Levigliani: Marble, Mountains and Living Local History

Levigliani lies among beech and chestnut forests below Monte Corchia and in the Parco delle Alpi Apuane. The village therefore combines mountain landscapes, unusual excursion formats and a richly documented history of mining and marble craftsmanship. If you would like to combine different interests during your trip, you will find specific options here, ranging from hiking and guided tours to museums.

Mountain Landscapes and Guided Tours from Levigliani

From Levigliani, hikes lead through beech forests to mountain huts and panoramic peaks in the surrounding mountains. Another guided tour focuses on the Gothic Line: it starts and ends in Levigliani, lasts approximately four and a half hours and leads to defensive trenches on Monte Corchia. The options therefore differ significantly from one another. The hikes lead into the mountain landscape, while the guided tour follows a set route to the defensive trenches. The Antro del Corchia also offers a special way to access the mountain world. Its karst system comprises around 70 kilometres of explored and mapped caves, as well as up to 20 different entrances. The guided tour follows a steel walkway approximately 2,000 metres long and lasts about two hours. For your planning, the format of the visit is therefore particularly clear: it is a guided tour with a fixed route and an approximate duration.

Marble as an Experience and Craft

The tour of the marble quarries starts in the village of Levigliani, returns there and lasts approximately two hours. Restored Italian military vehicles with four-wheel drive, converted for civilian use, are used for this visit. The experience therefore combines starting and ending in the village with an explicitly described ride in converted vehicles. Marble shapes Levigliani not only as an excursion destination, but also as a subject of craftsmanship. The Museo della Pietra Piegata provides an overview of the development of marble craftsmanship: the exhibition ranges from roughly worked objects to finely inlaid works and sacred pieces. Those interested in the processing and forms of the material can follow a development there that extends beyond individual quarry visits.

Mining History and Memorial Sites

The mercury mines of Levigliani are considered the oldest mining site in Upper Tuscany. They were first mentioned in 1153 in a document from Pisa. The section open to visitors comprises an ancient area with primitive mining techniques and a later area with a rail system for mine carts, regarded as evidence of industrial archaeology. The two areas thus show different phases of work underground. The “Lavorare Liberi” museum presents the economic and social history of Levigliani through objects, documents and eyewitness accounts. In addition, a cist grave of the Liguri Apuani from a nearby necropolis is exhibited in Levigliani. Together with the mines and the Museo della Pietra Piegata, this provides a multifaceted view of working life, society, early history and marble craftsmanship.

Arrival and Further Orientation

By car, Levigliani can be reached via the Strada Provinciale d’Arni. The road passes through Seravezza and Ruosina and continues beyond the village of Retignano. For further searches, you can also discover Terrinca, Retignano, Palagnana, Farnocchia and Culla.

For the higher-level travel overview: Stazzema.