Things to do in Ortonovo Italy – what to see attractions and activities

The Ethnographic Museum was built in the seventeenth century and is a Colombara building in the locality of Casano. The Museum welcomes materials that tell the story of the oil mill through centuries-old machinery and equipment. The route is spread over two floors, a place where the olives were pressed and their squeezing in the special presses. There are also machines used for the processing of maize and objects dedicated to the pressing of grapes.

The National Archaeological Museum of Ortonovo is located in the area of excavations of the locality of Luni and is curated by the Superintendence for Archaeological Heritage of Liguria. The museum area houses artifacts such as statues, tableware and glass found in the excavations as well as reconstructions of the Domus Lunensi. A particular section is dedicated to the sacred architecture of the Capitolium and to the Sanctuary of the Moon Goddess.

The Guinigi Tower was built around the fifteenth century and today it turns out to be the bell tower of the church of San Lorenzo di Ortonovo and was part of a castle that stood on the current church. The type of construction recalled the Lunigian towers of circular shape with beccatelli for defense.

The Ancient Roman City of Luni was founded in 177 BC by two thousand Roman settlers during the wars with the Apuan Ligures. Its strategic geographical position meant that the port of the city became an important commercial port for the transport of the white marble of the Apuan Islands to Rome. After the various destruction that occurred over the centuries, some parts of the ancient city still remain, such as the Capitolum, the Paleo-Christian Basilica of Santa Maria di Luni and the amphitheater dating back to the first century A.D.

The Archaeological Zone of Luni is located in the center of the alluvial plain that goes from Sarzana to the sea. The city of Luni had the dual function of a port and a military strategic point for controlling the Ligurian and Tuscan coasts. Its geographical position made it one of the most important ports for the Apuan white marble trade. The perimeter of the walls allows a visit to the Paleo-Christian basilica of Santa Maria and the Capitolum.