Sentieri - la Via Degli Dei

strada romana antica - acient roman road

THE PAD OF THE GODS

              
From Bologna to Firenze walking on ancient pads

It's a hiking trail known today from the  of the CAI (Italian Alpine Club) with the charming name of “Pad of the Gods”­; from a difficulty viewpoint this path can be divided into several stages, considering the many possibilities of intermediate accommodations,  does not present any difficulty and can be classified as type E (Excursion - Easy).
In medieval times this route had several names:  mule-pad for Monzuno, Barberino-pad and others, depending on the destination you wanted to indicate, while the current name refers to the presence along the route leading to the Futa Pass, of mountains and places with names of pagan gods like Mountain Adone, Monzuno (Mountain Junonis ), Monte Venus and Monte Luar (the goddess Lua).
The conclusion of archaeological research began in the late seventies and continued for over twenty years have shown how the ancient medieval footpaths and mule tracks, running on the ridge between Savena and Setta rivers joining Bologna and Florence, resembles to a Roman road.
Studies attributes the numerous archaeological finds came to the trans-appenini road built by C. Flaminius in 187 BC between Bologna and Arezzo, indicated as Flaminia Militare (Military flaminia).
The territory of the municipality of San Benedetto Val di Sambro is cut by almost half this ancient road: the path reaches the summit of Galletto Mountain, leaves the left, the town Cedrecchia and enters the land of Madonna dei Fornelli. Continues until the La Bonacca village, climbing up to Pedrosa, and the top of the mountain Cucchi, hence arrive at Pian di Balestra and following the watershed reaches the foothills of Mount Bastion and then continue in Tuscany.
The route of the Way of the gods links in this naturalistic interest like hiking to historical and archaeological interests. Are to be reported about this, near San Benedetto Val di Sambro, the archaeological sites along the Via Military Flaminia, Sassorosso, Pedrosa and Mount Bastion.

For more detailed information on both the path of the Way of the Gods, is inherent in the history Flaminia Militare recommend the following publications:

The Way of the Gods. From Bologna to Florence for the ancient paths, Tamara Mountain Edition 1997.
La Strada Bologna-Fiesole the second century BC (Flaminia Militare) Club Bologna 2000.