Project

Analysis of historical paths in Valtellina and Valchiavenna in northern Italy.

Year

2014

Course

Alternative market in defence of the soil

Professors

Micaela Bordin, Riccardo Canella, Vittorio Garatti

Location

Valtellina - Valchiavenna, Italy

The research is an analysis of historical paths in Valtellina and Valchiavenna, two valleys in the northern area of Italy, from prehistoric age to the beginning of ‘900, with the construction of the first railway lines.









Image: Tabula Peutingeriana, 13th-century copy of an old Roman original chart, showing the layout of the road network of the Roman Empire.

In the first era, transits, mainly in Bronz and Iron Age, were simplified by accesible and walkable valics, the Alps mountain range. Actually rivers and streams, more than alpine crests, were the elements which, marking territory boundaries and being a insourmontable barrier, blocked regolar and costant communications between populations, forcing also to cultural isolation nearby countries. Celtic population, very interested in trade, occupied the territory in 600 B.C. They created a dense web of communications by water, the only ones possible in the Po valley.

After Roman conquer of the country in 16-15 B.C. under Ottaviano Augusto emperor, it was instituted a rational and efficient road nertwork to reach easily Danube limes, boundary line with Germans. Important were Claudio Augusto Way to Augsburg and Regina Way to Coira through Spluga Pass.

In Middle Ages, in general, it is revealed a decadence of the driveability, mostly because of the insufficient maintenance works; from Carolingian dynasty there was an improvement thanks to more attention for commercial trades. The multitude of different paths is also due to religious reasons, many places were in fact pilgrimage target.

In 1504, where the country was under Grigioni control, the most important paths were mostly due to two causes: diplomatic and economic relationship of alliance with Republic di Venice while of rivalry with Duchy of Milan, and hydrogeological instability which deflected historically important ways.

During Napoleon kingdom territory acquired strategic importance as linkage between Europe and Italy. From 1818, under Austrian Empire, the General Direction of public Construction continued the work begun with Napoleonic projects and with ones of Maria Teresa from Austria’s reform, giving a very remarkable impulse to the construction and renovation of the main arterial roads system. The designer and executor of almost all the road system was Carlo Donegani engineer. The first road built between 1818 and 1822 was the one through Passo Spluga one. Then the one through Passo dello Stelvio.

The last board shows the raiway system during Italian Kingdom (1805-1946), which is substantially the actual one: a main way connecting Chiavenna, Sondrio and Tirano to Switzerland, Lecco and Milan.