Lugagnano Val d'Arda
Lugagnano Val d'Arda: a small town immersed in nature
Lugagnano Val d'Arda, or "Lügagnan" as it's called in the Piacenza dialect, is a small town located in the province of Piacenza, in Emilia Romagna. With its 3875 inhabitants, the town extends on the northern slope of the Ligurian Apennines and owes its name to the course of the Arda stream that flows through its territory.
The characteristic landscape of Lugagnano is that of the clayey badlands of Mount Giogo, which offers a natural spectacle unique in its kind. The municipal territory covers an area of approximately 43 km² and includes the Val Chero, Val Chiavenna, and Val d'Arda, where the municipal headquarters is located.
A territory to discover
The territory of Lugagnano offers many opportunities for nature and hiking enthusiasts. Part of the municipal territory is included in the Monte Moria Provincial Park, an area of natural protection ready to be discovered. The park is covered for three-quarters by chestnut, genisteae, beech, carpinus betulus, corylus avellana, and abies alba woods.
Mount Giogo, which dominates the town center, offers a hike with a panoramic view of the Val d'Arda and the neighboring towns. The mountain is composed of Pliocene formations consisting of blue marly clay, limestone, and sandstone, which present interesting paleontological finds.
A piece of history in the heart of badlands
The area of Lugagnano has been inhabited since the Stone Age and Bronze Age, as evidenced by the numerous archaeological finds found in the area. In Roman times, Lugagnano was a strategically important settlement, offering an excellent base for controlling the communication routes between the cities of Piacenza, Parma, and Genoa.
Veleia, a fraction of Lugagnano, was founded by the Veleiati, a Celtic tribe that inhabited the area before the arrival of the Romans. During the last years of the Roman Republic, Veleia underwent strong development and became the seat of a municipium.
Today, Veleia is a popular destination for tourists who want to discover the remains of the ancient Roman city. Among the ruins, you can admire the theater, basilica, baths, and homes of the Roman nobles. Veleia also houses the National Archaeological Museum that exhibits the finds discovered in the surrounding areas.
A place for paleontology enthusiasts
In 1983, in the locality of Rio Carbonari, near the fraction of Tabiano, in the Val Chero, a nearly complete fossilized skull of a Balaenoptera acutorostrata, about 2 meters long, dating back to the Piacenzian, was found. The skull is preserved at the geology museum G. Cortesi of Castell'Arquato.
The Lugagnano area is rich in paleontological finds that testify to the presence of now-extinct animal species. In 1995, the Piacenziano Geological Nature Reserve was established, which includes part of the Lugagnano municipal territory.
Conclusions
Lugagnano Val d'Arda is a small town that offers many opportunities for nature and hiking enthusiasts. The badlands of Mount Giogo, the Monte Moria Provincial Park, and the archaeological museum of Veleia are just some of the attractions that the area has to offer.
If you're a paleontology enthusiast, Lugagnano is the right place for you. Here, you can admire some of the most interesting finds of the Piacenzian geological era.
Lugagnano Val d'Arda is a place worth visiting if you want to enjoy the beauty of nature and discover the secrets of ancient Roman history.
