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Barga is a medieval town and ''
comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...
'' of the
province of Lucca The province of Lucca () is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Lucca. It has an area of and a population of about 390,000. The province contains 33 ''comuni'' (: ''comune''). Geography Situated in northwester ...
in
Tuscany Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence. Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...
,
central Italy Central Italy ( or ) is one of the five official statistical regions of Italy used by the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), a first-level NUTS region with code ITI, and a European Parliament constituency. It has 11,704,312 inhabita ...
. It is home to around 10,000 people and is the chief town of the "Media Valle" (mid valley) of the Serchio River. It is one of
I Borghi più belli d'Italia () is a non-profit private association of small Italian towns of strong historical and artistic interest, that was founded in March 2001 on the initiative of the Tourism Council of the National Association of Italian Municipalities, with the a ...
("The most beautiful villages of Italy").


History

In the 9th century, Barga is mentioned as a family feud of the Lombard family of Rolandinghi. In the 11th century, Barga obtained from
Matilda of Tuscany Matilda of Tuscany (; or ; – 24 July 1115), or Matilda of Canossa ( ), also referred to as ("the Great Countess"), was a member of the House of Canossa (also known as the Attonids) in the second half of the eleventh century. Matilda was on ...
broad privileges including tax exemptions. However, formally Barga was still subordinate to
Lucca Città di Lucca ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the Serchio River, in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. The city has a population of about 89,000, while its Province of Lucca, province has a population of 383,9 ...
. When Matilda died, she left all her properties, including the Serchio Valley, to the Church, which was not a popular decision, causing a war. Despite the war, Barga was not looted, apparently because of the presence of the nuncius sent to the valley by the
Pope Gregory IX Pope Gregory IX (; born Ugolino di Conti; 1145 – 22 August 1241) was head of the Catholic Church and the ruler of the Papal States from 19 March 1227 until his death in 1241. He is known for issuing the '' Decretales'' and instituting the Pa ...
. As the result of the war, the diocese of Lucca was abolished and split between several parties, including
Pisa Pisa ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Tuscany, Central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for the Leaning Tow ...
. Barga took advantage of it, and in the 13th century helped Pisa against Lucca, but in 1236 was finally subordinated to Lucca. After these events, Barga developed as an important trade city which had connections with
Modena Modena (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It has 184,739 inhabitants as of 2025. A town, and seat of an archbis ...
over mountain roads. The city grew as a castle surrounded by a line of walls, of which two gates (''Porta Reale'' and ''Porta Macchiaia'') have survived. The town was well known during the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
for the manufacture of silk threads which were exported to major centres such as
Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
, its mills powered by the hydraulic power of the nearby creeks. In the Middle Ages, Lucca and Pisa battled frequently to conquer the wealthy town and the surrounding territory, and for a time Barga was part of the Florentine dominion, later Duchy and
Grand Duchy of Tuscany The Grand Duchy of Tuscany (; ) was an Italian monarchy located in Central Italy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1860, replacing the Republic of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence. In the 19th century the population ...
. Between 1331 and 1859 Albiano owed its allegiance to the Florentine State. It became part of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861. Since 1923 Barga is part of the province of Lucca. The region was part of the
Gothic Line The Gothic Line (; ) was a German and Italian defensive line of the Italian Campaign of World War II. It formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence along the summits of the northern part of the Apennine Mountains du ...
in
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, and was the scene of fierce fighting between the Allies and Germans from October 1944 until April 1945, especially during the Battle of Garfagnana at the end of December 1944.


Geography

Barga lies north of the provincial capital,
Lucca Città di Lucca ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the Serchio River, in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. The city has a population of about 89,000, while its Province of Lucca, province has a population of 383,9 ...
. It is overlooked by the village of Albiano, a ''
località A ''località'' is an inhabited place in Italy that is not accorded a more significant distinction in administrative law, such as a '' frazione'', ''comune'', '' municipio'', '' circoscrizione'', or ''quartiere''. The word is cognate to English ' ...
'' of Barga, which in the 10th century was the site of a castle protecting the town. Pania della Croce, a mountain of the
Apuan Alps The Apuan Alps () are a mountain range in northern Tuscany, Italy. They are included between the valleys of the Serchio and Magra rivers, and, to the northwest, the Garfagnana and Lunigiana, with a total length of approximately . The name deri ...
, dominates the surrounding chestnut trees, grape vines and olive groves.


