The Via Francigena (also known as Francisca or Romea) is one of the main European pilgrimage routes and is presented as a set of paths and itineraries which, starting from Western Europe, converge in Rome and Southern Italy, the embarkation point for pilgrimages to the Holy Land.

Historical hints:

The Via Francigena was born in the 6th century AD. from the need of the Longobard populations to connect the city of Pavia to the Duchies of Benevento and Spoleto, in Southern Italy, with a safe passage away from the Byzantine territories of Central Italy. An itinerary considered at the time “minor” was chosen which crosses the Apennine chain at the current Passo della Cisa and which, after the Valle del Magra, detaches itself from the coast heading towards Lucca and continuing on to Siena, until it reaches the Val di Paglia, Lazio and finally Rome. The first written description of the route was provided in 990 by Sigerico, Archbishop of Canterbury, who, during his return journey from Rome, noted down each leg of the itinerary up to Canterbury. The Privilegium Baiulorum Imperialium (found in Troia di Puglia) dates back to 1024, the first written testimony of the Via Francigena south of Rome which, in all probability, followed an ancient Longobard pilgrimage route towards the sanctuary of San Michele Arcangelo on the Gargano (the Via Sacra Langobardorum). Other notable testimonials are the

Leià°arvà­sir (Itinerarium) of the Icelandic abbot Nikulà¡s da Munkaà¾verà¡, dated approximately between 1154 and 1160, who traveled the Via Francigena up to Rome following a path similar to that of Sigeric, then continuing towards Jerusalem, and theIter de Londino in Terram Sanctam (1273) by the Benedictine Matteo Paris, composed to be a pilgrimage guide to the Holy Land for English pilgrims.

When between the 11th and 13th centuries. the practice of pilgrimage became of extreme importance, the Via Francigena increased its relevance, becoming the central junction of the great ways of faith. Over time it also became one of the most important trade routes of the Middle Ages, connecting the Mediterranean basin with the territories of Western Europe.

In Pontremoli:

The Pontremoli-Aulla section is the 23rd stage of the Via Francigena. Pontremoli represents the first urban center of significant importance after the pass of the Apennine chain in the direction of Rome.

Stage 22: Starting from the Cisa Pass (1040 m asl), after the ascent of the Taro Valley, you follow an itinerary of about 19.57 km until you reach Pontremoli: from the Cisa Pass you follow the paths up to the Righetto Pass (972 m asl) from where you descend to Groppoli (about 400 m asl). From here you cross the villages of Groppodalosio (where a well-known medieval bridge is still preserved), Casalina and Topelecca and then go up again to Passo della Crocetta (about 700 m asl). You then go back down to Arzengio from which you finally reach Pontremoli. Stage 23: Starting from Pontremoli (Piazza della Repubblica) begins a stage of about 32.12 km towards Aulla. The route has no particular height differences and is at a maximum altitude of 250 m above sea level. After having passed Pieve di Sorano, from Pontremoli you arrive at Filattiera and, following the Valle del Torrente Monia, you arrive first at Filetto and then at Villafranca. After crossing the Bagnone stream, you arrive at Virgoletta and then Terrarossa. A fundamental stop for the pilgrimage is the Abbey of S. Caprasio in Aulla, which today houses the Pilgrim Museum.