Pugliano: Church, Castle and Palio dei Micci

Pugliano lies on the summit of a hill at 610 metres above sea level. The village’s history is reflected in its medieval architecture, changing rulers and events in different forms. Chiesa di San Jacopo, Castello di Pugliano and the Palio dei Micci each offer a different perspective on its cultural history.

Chiesa di San Jacopo: several periods in time

Chiesa di San Jacopo in Pugliano dates from the 13th century, is dedicated to San Jacopo and is devoted to the village’s patron saint. In the tithe records of the late 13th century, it appears as a chapel of the Pieve di San Lorenzo di Vinacciara. This places the church in both a historical and ecclesiastical context.

It has prominent Romanesque remains; its exterior design is attributed to the 19th century. These details concern different aspects: the Romanesque remains describe architectural features, while the 19th-century date refers to the exterior design. Its origins, surviving features and exterior form thus reflect several periods, rather than reducing the church to a single construction date.

Castello di Pugliano and the Turiòn

Castello di Pugliano changed hands several times in the 14th century, including between the Malaspina, Lucca and Florence. These changes of rule provide the political context for the castle’s history.

Another episode recounts a rebellion: Cecchinello, from the Pugliano noble family, and his allies captured the castle; a military expedition from Lucca subsequently retook it. The two events show a sequence of capture and recapture, without needing to combine them with the changes of ownership into a single episode.

The tower locally known as the Turiòn is polygonal. Alongside the Castello’s history of changing rule, this offers another topic: the tower’s distinctive feature is its architectural form. These different perspectives complement one another when exploring Pugliano’s architectural heritage, without conflating the tower with the castle.

Palio dei Micci: a recurring event date

The folkloric Palio dei Micci has been held in Pugliano every year on 15 August since 1994. The venue is Pugliano’s sports facilities, and the event is organised by the Pro Loco. The Palio is therefore a recurring event with a specified date and venue. If you are planning to attend a particular edition, please check its dates and schedule, as both may vary from one edition to another.

Mangiawalking: check the route and edition

A report from September 2024 describes Mangiawalking as a recurring event. The route described there passes through forests and meadows to Pugliano, then continues through the village’s historic centre. Unlike the Palio, which takes place at the sports facilities, this event focuses on the route to the village and the subsequent stretch through the centre. Please check details of upcoming editions separately.

The 2024 edition of Mangiawalking was described as a food walk featuring Marocca di Casola, Sgabei, farro soup, herb cake, homemade tartlets and wine. These dishes and the wine are part of the description of that edition. The date is important if you are including the event in your plans: the 2024 programme does not describe what will be offered at another edition.

Chiesa Madonna della Misericordia beside the connecting road

Chiesa Madonna della Misericordia stands beside the road connecting Casola Lunigiana with Passo dei Carpinelli. This connection to the road provides a specific geographical reference for its location. Alongside the information about San Jacopo, it shows that Pugliano’s churches can be described both through their architectural and local history and through their individual locations.

For planning purposes, it is useful to distinguish between historic buildings and event dates: Chiesa di San Jacopo and the Castello represent different aspects of the village’s history, while Palio dei Micci and Mangiawalking are specific events with their own dates. If you are planning a trip around an event, it is therefore worth checking the details of the relevant edition.

Discover more destinations: Coreglia Antelminelli, Stazzema, Villa Collemandina, Villa Basilica, Seravezza, Campolemisi, Segromigno, Lucca.

Go to the overview of the wider area: Lucca.