 1327, when it was known as Serra de Legorzano. At the time, it was simply a settlement along the line between the lower and middle Modena Apennines. This territory fell under the dominion of the feudal lords of Monfestino and Gombola.

The actual village developed with the construction of the Vandelli road in 1751 and the Giardini road in 1776. These were important communication routes that crossed the Apennines, connecting the Po Valley to Tuscany. Serra de Legorzano became a rest stop. Throughout the nineteenth century and until the 1960s, Serramazzoni was a village with few homes. The development of tourism in the 1960s marked the birth and expansion of the town.

Monfestino and its castle

As mentioned, the hamlet of Monfestino and its castle represent the true history of the territory of Serramazzoni. The exact beginning of the construction of the castle is unknown. The oldest part of the fortress, still visible inside the walls, included a high square tower surrounded by mighty walls.

Thanks to its strategic position, the fortification delayed the Lombards’ penetration into the territory by about two hundred years. After the fall of the Lombards, the domain passed to the Franks; it became a fief and lost its autonomy. After various clashes between local lords, in the 14th century, Monfestino became the property of the lords of Ferrara. This lasted until 1796, when the Napoleonic army arrived and abolished the fiefs.

Modern Age

During the Napoleonic occupation (1796-1814) and the restoration period (1814-1859), the individual communities of the Podesteria of Monfestino underwent various amalgamations with other territorial realities. The term “podesteria” refers to the holder of the highest civil office in the government of the cities of central and northern Italy during the Late Middle Ages.

Compared to the village of Serramazzoni, Monfestino had already lost its strategic importance when the ancient community reconstituted itself in 1859. Monfestino was in fact located on the road that connected Modena to Tuscany, which in turn connected Europe to central Italy.

What to See in Serramazzoni

The town of Serramazzoni is an excellent starting point for visiting an area rich in medieval villages and nature. In its environs, we find numerous historical monuments and natural attractions. In Serramazzoni, we have accommodations, restaurants, bars, and sports centers. Now, let’s find out what to see in Serramazzoni, as well as the attractions and places of interest in the surrounding area.

The churches

The church of the Madonna del Rosario is the main place of worship in Serramazzoni. It is a recent building, dating back to the 1940s, with an imposing and richly decorated facade. The church of the Santissimo Crocifisso is the original church of the town. It was born as a small oratory at the end of the nineteenth century, when the town did not yet have a place of worship.

Among the other churches, we remember the one in the hamlet of Ligorzano dedicated to Saints Ippolito and Cassiano, dating back to 1750. It has a particularly beautiful facade that recalls the Romanesque style with Gothic elements. The church of San Geminiano, in the hamlet of Pompeano, has an original core from the 13th century. One of the most evocative churches in Serramazzoni is the Romanesque parish church of Santa Maria Assunta. It stands on limestone rock, and its construction dates back to a period between the 8th and 9th centuries. Its internal architecture is among the most beautiful in northern Italy.

The castles

serramazzoni castles — comune.serramazzoni

In the nearby village of Monfestino, we find the ancient medieval castle. In a dominant position, the well-preserved castle boasts mighty walls and a beautiful circular tower. The precise period of its construction is unknown. However, its oldest core served to stop the penetration of the Lombards into the Modena Apennines. The castle is open to visitors in autumn, during the Medieval Festival.

Situated on a cliff, the castle of Pompeano was already present in the 12th century. The castle dominates the medieval village, which developed around it and the church of San Geminiano al Sasso. It has a crenellated wall. The castle of Pompeano preserves the 13th-century tower, the cylindrical turret, and the monumental hall with 17th-century decorations.

Torre della Bastiglia

Among the things to see in Serramazzoni is also the Bastiglia Tower, one of the symbols of the village. It is a tall 13th-century tower. It supported the control action of the Monfestino Castle, together with a fortress of which it was part, now disappeared. The tower is located north of the town.

Some houses annexed to the building have portals and architraves in carved stone dating back to 1578. Further along Via Giardini is the famous Fontanina, renowned for its exceptionally fresh water.

The village of Faeto

Faeto is located 3 miles from Serramazzoni, at the end of an uphill road. Surrounded by centuries-old oaks and chestnut trees, the town offers an unparalleled panorama. The inhabitants built an oratory in 1540, dedicating it to the apostles Philip and James. The same inhabitants rebuilt it in 1609 after it had fallen into ruin.

The hamlet of Faeto is known for the Carbonara Forest, an enchanting and very cool place. Here, lush vegetation consisting of chestnut trees, birches, and maples dominates.

Via Vandelli

The Via Vandelli, an ancient road that connected Modena to Massa Carrara in Tuscany, opened in the mid-eighteenth century. It crossed Serramazzoni in two places. The crossing of steep mountains, often impassable due to the weather conditions in winter, made it a daring construction undertaking for the time.

