Fosdinovo

The presence of Dante in Fosdinovo has always been cherished and wanted by poets. Giovanni Fattori (1755-1807) from Fivizzano was always a great supporter of Dante’s stay in the massive castle of the village. Gabriele D’Annunzio believed the view from the top of the Apuan Alps that one can enjoy inspired Dante with some wonderful scenes of Città di Dite.

To some supporting the hospitality received by the poet in the castle others object that the castle belonged to the Malaspina family only after Dante’s death. The CLSD believes Dante was certainly welcome not only in all the castles of the Spino Secco, because of a needful and diplomatic agreement and also in the most important seats of the episcopal power and the main courts of the Guelfi area (the castles of the Spino Fiorito). Moreover Dante was a guest of some protectorates in the Luni episcooality and Fosdinovo was among them. In the “Preambolo degli Atti della Pace di Castelnuovo” in Fosdinovo there is a reference to the nobles Puccio and Francino de la Musca. Therefore the issue of the foot steps in Fosdinovo as Galanti wrote: “the presence of Dante is not only possible but historically required”. The tradition of the famous small room set up in the castle close to a fifteen hundred tower is a historical fake brought about by the local supporters after the discovery of the documents of the “Peace of Dante” (1765).

The Affreschi Malaspiniani (Malaspinian frescoes) are highly valuablem they are in grottesque style made by Gaetano Bianchi (1882) from Florence and beautifully represent the achievements of old Malaspina commanders and some historical scenes on the presence of Dante in Lunigiana. Among these the “Leggenda dei primi sette canti” of the Inferno (The legend of the first seven cantos of
the Inferno) quoted by Boccaccio. The precious papers, found by relatives in Florence, were handed to the poet through Moroello II Malaspina, marquis of Giovagallo.