Serramazzoni

Serramazzoni is situated within the protected mountain area of Frignano.

It can be reached from Modena by taking the “Nuova Estense” main road no. 12, which continues as far as the Abetone Pass, linking the Upper Modena Apennines with Tuscany; from Maranello it can be reached by taking the main road “Strada Nazionale Giardini”.

The name Serramazzoni comes from two words put together: “serra”, meaning a mountain barrier, and “Mazzoni”, a local surname meaning “sledgehammer”, which, like many surnames, derived from tools the family would have used in their line of work.

Il paese nacque come importante centro montano dopo la costruzione della Via Vandelli (1749) e della Via Giardini (1776) che collegava Modena alla Toscana.

It developed as an important mountain town following the opening of two major roads; Via Vandelli, completed in 1749, and Via Giardini, completed in 1776, which linked Modena with Tuscany.

Post houses, taverns, fountains, and places for travellers and merchants to find shelter and food were set up along the Via Giardini, opening up new commercial opportunities and leading to economic and social growth, with Serramazzoni developing into an important mountain town. Until 1776 the town had lived in the shadows of Monfestino, and only in 1860 was the administrative capital transferred to Serramazzoni and given the official name “Municipality of Monfestino in Serramazzoni”, later to become known as the “Municipality of Serramazzoni” in 1948.

Not to be missed

The area around Serramazzoni is ideal for hiking, horse-riding and mountain-bike riding, and is full of interesting natural attractions, from the enchanting Rio Bucamante Waterfall, to the “Sassi di Varana” outcrops of volcanic rock, which are perfect for rock climbing.

Interesting places to discover include The Romanesque Parish Church of Saint Mary on the Rock, the fourteenth-century “Bastille Tower” in Ligorzano, and the medieval hamlets and castles of Monfestino and Pompeano.

The Church of Our Lady of Pompei, the Oratory in the main square, Piazza Tasso, and the hamlet of Cà Mazzoni are also worth a visit. In the surrounding area, we recommend a visit to the hamlets of Faeto and Valle, the Church of St Urban in Granarolo, the eighteenth-century posting station in Montagnana and the fifteenth-century tower in Riccò.

In the surrounding area

The history of Serramazzoni remains strongly linked to the history of its outlying hamlets, all of which, like Monfestino, are rich in history, artistic traditions and places of natural and cultural interest.