Culture

Barga is named, "The most Scottish town in Italy," because at the end of the 19th century a number of Italians from the town immigrated to Scotland. There were many returnees over the years and now up to 40% of present-day residents have Scottish relatives. An iconic red telephone box from the UK was gifted to the people of Barga and placed in the town centre, where it now operates as a book exchange, dubbed "the smallest library in Tuscany". There is an annual international opera festival, called " Opera Barga Festival", and a long-running and very successful jazz festival, " Bargajazz". Recently, Barga has become the home of many painters, including
John Bellany John Bellany (18 June 1942 – 28 August 2013) was a Scottish painter. Early life Bellany was born in Port Seton. His father and grandfather were fishermen in Port Seton and Eyemouth near Edinburgh. During the early 1960s, he studied at ...
who exhibit their work in some of the small galleries within the castle walls. The "Sagra" is a feature of Italian rural culture:
communal meal A communal meal is a meal eaten by a group of people. Also referred to as communal dining, the practice is centered on food and sharing time with the people who come together in order to share the meal and conversation. Communal dining can take p ...
s for several hundred people, eaten in the open air, often in orchards, vineyards or sports grounds. Originally religious celebrations, they are now often used to raise funds for local causes. Each town and village will have its own peculiar Sagr. Around Barga from July to September, it is possible to participate in a Sagra every night. In Barga itself, there is the "Cena in Vignola" in the vineyard below the Duomo, and in August the "Sagra del pesce e Patate" (Fish and Chips festival) in celebration of the Scottish connection. At nearby San Pietro in Campo, there is the "Sagra del Maiale" (Pork), at Filecchio the "Sagra della Polenta e Ucelli" (originally small wild birds, now pheasant), at Fornaci di Barga the "1°Maggio expo". The Italian Touring Club has recently assigned the "orange flag" of the "
I Borghi più belli d'Italia () is a non-profit private association of small Italian towns of strong historical and artistic interest, that was founded in March 2001 on the initiative of the Tourism Council of the National Association of Italian Municipalities, with the a ...
" ("Best Villages of Italy"), a distinguished sign recognizing the peculiarity of its beauty and of its quality. Since 1999, Barga has also been the home of the "European Gnome Sanctuary" run by the Garden Gnome Liberation Front. The frazione of Castelvecchio Pascoli was home to one of Italy's 19th-century poet
Giovanni Pascoli Giovanni Placido Agostino Pascoli (; 31 December 1855 – 6 April 1912) was an Italian poet, classical scholar and an emblematic figure of Italian literature in the late nineteenth century. Alongside Gabriele D'Annunzio, he was one of the grea ...
. In 2008, Barga became the first medieval historic centre in Italy to be mapped and equipped with QR codes (2D barcodes) for all of the churches, palazzo statues, restaurants, bars and places of interest. After a two-year trial, the project was released to the public in December 2010 under the name iBarga, allowing visitors to get up-to-date information about the city on their phones. The British writer
Len Deighton Leonard Cyril Deighton ( ; born 18 February 1929) is a British author. His publications have included cookery books and works on history, but he is best known for his spy novels. After completing his national service in the Royal Air Force, D ...
wrote his novel '' SS-GB'' at a rented hut on the outskirts of Barga, using a manual typewriter bought in the town. One of the novel's main characters has the family name "Barga" as a homage to the town.


