Foce a Giovo, Mountain pass in Northern Apennines, Italy
Foce a Giovo is a mountain pass in the Northern Apennines, sitting at roughly 1674 meters above sea level and connecting Tuscany with the Emilia-Romagna region. The top of the pass is surrounded by dense forest on both sides of the crossing.
The pass was built in 1821 as part of the Via del Duca route, linking the Grand Duchy of Tuscany with the Duchy of Modena. This road made it considerably easier to travel and trade between the two territories.
A small chapel dedicated to Madonna del Giovo stands at the top of the pass and is visited by hikers and pilgrims passing through. Next to it, a spring has long served as a resting point for travelers crossing the mountains.
The approach from the Tuscan side becomes unpaved for its final stretch, while the route from the Emilian side is entirely on dirt roads. Road conditions change with the seasons, so a visit in summer or early autumn tends to be the most straightforward.
The Panaro River, the last tributary of the Po, has its source right at this pass, where it is still called Torrente delle Tagliole. It flows down to Pievepelago before taking on the name most people know it by.
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