Anno Domini 1100 - Regnano Castello

A re-enactment born from history

In the heart of Lunigiana, at the northernmost tip of Tuscany, the village of Regnano Castello preserves a precise and documented memory. In 1060, the Lombard lord Guiterno di Guido da Regnano dictated his will, ceding all his lands to the Bishop of Luni: a real historical act that every summer becomes the guiding thread of Anno Domini 1100, the historical re-enactment organized by the Compagnia del Guiterno Association in the municipality of Casola in Lunigiana, in the Province of Massa-Carrara.

An entire village returns to the Early Middle Ages

The unique feature of this event, held since 2007, is that the re-enactors are not outsiders but nearly all of the village's hundred inhabitants: for two days, the narrow streets of Regnano fill with peasants, warriors, blacksmiths, and artisans demonstrating how people lived in the Early Middle Ages, with a special focus on rural life and traditional trades. This authenticity has earned the event recognition among the Historical Re-enactment Events of Tuscany protected by the Region, as well as the "eco-festival" qualification for its commitment to sustainability.

What to see in the village

• Historical pageant through the village alleys
• Sword tournaments and combat between warriors
• Flag-wavers, historical dances, and musicians
• Falconers and bird of prey flight demonstrations
• Ancient crafts and a medieval market
• Historical encampment with field kitchen
• Exhibition of armor, weapons, and medical instruments of the era
• The solemn reading of the will of Guiterno and investiture ceremonies

The most anticipated moments

Among the highlights that draw visitors every year are the knighting ceremony and the "testimony" of a pilgrim departing along the Via del Volto Santo, the ancient route that connected the lands of Lunigiana to Lucca. The culmination remains the public reading of the 1060 will, accompanied by flag displays, musicians, and historical dances, while fire performances light up the evening in the village.

A crossroads of paths

Regnano Castello once stood in a strategic position, controlling a crossroads of roads that connected the Aulella Valley with the Garfagnana. Visiting Anno Domini 1100 therefore means discovering not just a festival, but one of the most evocative villages crossed by the historical paths of Lunigiana, amidst castles and Romanesque parish churches.