Main sights

Main sights include: * '' Collegiate Church of San Cristoforo'' (the ''
duomo ''Duomo'' (, ) is an Italian term for a church with the features of, or having been built to serve as a cathedral, whether or not it currently plays this role. The Duomo of Monza, for example, has never been a diocesan seat and is by definitio ...
'' of Barga) (11th-16th centuries), the main example of
Romanesque architecture Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of medieval Europe that was predominant in the 11th and 12th centuries. The style eventually developed into the Gothic style with the shape of the arches providing a simple distinction: the Ro ...
in the Serchio Valley. Of the original church, built in local limestone, parts of the façade remain. The interior has a nave and two aisles. It houses a large (3.5 m) wooden statue of St. Christopher, patron of the city. The
pulpit A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, accesse ...
(12th century) was designed by Guido Bigarelli da Como, with four red marble columns resting on lion sculptures. The campanile contains three bells, the oldest of which dates to the 16th century. *''Arringo'', a large lawn between the ''Duomo'' and the Palazzo Pretorio *Loggia del
Podestà (), also potestate or podesta in English, was the name given to the holder of the highest civil office in the government of the cities of central and northern Italy during the Late Middle Ages. Sometimes, it meant the chief magistrate of a c ...
(14th century): now houses the Museo Civico del Territorio "Antonio Mordini" * San Francesco, church with several works by Andrea della Robbia * Santissima Annunziata church * Santissimo Crocifisso 15th-century church *The town's railway station Barga-Gallicano


Sport

In 1991 the local sports centre named "Il Ciocco" hosted the second edition of UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships.


Sister cities

* Hayange,
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
*
Gällivare Gällivare (; ; or ; or ; ) is a locality and the seat of Gällivare Municipality in Norrbotten County, province of Lapland, Sweden with 8,449 inhabitants in 2010. The town was founded in the 17th century. Together with nearby towns Malmberget ...
,
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
* Orleans, Massachusetts,
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
*
Prestonpans Prestonpans ( , Scots: ''The Pans'') is a mining town, situated approximately eight miles east of Edinburgh, Scotland, in the council area of East Lothian. The population as of is . It is near the site of the 1745 Battle of Prestonpans (first ...
,
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
*
Cockenzie Cockenzie and Port Seton ( ; ) is a unified town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is on the coast of the Firth of Forth, four miles east of Musselburgh. The burgh of Cockenzie was created in 1591 by James VI of Scotland. Port Seton harbour was bu ...
,
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
*
Port Seton Cockenzie and Port Seton ( ; ) is a unified town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is on the coast of the Firth of Forth, four miles east of Musselburgh. The burgh of Cockenzie was created in 1591 by James VI of Scotland. Port Seton harbour was bui ...
,
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
*
Longniddry Longniddry (, )
is a coastal village in East Lothian ...
, Scotland


Notable people

* Lorenzo Baldisseri, archbishop * George Biagi, professional rugby player * Nadia Centoni, volleyball player *
Baccio Ciarpi Baccio Ciarpi (1574–1654) was an Italian painter of the late-Mannerism and early-Baroque style. Born in Barga, Tuscany, Barga in Tuscany, he was active in Rome and Florence. He is best known for having mentored briefly Pietro da Cortona. He paint ...
, painter * Gualtiero Jacopetti, film director * Johnny Moscardini, football player * Antonio Nardini, historian *
Paolo Nutini Paolo Giovanni Nutini (born 9 January 1987) is a Scottish singer-songwriter from Paisley, Renfrewshire, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. Nutini's debut album, ''These Streets'' (2006), peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart. Its follow-u ...
, singer-songwriter *
Giovanni Pascoli Giovanni Placido Agostino Pascoli (; 31 December 1855 – 6 April 1912) was an Italian poet, classical scholar and an emblematic figure of Italian literature in the late nineteenth century. Alongside Gabriele D'Annunzio, he was one of the grea ...
, poet * Paolo Riani, architect * John E. Rigali, sculptor * Frank Viviano, journalist and author * Francesco Farioli, football manager


References


External links


Official website

Official tourism websiteOrigins of Sommocolonia-Barga
(Interview of the historian Antonio Nardini)
BBC News item on Barga "Close-up: 'The most Scottish place in Italy'Statutum Habelle Communum et Terrarum Barge
(1346) - Latin manuscript of 63 pages of statutes regarding taxes, retail sales, weights and measures {{Authority control Hilltowns in Tuscany Castles in Italy Borghi più belli d'Italia