First candle for La vie delle Rocche, a calendar of widespread events and a new App are planned [notiziediprato.it]

The via della Rocche, which connects Montemurlo with Vernio passing through Prato, Vaiano and Cantagallo, is one year old and to celebrate a calendar of widespread events will be organized and an App will be created to visit the historic monuments along the route virtually.

“We have entered the second phase – recalled Gabriele Bosi, tourism councilor for the Municipality of Prato, leader of the project – which passes through promotion. In addition to organizing events, we will make an application available to walkers for a virtual visit through the most significant monuments of the way.”

The scientific part is coordinated by the CDSE, which has thought of concerts, guided tours and workshops for the planned initiatives. “The leitmotif – underlined the director Alessia Cecconi – is the Middle Ages and its fortresses. An opportunity to get to know the area also from a historical point of view”.

The first appointment for Saturday 27 in Montemurlo with “Of castles and ancient wines”. It starts at 16 with “Let’s explore the castle with the archaeologists”, a guided tour for children, a real “historical investigation”, almost a treasure hunt between the fortress, the garden and the village and at the same time a guided tour for older kids. Reservations are required to participate ([email protected] or Whatsapp messages on 3384933908). At 17.30, instead, in the garden of the Rocca, an archaeologist from the San Gallo archaeological laboratories will talk about “Wine and food in the Middle Ages, perfumes and curiosities of the past”; event without reservation.

“An important birthday – underlined the councilor for culture Giuseppe Forastiero – which we are happy to celebrate with the first event in the programme”.

The calendar then continues on Saturday 17 June, the journey in the footsteps of the Middle Ages stops at the Rocca di Cerbaia with a suggestive event at sunset. At 17.30 from the Cerbaia bridge the guided trek to the Rocca with Legambiente starts. At 7 pm the experts of the CDSE Foundation will tell the story of Rocca Cerbaia between art and mysteries; the walk and the meeting are by reservation www.visitvalbisenzio.it. The day ends at 20 with a concert within the walls of the ancient keep, a place of treasures, feuds and violence, of history and legends. The concert is free and you don’t need a reservation, just a blanket to spread out on the grass, sack dinner on your own.

“The path – underlined the councilor Maila Grazzini – is the result of teamwork and shared among all the Municipalities. Now we are also working on the aspect of the paths with new signs”

From tower to tower on Friday 23 June, the festival arrives at the Pomegranate Tower on the night of San

John. The meeting point is at 18.30 at the Villa – Fattoria Del Bello with the start of the walk up to the Pomegranate Tower (by reservation www.visitvalbisenzio.it). The building, located on the southern border of the Alberti area of ​​influence, had a purely military function, to control the road system that led on one side towards Montepiano and on the other towards Mugello. At 19.30 there will be a concert of classical music at the foot of the ancient fortress. “An opportunity – explained the commissioner Beatrice Boni – which will introduce suggestive places not only from a naturalistic point of view, but also from the history of the territory”.

Last appointment in September with the Rocca di Vernio and its garden that open their doors to the public, it will be possible to visit the residence, the heart of the feudal possessions of the Alberti and the Florentine bankers Bardi. Two days that will be studded with events including trekking, concerts, meetings and workshops. “The journey ends in Vernio – explained the councilor Maria Lucarini – and for the occasion we will be able to visit a residence that is generally closed to the public. Thanks to the collaboration with the current owner, some spaces that have never been open to the public”.

The program closes with the widespread Festival dedicated to the Middle Ages “From castle to castle along the via delle Rocche” scheduled for Saturday 16 September for the whole day. A guided trek from the Pomegranate tower (Vaiano) to Rocca Cerbaia starting from the Fornaci oil mill (Sofignano) and returning to the starting point with a shuttle bus.

The identity card of the path – “La via delle Rocche” has a total length of 40 km

with a vertical drop of about 2000 m, of medium difficulty and retraces the ancient medieval paths along the hillside that wound from the Pistoia area to the Montepiano pass, in a fascinating route still characterized by parish churches, abbeys, small perched villages and a widespread reception. The Via delle Rocche joins the Rocca di Montemurlo, Torre Melagrana in Calvana, the Rocca di Cerbaia and the Rocca di Vernio.