Castelnuovo Magra (Emilian: Castalnöu) is a commune in the Province of La Spezia, in the region of Liguria, located about 90 kilometres (56 mi) southeast of Genoa and about 15 kilometres (9 mi) east of La Spezia.

Castelnuovo Magra
Comune di Castelnuovo Magra
Castelnuovo Magra
Castelnuovo Magra
Coat of arms of Castelnuovo Magra
Location of Castelnuovo Magra
Map
Castelnuovo Magra is located in Italy
Castelnuovo Magra
Castelnuovo Magra
Location of Castelnuovo Magra in Italy
Castelnuovo Magra is located in Liguria
Castelnuovo Magra
Castelnuovo Magra
Castelnuovo Magra (Liguria)
Coordinates: 44°6′N 10°1′E / 44.100°N 10.017°E / 44.100; 10.017
CountryItaly
RegionLiguria
ProvinceLa Spezia (SP)
FrazioniColombiera, Molicciara, Palvotrisia, Vallecchia, Molino Del Piano
Government
 • MayorDaniele Montebello
Area
 • Total14.9 km2 (5.8 sq mi)
Elevation
190 m (620 ft)
Population
 (31 December 2015)[2]
 • Total8,415
 • Density560/km2 (1,500/sq mi)
DemonymCastelnovesi
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
19030
Dialing code0187
WebsiteOfficial website

The municipality of Castelnuovo Magra contains the frazioni (subdivisions, mainly villages and hamlets) Colombiera, Molicciara, Palvotrisia, Molino Del Piano and Vallecchia.

Castelnuovo Magra borders the following municipalities: Fosdinovo, Ortonovo, Sarzana.

The local dialect (referred to in Italian as Lunigianese or similar names) constitutes a variety of Emilian rather than Ligurian.

History

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Roman presence is testified by ruins of a domus agricola (countryside estate) from imperial times. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it was held by the bishops of Luni; the name of the borough appears for the first time in a document from 1203.

The town was visited by Dante Alighieri on 6 October 1306, to end a long series of conflicts between the bishops of Luni and the Marquis Malaspina and opened a new course in local history.

The church of Santa Maria Maddalena in the town contains a Pieter Brueghel the Younger copy of The Crucifixion, believed to be a variation of an original by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. The artwork was believed stolen in a raid on 13 March 2019, but it was revealed that Italian police, tipped off about the possibility of the planned theft, had replaced the painting with a copy in a sting operation.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. ^ All demographics and other statistics: Italian statistical institute Istat.
  3. ^ "Stolen Bruegel masterpiece was switched with fake in police sting". BBC News. 14 March 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
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