Barga, Tuscany
Barga is a medieval Tuscan city in the north of Italy, with a total of around 10,000 inhabitants. It lies on a hilltop just outside Garfagnana - in the portion of the Serchio Valley located within the Province of Lucca. Barga is north of the town of Lucca, a medieval city noted for its amphitheatre, ancient towers and medieval churches. Lucca is about 60 minutes north of Pisa, known worldwide for its leaning tower, as well as many other ancient churches and monuments. The city has an area of about 66 km2 and a total population of 10,018.
Culture
Barga, itself, is known for its artistic richness, historic monuments, and mild climate in comparison with much of the country. There is a Cathedral overlooking the whole town, which is surrounded by old city walls.
There is an annual international opera festival; operabarga, and a long running and very successful jazz festival; bargajazz. Recently, Barga has become the home of many painters who exhibit their work in some of the small galleries within the castle walls. Barga is often known as "The Most Scottish Town in Italy" due to the thousands of emigrants who left this area in the last century during the famine to start a new life in Scotland. Many made their fortunes in the fish and chips and ice cream businesses and return each summer to their home city.
The culture, or rather the spirit or soul of the Barghigiani carries the indelible imprimature of Florence: this distinctive and ennobling association of Barga with Florence came as a result not only of political dependence but also of a civil, cultural and artistic integration. More than five centuries of common interest (1341-1859) could not but leave a deep and longlasting influence.
Historical references
The "Historical and Geographical History of Tuscany" (published 1833) and written by Emanuele Repetti from Carrara, (the scientist, historian and distinguished member of the Academy of Agrarian Economics and Rural Life) described Barga as "a distinguished well-populated town, blessed by nature and by art, capital of the Grand Duchy of the Garfagnana, belonging to the bishopric and municipality of the Diocese of Pisa, formerly of Lucca, District of Pisa".
Today the Grand Duchy of the Garfagnana no longer exists, nor is Barga any longer a capital in any institutional sense, although the population, certainly, has grown. What does remain, however, is the distinctiveness of the town and its surroundings. It is still blessed by its beautiful setting, its works of art and the undeniable fascination of its historic centre which has preserved the original urban plan. Also remaining are the warmth and kindness of the people of Barga towards those who visit it for the first time. Indeed the attitude of the Barghigiani towards visitors is quite open and friendly and you are more likely to find 'bad feelings' between fellow townspeople than any towards an 'outsider'.
External links
- Council site (Italian)
- BargaNews info site (English & Italian)
- Barga Jazz
- Barga Opera
- 3D tour of the barga churches
- Barga's Scottish connections
- Copy of Independent editorial article - Barga's fish & chip festival
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