Fornovolasco is an attractive little town at the head of the Turrite di Gallicano valley. It has an iron-smelting past having been founded by master smiths from Brescia. The name, in fact, means ‘Volasco’s furnace’, Volasco being a common surname in that north Italian city.

There are several wonderful walks with a starting point from Fornovolasco and, on one occasion for us, with a finishing point when we descended from the summit of that queen of all Apuan peaks the Pania Della Croce.

We were lucky not to be eaten alive according to a story we were later told. It’s to do with the cannibal friars of Fornovolasco.

Going up the Turrite di Gallicano stream through the Fornovolasco woods on the path that leads to Monte Forato one comes across a ruin known as the ‘chiesaccia’.

Italian has various suffixes that can be added to a noun. For example, if ‘piatto’ means ‘dish’ adding ‘ino’ to the end of the noun, changing it into ‘piattino’, means ‘little dish’. Similarly, ‘one’ added to ‘piatto’, changing it into ‘piattone’, means a big dish. Adding ‘accio’ and changing ‘piatto’ into ‘piattaccio’ means a bad dish (in the case of food) or an ugly dish (in the case of crockery).

So ‘chiesaccia’ may mean an ugly church (in terms of its architecture or structural condition) or a bad church in terms of its clerics and beliefs. I leave you to decide what meaning should be applied in our case.

In 1260, the ‘Libelli extimi Lucanae Diocesis’, a document listing all churches, monasteries and places of worship in the Lucchesia, names the ‘chiesaccia’ among those churches dependent on the Pieve di Santa Felicita of Valdicastello. The latter structure, consecrated to S. Maria Maddalena, was located in Petrosciana along a branch of the Via Francigena, at the time the only route between the Middle Serchio valley and the Versilia. The Augustinian friars were its custodians from around 800 AD.

The “Chiesaccia” was mainly used to welcome and refresh wayfarers who, for business or pilgrimage, travelled from the Garfagnana to Versilia and the sea via the Foce di Petrosciana pass. It’s said, however, that these friars were not as pious and merciful as they wished others to believe. In fact, wayfarers who stopped for hospitality at this monastery were never seen again! The reason? During the night the friars gave themselves to cannibalism and ate the poor wayfarers alive, maybe with a little salt and pepper added. During these “special” evening banquets the bells of the monastery would ring throughout the valley.

Hearing the nocturnal sound of these deadly bells, the local faithful knew that the friars had feasted that night too!

Another version connects the derogatory “Chiesaccia” to the fact that the monks, if not actually killing them, would frighten and prey on the wayfarers and pilgrims who passed along the Petrosciana path. What can one say? Legends are not born by chance!

The indications for the C(lub)A(lpino)I(taliano) signed paths are soon spotted at the bridge next to Fornovolasco’s ‘La Buca’ inn. After about ten minutes the paths leave the asphalt road. They continue together passing first a spring and then a cave known as ‘la tana che urla’ (the den that screams) because of its remarkable echo. Shortly afterwards the paths divide: no. 6 leads to Petrosciana while no. 12 heads for the amazing natural arch of Monte Forato (see my post on that at https://longoio.wordpress.com/2013/06/11/crossing-the-monte-forato/).

Follow no 6 that with a long but fairly gentle ascent alongside almost all of its stretch up a stream.

Along this path you will find the ruins of an old mill

and then come across the “Chiesaccia”.

If you manage to avoid being barbecued by the monks you can continue up and reached the Petrosciana pass and the path following on which is number 137.

Happy walking!