Marginone
Marginone: a historical hamlet in the province of Lucca
Marginone is a hamlet of the municipality of Altopascio, located in the province of Lucca, in the Tuscany region. Known for its historical architecture and unique geographical position, this hamlet represents a place of great interest for history and culture enthusiasts.
Physical geography
Marginone is located in the northeast of Altopascio, in the terminal part of the Montecarlo hill. This area is bordered by the territory of Chiesina Uzzanese through the course of the Pescia di Collodi River. Marginone is located south of Altopascio, east of Chiesina Uzzanese, north of San Salvatore (Montecarlo), and west of San Giuseppe (Montecarlo). It is not far from the municipal capital of Altopascio, in fact, it is only 4 km from the center. From Lucca, however, it is a little further away, about 20 km.
History
The hamlet of Marginone, in the municipality of Altopascio, dates back to the end of the Renaissance when the church was built. It was built in a place where an ancient votive shrine of the Madonna with Child was located, which was highly revered by the faithful. Hence the toponym Marginone, which means "great margin." The locality developed as a rural village starting from the eighteenth century and in 1833 it had 989 inhabitants.
The municipality of Marginone was part of the municipality of Montecarlo. On July 1, 1881, along with Altopascio and Spianate, they merged to create the new municipality of Altopascio. In the last decades of the twentieth century, a large industrial and service area of the municipality of Altopascio was built in the hamlet of Marginone, which extends between the town center and the localities of Ponte alle Ciliegie and Michi, where the Marginone power plant is also located.
Monuments and places of interest
Religious architectures
The parish church of Santa Maria ad Martyres is the most significant building in the hamlet of Marginone, located in the center of the village. Its construction took place between the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, near the ancient "margin" revered by the faithful, which gave the area its name. Inside the church, there is a painting of the Madonna with Child of Giotto's school and a wooden sculpture representing Saint Job.
In addition to the church, two small votive marginette can be found in the locality of Ponte alla Ciliegia. Furthermore, in Marginone, there is a cemetery dedicated to the hamlet.
Anthropic geography
The hamlet of Marginone is not limited to its inhabited center but also includes some inhabited localities in the northeastern area of the municipal territory that develop on it. The main localities are Michi, Corte Tozzi, Ribocchio, Ponte alla Ciliegia, and Ponte ai Pini, all collected in a total of about 1695 inhabitants.
Conclusion
Marginone represents one of the most interesting hamlets in the province of Lucca. Thanks to its historical architecture and its geographical position, the hamlet is able to attract a large number of tourists and visitors every year. The parish church of Santa Maria ad Martyres is one of the primary points of interest, but the votive marginette and the cemetery also deserve a visit. If you are looking for a quiet place to spend a day steeped in culture and history, then Marginone is certainly the right choice.
