Author: Redazione AEVF

The technical group is working towards the preliminary analysis to identify the suitable and shared criteria for the insertion of the historical, cultural and environmental heritage along the Italian tract of the Via Francigena in the UNESCO Candidacy list.

In 2010 the Province of Siena found itself promoter of the candidacy of the Via Francigena as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Coordination Group was established, in accordance with MIBACT.  The work was suspended in 2011 and later relaunched.  

On the 12th June 2015 in Fidenza, municipalities and regions of the Italian tract, called together by the mayors of Fidenza and Monteriggione and by the European Association of the Vie Francigena, meet to promote the launch of the candidacy.  

On the 28th April 2016 at the municipal headquarters of Fidenza, the Coordination Group composed of the MIBACT representatives was set up, of the regions of Lombardy, Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Lazio, the province of Parma and Siena, the municipalities of Fidenza, Monteriggioni, San Gimignano, Radicofani, Montefiascone, and the society of “San Quirico d’Orcia” and the European Association of the Vie Francigene.

On the 4th March 2017 in San Miniato, the representatives of the seven Italian regions of the Via Francigena, recognised European cultural route (Valle d’Aosta, Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Liguria, Tuscany, Lazio), sign the memorandum of understanding to start the preliminary analysis that identifies the suitable and shared criteria for the insertion of the historical, cultural and environmental heritage in the candidacy list. 

On the 24th July 2017 the region of Tuscany, as leading proponent, tasks the EAVF with the coordination of the works, taking advantage of the consultation of prof. Paolo Falini, expert and professor at the University of Rome, to be finished by March 2018.  

A specific technical-scientific activity finalised with the insertion (July 2018) of the Italian tract of the Via Francigena in the so-called Tentative List UNESCO at MIBACT is therefore under way.  That’s all.  In addition to this, the current phase of preliminary analysis does not permit any other assessment of time nor of cost of the final outcome of the candidacy and least of all of the insertion of individual elements of historical, architectural or environmental value that, from time to time, causes the political and local media discussions of the project to overturn.  

Massimo Tedeschi

31st August 2017

The region of Lazio has launched a new competition of 1,7 million for the support of valorisation systems for cultural heritage of spiritual walks, in the sphere of the “Arte sui cammini” project.

The region allocated 1,725,000 euros worth of resources to the “Walks” from 2017 to 2018.  They published a competition to take part in the “Atre sui Cammini” project, that aims to spread contemporary art work along religious routes, one of which the Via Francigena.   

Who is it aimed at?

Societies, businesses, associations, foundations, commercial or non-commercial art galleries.  You  just need legal or operative headquarters in Lazio, to have been established for at least 5 year and operate consistently  with the statute.  You must show a qualified experience of projects in the contemporary art sector.  

The announcement gives importance to the valorisation of aspects of landscape: isolated sculptures are not requested but it would be favourable if the works tended towards land-art with architectural contributions of the landscape that allow people to enjoy the route more.  

What is required? 
The region will finance projects that must include at least three works of art with the theme of spirituality and positioned in public areas.  The maximum contribution is 150 thousand euros, corresponding to 90% of the project, and will be used to sustain the projection costs of new works and of accessories, technical and promotional costs.  

Deadline
23rd October

The municipalities involved in the initiative include: the Via Francigena del Sud , San Benedetto, Via Francigena del Nord and the il Cammino di Francesco.

News and announcement info can be found on the cultural page of the regional website.

In July the European Association of the Vie Francigene, in collaboration with local operators and experts, realised a very important task, to verify and monitor the route of the Via Francigena in the south in Puglia, on the tract from Monti Dauni to Brindisi. 

The work, carried out by Puglia Promozione (The “Monti Dauni: valorizzazione integrata delle eccellenze di carattere culturale, religioso, paesaggistico ed enogastronomico”), the regional tourism agency, consists of tracing a walkable route for the benefit of pilgrims that undertake the Via Francigena from Rome to Jerusalem.  

The objective of the task is to define a tract that takes walking access into consideration, with signs indicating the intermediate legs chosen based on the presence of the necessary services available as well as the medium length of the walk, which should be no more than 30km.  

