The Town of Montemarcello
Montemarcello dominates from the top of the Caprione promontory, both the La Spezia gulf, the mouth river Magra and the homonymous valley and the coast stretching from Massa-Carrara to Versilia.
The village planimetry is unique among the neighboring settlements, as it resembles a Roman "castrum" with perpendicular narrow streets. Its name probably derives from the consul Claudio Marcello who defeated the Liguri Apuani in 155 BC.
Parts of the walls surrounding the village are still evident nowadays; they were built by the inhabitants of Montemarcello in the 15th century. Besides the old entrance there are old oilpress millstones which have been transformed into dwellings. In the town center there is the church of S. Pietro in Baroque style, where the 15th century triptych restored after a long period of negligence is preserved. In the northern side there is a round defence tower, while in the South there are the remains of a military fort, entitled to Domenico Chiodo and linked to the battery situated in Punta Bianca: they were placed against the Gothic Line in World War II.