For this reason, Serramazzoni developed as a rest village with inns, fountains, and shelters for travelers and merchants. Today it is possible to travel the stretch between Serramazzoni and Sassuolo, crossing the magnificent chestnut groves of Faeto.

The Bucamante waterfalls

Located in Serola, the Bucamante waterfalls are four large, as well as other smaller ones with stalactites. Traces of an ancient travertine quarry are visible along the path of the water. Mediterranean scrub surrounds them, interspersed with orchids, peonies, and ivy.

The legend of the Bucamante Falls and find out how to get there.

The name of the falls originates from a legend centered around a couple of lovers. At the court of the castle of Monfestino lived a lady named Odina, a beautiful 17-year-old girl. One day, during a walk, she met the shepherd Titiro. The two fell in love and began dating secretly. But her parents, King Guidobaldo and his wife Elvira, discovered everything and decided to confine the young woman in the castle. However, Odina managed to escape. Knowing that their love would be impossible due to their very different social classes, the two lovers decided to take their lives by throwing themselves from the highest waterfall.

As they fell, the weight of their bodies caused a hole in the ground under the waterfall. From here, the legend was born that this hole was the “Lover’s Hole,” known as “Busamante” in the local dialect. Two paths, named after the two lovers, Titiro and Odina, lead to the Bucamante waterfalls. The first path starts with the hamlet of Granarolo. The other path crosses the woods and starts with Monfestino.

The village and castle of Monfestino

Located in the municipality of Serramazzoni, the castle of Monfestino appears at the top of the town of the same name. The castle is located in a panoramic position on the slope of the Busamante stream gorge. Given its position, the castle offers a beautiful panorama of the Modena Apennines.

After a long period of abandonment and degradation, the castle has undergone significant restoration. Currently, the castle is under private ownership and remains inaccessible to the public.

The ophiolites of Pompeano and Varana Sassi

The spectacular green rock formations in the hamlet of Pompeano and in the Varana Sassi area are among what to see in Serramazzoni. These enormous rocky spurs are the result of magmatic effusions that occurred 200 million years ago.

A fault in the Pompeano Ophiolite has created a cave approximately 98 feet in length. It is possible to visit the cave during the town festival, the first weekend in August. The cave contains geotritons and an underground lake that is approximately 65 feet deep. At the Sassi di Varana, it is possible to practice sport climbing.

The museums of Serramazzoni

Museum Garden of the Ancient Rose of Montagnana

The Museum Garden of the Ancient Rose of Montagnana is located in Montagnana, just 6 miles from Serramazzoni. You can admire over 800 varieties of roses. The visit to the museum includes the garden of ancient and classic roses, the hatchery with potted roses, the garden of the herbs of the senses, and the rediscovered roses.

The museum is open from April 15 to June 30, every day.
All other months are by reservation only. For more information, visit the website museoroseantiche.it.

The Museum of Rural Life in Montagnana

In Montagnana, we can also find the Museum of Rural Civilization. It is located in an eighteenth-century building in front of the La Noce restaurant. The collection includes 300 tools for working in the fields and objects related to the history of the hotel-restaurant and the Poggio Noce farm.

It is possible to visit the small museum of rural civilization, the vinegar factory, the wine shop, and the cellar. The exhibition route is short but rich in history and tradition. The old restored mill welcomes tourists who want to stay there.

Curiosities and anecdotes about Serramazzoni

The name Serramazzoni derives from “serra,” or natural barrier between two mountains. Mazzoni is instead the surname of a local family that had properties in the area in the Middle Ages. This surname derives from a work tool.
In the territory of Serramazzoni, balsamic vinegar is a true excellence. Numerous families produce traditional Modena balsamic vinegar.
The Pietra della Strega (Witch Stone) is a monolith located in the Rocca Santa Maria hamlet. The Pietra is a limestone formation containing marine fossils of about six meters in height and twelve in circumference. It represents one of the best outputs of fossil chemistry in the world.
The “salsa di Cintora” is located in the Rocca Santa Maria hamlet and has the same characteristics as the sauces of Nirano. Salt water, methane gas, and clay mud emerge from a cone about one meter high, forming the sauce. The locals call it “Bomba” because, during thunderstorms, the cone emits sounds similar to small explosions.

Typical cuisine in Serramazzoni

The cuisine of Serramazzoni reflects the richness of the territory by offering dishes based on porcini mushrooms, truffles, chestnuts, and fresh pasta. The area is also known for the production of cheeses and the traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena, famous throughout the world.

The numerous restaurants in the area offer a variety of meat menus, along with polenta, excellent cured meats, and local cheeses.