The villages, forests and ridges of the Apennines are part of an articulated system of places and trails of Memory: dozens of kilometers of trails, museums and dozens of memorials that preserve, safeguard and pass on the events of the Second World War, the partisan resistance and the struggle for freedom.
The Modenese Mountains became an active front of clashes and raids in the summer of 1944 and April 1945, while today it is a "Diffuse Museum" able to tell the hardness of that difficult period.
Here, along the Gothic Line, a powerful German defensive line stretching from the Adriatic to the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Allied advance was slowed by fierce fighting, which also involved the civilian population, forced to live with hunger, violence and bombing.
This 48-hour itinerary leads visitors through diffuse museums, historical trails and ridges marked by memory, offering a deep immersion into the stories of those who fought, suffered and resisted.
An opportunity to keep alive the memory of the tragic events of World War II and to convey, especially to the new generations, the importance of peace, democracy, and the protection of human rights.
Travel Advice
The museums listed in the itinerary are open seasonally.
Before travelling, it is recommended to contact the local tourist information and reception offices for further information.
The journey starts from Montese, a village awarded with the Bronze Medal of Civil Merit for bravery during the Second World War. Between 1944 and 1945, Montese marked the northwestern margin of the Gothic Line, the last great German defensive line against the Allied advance.
In the heart of the village stands the historic medieval fortress which houses the Historical Museum of the Territory, a wide collection of testimonies of the Gothic Line and life in wartime.
The museum is dedicated to historical settlements, local material culture and above all to the war events that occurred on the Gothic Line in the Montesino. It is open from October to May upon reservation and after ticket purchasing.
Things to See
Curiosities
Why is an entire room dedicated to Brazilian soldiers?
Because it was they, together with the American Fifth Army, who liberated Montese after a bloody battle in April 1945. Even today the link between the country and Brazil is very strong and every year joint commemorations are celebrated.
After the visit, it is time to move on to Iola di Montese, about 5 km away, to reach the second stage.
Since 2011, Iola di Montese has been home to the Sistema Museale Memorie d'Italia, recognised as a ‘museum of quality’ by the Institute of Artistic, Cultural and Natural Heritage of the Emilia Romagna Region.
With more than 4,000 original exhibits, the museum traces the passage of the front on the Gothic Line, shedding light on the daily lives of soldiers and the civilian population between 1944 and 1945.
Uniforms, weapons, decorations and personal items tell the stories of Germans of the Wehrmacht, Brazilians of the FEB, Americans of the 10th Mountain Division and Italians of the Twenties.
The museum is surrounded by the fighting fields crossed today by the Gothic Line Trails: to enhance and complete the visit experience, you can walk on CAI n. 442/ B (white-red waymark), an itinerary that winds through woods, trenches, walkways and restored anti-aircraft shelters, offering an authentic immersion in the memory of the mountain war. It is open from April to October after ticket purchasing.
At the end of the day, we suggest to stop for dinner and sleep in the surroundings of Montese.
On the second day we move to another direction, crossing the river Panaro, reaching the historic center of Montecreto where, in the basement of the Town Hall, the “La Casa dei Leoni di Pietra” Historical Museum is set up, an original Community Museum based on the concept of shared memory. The collection has grown over time thanks to donations from residents and visitors, saving materials that would otherwise have been lost.
In addition to a thematic section dedicated to the relics of World War II and the Gothic line, the museum houses spaces dedicated to the "Leonardo Da Vinci" Vocational Training Center, active in the post-war period, which trained generations of mountain craftsmen. The opening days depend on the season and are usually during the morning.
Curiosities
The museum also has a section dedicated to local history and archaeology, with finds ranging from prehistory to medieval times. Among the most iconic pieces, four centuries-old sandstone lions that guarded the Strettara Bridge until the 1980s on the Scoltenna stream.
Montecreto is located on the slopes of Mount Penna, a relief that played a decisive role in the war of the Modenese mountain: here, in April 1944, a hard battle was fought between Nazi-fascist troops and partisan formations active in the territory.
The ring of Mount Penna, a hiking road on paved roads, gravel road and trail of 8 km (200 m elevation difference), without technical difficulties, starts from the hamlet of Acquaria, a 10 minute drive from the Museum "La Casa dei Leoni di Pietra".
Along the way, 13 panels tell the story of the place and anecdotes about the Resistance in the Apennines.
The itinerary ends in Trignano, a small hamlet of Fanano located at the foot of Riva Ridge: a strategic ridge, on the border between Modena and Bologna, which was the western shoulder of the Linea Gotica, connected to the nearby Mount Belvedere.
In the building of the former elementary school the Thematic Center Riva Ridge is housed,
dedicated to the history of the community and local events between the Nineteenth and Twentieth centuries.
Things to See
The museum is open on summer weekends or upon reservation and after ticket purchasing.
