The Gothic Line, in Pianosinatico a museum and paths in the woods

A museum that is also a collective place of memory: that is how “L’altro lato del Caposaldo” (The Other Side of the Caposaldo) was born in Pianosinatico, in the municipality of Abetone Cutigliano, with the creation of exhibition rooms and paths along what was once the Gothic Line.

The goal of the homonymous association, born in 2018 from the will of some citizens, is to preserve and deepen the memory of the town, which was deeply scarred in those last terrible months of the war.

After the Allied occupation of Rome, the German command decided to reinforce the line of defence on the southern European front, in the area from the Apuan Alps to the Tuscan-Emilian and the Emilia-Romagna Apennines. Bunkers, minefields, military nettings and trenches, machine gun and anti-tank where placed to fortify the Gothic line, an outpost more than 300 km long, which from the summer of 1944 suffered numerous attacks by the Allies and partisan formations.

The great majority of the remains was found right in this area. It is partly composed of private collections and donations from villagers while something else comes from outside collectors, such as Roberto Simoncini and Francesco Susini.

Since 2018, the association, with the help of volunteers and the contributions of some companies, has renovated the Monument to the victims of the Pianosinatico Massacre and cleaned up the memorial stone in honour of the partisan Nino Sola. They have also created two itineraries along the remains of the German bunkers and a museum of approximately 160 square meters of exhibition space, which will double during the summer of 2020 with an entire new exhibition floor.

In the museum there are rooms dedicated to Italian, German, American and partisan remains alongside to those featuring private collections. There, it is possible to see weapons, uniforms, helmets, and documents.

The museum is open on Saturday, Sunday and on public holidays from 10 to 12 a.m. and from 2 to 4 p.m. (closed on 25-26-31 December); all the other days the museum is open on advance booking. For info: tel. 333.8935197 – 348.7553865 – 348.0834616 – 333/7819840; mail: laltrolatodelcaposaldo@gmail.com

In the woods near the museum, two tracks were created to discover the Gothic Line. One of these is 1,5 km long (difference in altitude: 150 m), while the other one is 10 km long (difference in altitude: 350 m); both the tracks can be covered on foot or by bike, and allow to visit the bunkers of the Gothic Line and the Monument to the victims of the Pianosinatico Massacre.

For further information, please contact the Museum or the associations Explora Outdoor (334.3180898, www.exploraoutdoor.it), Emotions Adventure (335.8790116, info@emotionsadventure.com) and La Discordia s.r.l. (331.2156555, ladiscordiasrl@gmail.com). For info and e-bike rentals, with departure from Doganaccia (338.3294647, info@doganaccia2000.it); Ebiketour, 349.1054107, info@e-biketour.it and MTB School 393.0213058.