AUTHOR Briselda Calliku School of Specialization in Restoration of Monuments Polytechnic of Milan
The reborn memory of a “minor� cultural heritage. The case of Santo Stefano di Sessanio PREMISE
In the Apennine areas of southern Italy, the progressive depopulation of some peculiar small ancient villages has left more and more space for tourist and commercial occupation, aimed at reviving these places during the holiday seasons. Unfortunately, the generic tourist re-functionalization has often irreversibly compromised the original relationship between the village and the surrounding agricultural landscape. www.sextantio.it
In fact, the process has encouraged new urbanizations on the edge of towns and renovation works in the historic urban centre. In the absence of an adequate planning, most of the work has compromised the integrity of the territory and the historical heritage, by removing traces settled over the centuries and essential parts of local identities. Paradoxically, depopulation is the real reason why some villages of the Apennine mountains have residually preserved their integrity. One of the most interesting cases is Santo Stefano di Sessanio, a fortified medieval village built in the mountains of Abruzzo at over 1250 meters a.s.l., within the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park. Here, the desire
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