The route was prepared and verified by a group of 5 technicians that subdivided the work load across the span of over one month.  The first task was the arrangement of a “little chart”, or in other words, through the use of regional maps and of a cartographic software, the creation of a linear route, avoiding tarmac tracts and paths that touched places of touristic interest as much as possible.  

Later, the entire route was traversed with pedal-assisted mountain bikes, well-equipped for the structure of the tract, fitted with the GPS Garmin eTrex 35 touch, action cam Garmin VIRB, Sony and Canon G5X compact cameras, the iPhone 6 smartphone and Huawei P9, with voice recognition.  

Lastly, the critical points that needed reoccurring in-depth analysis, such as trails of difficulty or high speed or congestive road crossings, were travelled along on foot with a car standing by, to verify the routes effective accessibility on foot.   

At the end of this task the team used state-of-the-art cartographic software for the definitive draft of the tract and the waypoints that indicate the crossroad signs, points of interest and, in general, the main support services for pilgrims.   

The project, strongly desired and supported by the region of Puglia, strategically slides into the greater activity of valorisation of the Via Francigena as the main long-distance walk in Italy and, above all, hopes to be able to certify the Via Francigena of the South as a cultural route of the Council of Europe.  

The narration of Luca Faravelli on his walking experience along the Via Francigena in France, in the Franche-Comté region.  A personal experience as well as one of work, at the service of the European Association of the Vie Francigene to support the development of the European route. 

The French terrain is new to my walking boots, as is the countryside, its colours and bell tower roofs, painted in different hues in a way that reminds me of the scales of a fish.  The destination is Besançon, the celebrated capital of the Franca Contea, and the route begins in Champlitte, a village of almost two thousand inhabitants that can be found near the border of the new Grand Est region.  

The cloudy morning threatens rain, but we do not encounter it in these three days, just one or two tentative drops that do not worry us.  The Via Francigena just touches Champlitte, it doesn’t enter the alleys to reach the Church of Saint Christophe or the castle, but, almost unseen, it coasts alongside it allowing pilgrims a panoramic view of the hamlet, while their march slowly leads towards the hill close-by.  

There are three of us, one of which a Frenchman who decided to join us at the last minute, thus enriching the walk, and at the same time our minds, of languages beyond the Alps and beyond the Channel.  Dialogue on various gastronomic and cultural delights is constant, fun and interesting as our journey progresses.  In the evening we stay in Seveux, a small village six hours from the starting point of our walk, reached after a winding trail in the woods that emerges on the bank of the Salon, a wide but un-wild river of the area.  The evening is merry and the wine accompanies it vehemently, and Roger, the host and owner of the gîte, carries out his role perfectly.  

The next day we continue to Bucey-les-Gy and the colours we encounter in the cultivated lands of these places almost move us: bright colours, vibrant, and above all different, enriched by a clear sky with some clouds, numerous like the groups of cows we constantly come across on the fringes of the path.  At Bucey-les-Gy we stay in a real hostel, with a kitchen and every service fundamental for a pilgrim; a joke or two, after a well-deserved afternoon rest on a camping bed, with the clanging of pans and cutting of knives that cut the tomatoes given to us in the background, and the water that boils the pasta which cheers our famished stomachs.  We were united with our beds very early this evening, the last leg would be over 30 km long, to Besançon, and despite an ever present pleasant breeze, even in the hottest and sunniest points of the day, and the hours of walking would be many.

The walk towards Besançon worked us hard for the entire day, nevertheless the road was spotted with delightful villages and people who offered their assistance and filled our flasks of water.  I was hit by the cordiality and hospitality of the inhabitants, a woman even offered us some fruit to take with us.  We reached the ancient city in the afternoon where Jacques Guy welcomed us, who, with a fast pace and quick tongue, showed us the most significant historical buildings and some interesting facts of the events that took place here.  

A singular and picturesque journey of which the landscapes will remain preserved in our eyes and memories, and land, which dusted our footwear, will not be forgotten any time soon.

Luca Faravelli