The Mugello that never gives up

The journey begins from the center of Vicchio (200 m), a town in Mugello made famous by the artists who were born in this place.
The route consists of a double loop starting from Vicchio. The first of these heads south, towards the historic Park of Monte Giovi, the second one goes north towards the Gothic Line.

The version dedicated to Mountain Bikers, compared to the walking version, follows only the southern loop of the route and is traveled in the opposite direction as it is more accessible and fun; it also avoids the summit of Monte Giovi as the ascent is not suitable for biking: it skirts the summit through the beautiful forest road of Prati Piani up to the Monument of the Resistance.

We leave the town crossing the River Sieve at Ponte a Vicchio. We take the slightly uphill path. After passing the nearby Viola lake, we come across the first tangible sign that World War II left in these places: the Martyrs of Padulivo Monument. Among the most tragic pages of its history is the massacre of Padulivo, an event that still echoes in the collective memory today. It was July 10, 1944, and the war was showing its cruelest face. The Padulivo farm, a large farmhouse that in those days housed over one hundred and fifty people, including many displaced from Vicchio, became the target of a German SS unit of about sixty men. Arriving with the pretext of requisitioning cattle, the soldiers quickly focused their suspicions on Aldo Galardi, the owner of the farm, believed to be close to the partisans hiding in the mountains. During the search, they noticed that a horse had been taken away shortly before. They threatened to set the farm on fire if it was not returned. In an attempt to prevent the worst, a woman offered to retrieve it. However, that gesture allowed the partisans of Monte Giovi to receive a valuable warning about the presence and strength of the Nazi contingent. Shortly after, along the road, the partisans attacked: one German soldier was killed, another wounded. The retaliation was immediate. The SS returned to the farm and set it on fire, capturing all those who were there. Over one hundred people, including men, women, and children, were forced to march towards Vicchio. Arriving at the bridge where the ambush had taken place, the Nazis' revenge was carried out in the cruelest way. Ten men and the woman who had brought back the horse were slaughtered on the spot. Only one of them survived for a while, but the wounds he suffered did not allow him to recover. The other prisoners spent the night in Vicchio, awaiting interrogation. The next day, they were all released, except for four men and three women. The men were forced to accompany the Germans in another cattle raid, then led back to the scene of the ambush and shot without mercy. Today, at Padulivo, a stone plaque commemorates the names of those fifteen innocent people who fell victim to retaliation: Bastianelli Pietro, Calzolai Valeriano, Fibbi Attilio, Gabellini Antonio, Galardi Aldo, Giudici Maria, Gottardi Renzo, Landi Annibale, Menicucci Aurelio, Parigi Giovacchino, Poggiali Renato, Santoni Nello, Zagli Ettore, Zagli Nello, Banchi Mario. On the fiftieth anniversary of the Resistance and Liberation, the Municipality of Vicchio wanted to leave an engraved warning next to their names: "History does not repeat itself, except in the mind of those who do not know it." (Gibran Khalil Gibran)

The ascent to Barbiana, the same one taken by Don Milani upon his arrival, marks the beginning of a journey that leads to the discovery of an education based on participation and civil commitment. Here, in 2011, the Don Lorenzo Milani Foundation inaugurated the Path of the Constitution, a trail in the woods with 44 boards illustrating the articles of the Italian Constitution, designed by students to link the teachings of the Prior to the fundamental principles of democracy. For Don Milani, educating meant forming aware citizens, capable of defending their rights and collective freedom. The Constitution, a product of the Resistance, represents a heritage to protect and apply every day. Alongside this itinerary, the Foundation has created the Path of the Resistance, which connects partisan memory to constitutional reflection. The journey starts from the monument of the Padulivo massacre (July 10, 1944) and reaches Monte Giovi, once a refuge for partisans. Along the way, 33 panels, created by students, tell episodes of struggle, letters from death row inmates, and historical images. These paths intertwine memory and civil commitment, reminding us that democracy lives only if we defend it every day, with awareness and responsibility.

We then arrive in the small village of Barbiana (470 m), today a symbol of social justice and the right to education thanks to the work of Don Lorenzo Milani. Its history, linked to the parish of Sant'Andrea, dates back to the twelfth century, but the place would have remained unknown if Don Milani had not taken up residence there in 1954. His transfer, actually a punishment, turned into a revolutionary educational experience. In the rectory, the priest founded the School of Barbiana, open to boys excluded from the traditional school system. Here, they were taught not only school subjects, but above all the value of words as a tool for emancipation. His approach, based on rigor, solidarity, and participation, culminated in the book "Letter to a Teacher," a denunciation of educational inequalities. Don Milani was an innovator of Christian and social thought, a supporter of the underprivileged, and a promoter of conscientious objection. His motto, "I care," still stands at the entrance of the school today. After his death in 1967, Barbiana became a destination for pilgrimages and the venue for the Barbiana March, a moment of reflection on education and justice. Today, the school is a museum that preserves the memory of a man who transformed education into an act of resistance and hope.

