Ortonovo

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Ortonovo is a perched village with a view that sweeps over the Luni valley and surrounding hills, all dotted with vineyards and olive groves. In the background are the villages nearby, extensive plain, Magra river and sea.



The origins of Ortonovo date back to the 11th to 12th centuries. The area was under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Luni. It has changed a few times since 1333 and finally went under Genoa in 1495. The ancient town was protected by defensive walls and a castle. Today, the only remaining part of the castle is the Torre Guinigi (the Guinigi Tower), an imposing 33 metre high structure. It becomes the campanile of the church of St. Lawrence (17th century). The photo below lets you have an idea of how the old castle looked like.



Strolling around we saw some paintings of the village. Affection felt. The villagers love and respect their origins. To let the tourists know more about the places, signages / notices are here and there to deepen the understanding and impressions.

Ortonovo may be derived from the Latin “hortus novus” revealing that the hill was also farmed. It aligns with the exhibits in the Museo Etnografico located in an ancient mill, which more than 300 agricultural artefacts are on display. At time of writing, a “Farmer Festival” is conducted in the village. Participants / visitors can walk through the village and taste typical dishes.


The 16th century Sanctuary of the Madonna del Mirteto is located outside of the historical centre of Ortonovo. This Sanctuary is a white marble shrine, commemorating a 1537 miracle when a painting of the Madonna at the Crucifixion began to shed tears of blood. The resulting crush of pilgrims quickly overwhelmed an earlier oratory. So, in 1540 the Confraternity of Disciplinati began construction of a larger church. 



The building has been reconstructed in various ways since then. One striking addition inside is an octagonal 'tempietto', a kind of holy gazebo added to the interior in 1796. This addition and the rest of the church display lots of precious marble stonework. A small village afforded a nice and ornamental sanctuary. One can imagine how the locals valued it and contributed a lot to make it splendid. An added bonus there are gorgeous views on Ortonovo and the surroundings from the sanctuary. Two of the beautiful villages are Nicola and  Castelnuovo Magra.



Nicola Village

Perched in a panoramic position, the village of Nicola dominates the Magra Valley. The castle with the pentagonal tower dominates the valley. The village looks cute and sweet.

Nicola Village

The medieval tower of what was once the Castello dei Vescovi dominates Castelnuovo Magra, a beautiful town about 200 meters above sea level. It is like a lighthouse on the green sea of Vermentino vineyards.

Castelnuovo Magra

Last but not the least are the beautiful views of the Apuan Alps when we drove down from Ortonovo.








Location: 19034 Ortonovo, SP, Italy

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