Sasso di San Zanobi

We are just a few kilometers from the Raticosa Pass, on the ridge of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, an ancient land along the road that leads to Piancaldoli, where the famous Sasso di San Zanobi (also known as Sasso di San Zenobi in Emilia-Romagna) stands out, imposing and unmistakable. This unique boulder is located in the valley of the Diaterna stream, near Caburaccia, in the municipality of Firenzuola. Besides its geological and naturalistic value, the Sasso bears witness to a long history: near it stood the little church of San Zanobi, documented in the tithe book of 1299, but destroyed during the passage of the Second World War. Moreover, in the area there was also a fortress belonging to the powerful Ubaldini family, lords of the Mugello and the Tuscan-Romagnolo Apennines. From a geological point of view, the Sasso di San Zanobi is an ophiolite, a term derived from the Greek ophis (serpent) and lithos (rock), due to the greenish and purplish streaks running through it. Ophiolites are fragments of ancient oceanic crust that, escaping destruction in subduction zones, have been uplifted and transported above a continental margin. Its origin was basaltic, but over time it has undergone metamorphic processes, leading to the formation of minerals such as serpentine and talc. This makes it a geologically significant find: the Sasso di San Zanobi is indeed a fragment of oceanic crust formed about 150 million years ago, a good 60 million years earlier than the surrounding rocks. Near the Sasso, there are two other important ophiolitic formations such as the Sasso della Mantesca, with blue and white reflections, and the Sasso delle Macine, another imposing rock linked to the area's history. San Zanobi is a central figure in Tuscan Christian tradition. Bishop of Florence between the 4th and 5th centuries, he was a great evangelizer of the region, bringing the word of the Gospel even to the most rugged areas of the Apennines. According to tradition, he met Saint Ambrose of Milan near Malomonte, while he was in the area for his pastoral work. After that encounter, it is said that his strength doubled, and he managed to achieve numerous conversions between the Diaterna, Caburaccia, and the Idice. Like any place shrouded in mystery, the Sasso di San Zanobi is also tied to an evocative legend. It is told that the Devil, worried about the increasing number of conversions achieved by San Zanobi, called an infernal council to stop him. To do so, he proposed a strength challenge to the saint: both would have to transport a huge boulder from the Idice to the top of the hill. Whoever carried the boulder farthest would have the right to the souls of the area's inhabitants. San Zanobi accepted the challenge and trusted in God. The Devil, with effort, lifted a large boulder and set off. San Zanobi, on the other hand, took a much larger rock, but with ease, he lifted it with just his pinky finger, carrying it well beyond the point reached by the Evil One. Seeing himself defeated, the Devil became furious and hurled his boulder with anger, causing it to shatter amidst fire and flames. This fragment is now known as the Sasso della Mantesca, located in the nearby Valle del Sillaro. Thanks to winning the challenge, San Zanobi managed to convert the region's inhabitants, ensuring that the Christian faith took deep root in the valleys of the Apennines. Every year, the local community keeps the memory of the saint alive with the Feast of San Zanobi, celebrated on the first Sunday of July, right at the foot of the Sasso. This event is an opportunity to recall the history, faith, and traditions that have made this place special. In addition to its ancient legends, the Sasso di San Zanobi is also linked to a more recent historical event: the Garibaldian Escape. In 1849, after the fall of the Roman Republic, Giuseppe Garibaldi was forced to flee through central Italy to avoid capture by the Austrians and the Papal States. His long and adventurous escape led him to seek refuge in the most rugged areas of the Apennines. It is said that, in his attempt to cross the Mugello, Garibaldi passed right by the Sasso di San Zanobi, using the difficult terrain to elude his pursuers.

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