From Barbiana, we climb towards the summit of Monte Giovi (992 m). The ascent to the top is characterized by passing through symbolic places of the Tuscan Resistance. We pass through the village of Tamburino, born in the fifteenth century as a hospice for travelers and later becoming a farming complex in the eighteenth century. During World War II, the place played a crucial role: the Germans set up a prisoner of war camp there, where, on September 8, 1943, about 100 prisoners of war found themselves without guards or resources. The local populations, despite their poverty, offered help, while the partisans forged bonds of solidarity with the prisoners. Tamburino thus became a symbol of resistance and the fight for freedom.

Just under a kilometer from reaching the summit of Monte Giovi, two other places tell us about the battles that took place in these woods. The Pyramid of the Partisans is a monument symbol of the Tuscan Resistance. Built in memory of the fighters of the Spartaco Lavagnini Brigade, who operated in the area between 1943 and 1944, the Pyramid commemorates the sacrifice of those who fought against the Nazi-Fascist occupation. Monte Giovi, with its strategic position between Mugello and the Val di Sieve, offered the partisans a safe refuge from which to strike the enemy troops with guerrilla actions.

The names of the fallen are engraved on the Pyramid so that their courage is not forgotten.

It is said that some partisans, during a German roundup, managed to save themselves by hiding near the monument, while others were captured and executed. Their sacrifice is still remembered in the annual ceremonies, keeping alive the memory of the struggle for freedom. Another point of remembrance is the Fonte alla Capra, not far from the monument that commemorates the partisans. We reach the summit of Monte Giovi (992 m). The mountain dominates the landscape between Mugello and the Val di Sieve, offering a view that extends to Florence and the Apennines. But beyond its natural beauty, this mountain is a place rich in history, crossed by events ranging from Prehistory to the Partisan Resistance. The name "Giovi" could derive from the Latin "Juppiter," in reference to the god Jupiter, or from an ancient Etrusco-Latin root indicating its sacredness and elevated position.

The first human traces date back to prehistory, with populations like the Ligurians and Etruscans using the mountain for strategic and religious purposes. In Roman times, Monte Giovi was crossed by communication routes connecting Mugello to Fiesole and Florence. During the Middle Ages, it became a strategic point contested between noble Florentine families, while its woods hosted monasteries, hermits, and pilgrims. Often shrouded in mist, it inspired legends of spirits and wandering monks. More than a mountain, it is a symbol of history, spirituality, and resistance.

Fonte alla Capra

The area of Fonte alla Capra hosted the Spartaco Lavagnini Brigade, one of the most active formations in the Tuscan resistance. The partisans took refuge in the woods and used this spring as an essential supply point, both for water and for organizing guerrilla actions. It is said that, on more than one occasion, the fighters hid near the spring, taking advantage of the dense vegetation and isolated position, thus managing to evade German roundups. Today, Fonte alla Capra is a place of memory, visited by hikers and history enthusiasts. Every year, in April, walks and commemorations are held to remember the sacrifice of those who fought for freedom.

A long descent will take us to Vicchio, effectively concluding the first loop of this journey linked to the places of the Resistance. We then begin the second loop, leaving the town towards Pilarciano. We pass through the localities of Padule, Torre, and Sant'Antonio.

We arrive at Gattaia, where a stone plaque commemorates Ottorino Quiti and Adriano Santoni, two young partisans shot on March 22, 1944, at Campo di Marte in Florence by the Nazi-Fascists. The town was a key point of the Resistance, hosting a partisan operational base. On March 6, 1944, a decisive action started from here: the partisans of Gattaia, together with those of Monte Giovi, fought to liberate Vicchio di Mugello from Nazi-Fascist occupation. The plaque stands as a warning against violence, and every year the community gathers to honor their sacrifice.

Continuing on the path, after about 3 kilometers, we reach the abandoned Fornello Station.

The Fornello Station, located along the historic Faentina railway between Borgo San Lorenzo and Marradi, was once a vital crossroads for the transport of goods and people. In particular, it served the overlying mine, where minerals were extracted for industries, including the construction of the railway line itself. During World War II, the station and the mine became strategic locations for the Resistance, with partisans using the tunnels as shelters and carrying out sabotage against the Nazi-Fascists. With the decline of the mine and the decrease in railway traffic, the station fell into disuse, becoming a forgotten place. In recent years, however, it has been enhanced and is now recognized as a "Place of the Heart" by the FAI. Today, Fornello is a site of memory, combining the history of work in the mines, the role of the railway, and the fight for freedom during the Resistance. We pass the station, completing a small loop. We then return to the path towards Gattaia. We reach the localities of Molezzano and Caselle. In the latter place, the Circolo 12 Maggio delle Caselle houses the Martyrs of Campo di Marte Memorial, which tells a story of sacrifice and struggle. It is not just a piece of marble set in a wall, but a warning engraved in the collective memory, a tangible sign of a pain that has never faded.

We have arrived in Vicchio, the final destination of the second loop and the journey that recalls the places where the Resistance was fought.