Altopascio to San Miniato
17.5 Miles hiked; 8.5 Hours on the trail. (Cumulative: 29.3 Miles hiked; 14 Hours on the trail)
Located next to the church, Altopascio’s impressive belltower from Romanesque origin completed in 1280 still retains its medieval semblance to a fortress.
Still ringing in the tower is the 14th Century bell named “La Smarrita” which means “The Lost One” because it was rung at sunset for its sound to direct pilgrims to safety inside the town’s city walls before it was dark. That tradition continues as La Smarrita is still rung every night before dark.
Today the trail began to enter into Tuscany’s heart.
Early in the walk at Galleno, we walked on the original paving stones from the ancient Via Francigena.
Saw this memorial along the trail
At Ponte a Cappiano there is a fortified 16th Century Medici bridge over the canal.
The bridge that stands over the Usciana River today in Cappiano is the monumental bridge that was built in the mid -16th Century. One of the two towers on the Medici bridge may have originally belonged to the fortified 13th Century bridge at Cappiano that Leonardo drew on his famous map of the Arno Valley RL 12685 which is now in the Windsor Castle collection.
From this bridge, the trail followed the levee along the Usciana Canal before going through some ancient marshes.
The trail climbed to the old town center in Fucecchio.
Fucecchio was founded around the 10th Century. It is equidistant from some major cities (Lucca, Pisa, & Florence) & is the intersection for important roads such as the Via Franciscana & waterways.
Outside San Miniato we came across this volunteer aid station for pilgrims.
San Miniato is perched on a hill located a short distance from the River Arno & halfway between Florence & Pisa, both of whom fought over it for centuries.
San Miniato is among the stops marked by Sigeric on his return journey from Canterbury, so it became one of the Via Francigena’s historic stages.
Saw this art work on a wall on the way into San Miniato.
On to Gambassi Terme tomorrow!
