Italy’s Heritage Comes Alive with Padenghe’s Archaeological and Artistic Events

The medieval castle (first mentioned, according to Andrea Nodari in his recent volume “Padenghe sul Garda,” for the first time in a diploma of Ottone III, King of Germany, towards the end of the late 10th century), Roman Villa (late 1st century B.C., early 5th century), and the Chapel of S. Emiliano (early 10th century): these historic and archaeological monuments will be the main protagonists of the Spring Day organized by the FAI Delegation of Garda, overseen by Walter Romagnoli. An event scheduled, as is the case with the other 320 monuments across 100 Italian cities, throughout Italy on this weekend, March 17 and 18, with the primary goal – Romagnoli himself explains – of bringing people closer to Italy’s immense artistic heritage, allowing them to see and touch the wonders and, in some cases, the dramas, of what time has left us as a legacy.

Promotion and Restoration Activities

For two consecutive years, the focus of Valtenesi was dedicated to the Ricca di malerba and its archaeological discoveries. During those occasions, as with Padenghe, the guides were middle school students, transformed for the occasion into “apprentice guides,” giving visitors the opportunity to understand and appreciate the monuments firsthand.

Already in last autumn, a project was presented for the restoration of the church of Sant’Emiliano. During that event, discussions took place about distant possibilities to recover and restore not only the wall sections of this ancient chapel through the “project hypothesis for the restructuring and restoration of San Emiliano,” featuring a volumetric model created by the ICRES studio of Desenzano, which, through its director Quaglia, has already offered to collaborate on this project. The plan includes recovering some 1500s frescoes, establishing a small thematic museum, and creating an ecclesiastical library.

This initiative is gaining support and interest from various sides, including public entities and sponsors from the tourism sector, both from the hospitality and financial industries. As mentioned, on Saturday and Sunday, visitors will be given explanations about the history reconstructed through historical documents of these monumental and archaeological sites in Padenghe, presented by local Middle School students, prepared for this role as “guides” by their teachers.

On Sunday afternoon, there is also scheduled participation by local figures and authorities, who will visit and become aware of the heritage present above and below ground in this part of Valtenesi. Starting at 3:00 PM, a series of celebratory events will take place at the church of Sant’Emiliano and on the churchyard, featuring middle school students in period costumes performing songs and music.

The only archaeological site not visible will be the Roman villa, which covers about one hectare and is considered “with a depositional thickness only comparable to the monumental villas of Desenzano and Sirmione.” The complex of buildings, extending approximately 7,000 square meters and enclosed within a rectangle precisely defined on two sides by robust boundary walls – writes Andrea Breda of the Sovrintendenza Archeologica della Lombardia – which was likely arranged, in the lowest area, around a courtyard or garden space, overlooking a porticoed structure over 20 meters long, with foundations of the pillars discovered. The presence of pavement fragments made of cocciopesto, mosaic remnants, and the remains of two hypocausts in this area suggests that, at least during one phase, it was part of the “pars urbana.”