Inhabitants in 1991: 1.354
The
Villa Coillemandina territory extends for 34,81 square kilometres on the
left slopes of the high valley of the Serchio in the Garfagnana. The centre
is set against a rocky projection which overhangs the gorge of Carpineto.
In the Longobarda era this territory was dominated by the family
of the Orlandinghi. It was then received in heredity by the Nobles
of San Michele and one of these, Culimondo, tied his name to the
town of the “villa”, which constituted the centre of the dominion.
In 1248 it was ceded to Castiglione, then autonomous municipality,
but a few years later all the territory came under the jurisdiction
of Lucca where it remained until 1451 when it consigned itself
to the Estensi, and Villa Collemandina remained under the
government of Modena, until the Unity of Italy. In 1920 the
disastrous earthquake which hit the Garfagnana had its epicentre there
but thanks to the work of the survivors – who had also been able
to rebuild stone by stone the beautiful Romanic church – the
centre resurfaced after few years.
Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford |