Few people know that Italy was able to add on 7 July 2019 another gem on its impressive list of UNESCO recognized sites as a heritage of humanity. These are the hills of Conegliano Valdobbiadene, known all over the world but not for their physical characteristics. I'm famous for being the privileged land of prosecco production DOCG Conegliano-Valdobbiadene.
The hills
Le three main reasons that have earned the title of World Heritage Site strictly speaking, they concern the landscape. First of all, the particular conformation of the hills, called a hogback (donkey's back), which only here over the centuries have been structured by human hand. Secondly for the grassy edges, vineyards worked with terraces modeled with a pickaxe centuries ago. They are not supported with dry stone walls as in other wine areas that we know: here the vineyards are in a circle and follow the slope of the hill. In the end the alternation of wood and vineyard which guarantees biodiversity; in fact, the forest covers the northern part (always the northern one) for more than 50% of the UNESCO territory. For this we speak of a mosaic landscape which in fact manifests a perfect combination of nature and human action.
Sites of interest in the hills
The hills of Conegliano Valdobbiadene are a magnificent landscape often dotted with historical architecture of great value. Here we limit ourselves to citing just a few emblematic examples, such as the delicious church of San Vigilio in Farra di Soligo, with its squat bell tower and the clock that stands out among the rows of vines, apparently founded in 1217. Other dimensions instead for theCistercian abbey of Follina, dating back to the eleventh-twelfth century with a splendid cloister of columns chiseled by unique motifs. Among the religious buildings they are unmissable the parish church of San Pietro di Feletto And that of Roganzuolo Castle with its incredible cycle of frescoes.
Architectures like the are marvelous and much photographed for their perfect harmony with nature Molinetto of Croda di Refrontolo built several times since the seventeenth century directly on the rock (croda, in fact, in the local dialect). To visit the park of the Piave river in Bigolino and Caves of Caglieron of Fregona, now very famous for their unique natural environment.
In the footsteps of Andrea Zanzotto
Late cantor of the territory is Andrea Zanzotto, a poet of the twentieth century enigmatic as much as appreciated by the inhabitants of these areas. Born in Pieve di Soligo in 1921, with his verses Zanzotto recounted the peculiarities of this territory, not forgetting to denounce the abuses of which the Treviso landscape has been a victim in recent decades. A poem that is not easily intelligible for the many semantic leaps but very evocative. She left us not many years ago, in 2011, but some verses remain immortal in memory: "I would like to visit you / in your lingering realms / or you who always / Trust me, come back to my room / from the skies, moon, / and so I am, you know how to shine / only of the hope of others".
Praise to prosecco
There is prosecco and prosecco. The grape at the base is glera, but it is the production area that makes the difference between the three certified types: Prosecco DOC, Prosecco DOCG Colli Asolani and Prosecco DOCG Conegliano Valdobbiadene. The latter denomination - also known as "Prosecco Superiore" - is assigned to the wine produced from the vineyards of only 15 municipalities in the province of Treviso, all in the hilly area and where viticulture is often still done by hand, given the difficulty of maneuvering in the terraces expertly drawn by human hand. Here and only here we are talking about heroic viticulture. It is a real Italian excellence that is also widely recognized abroad. In 2020, total sales were close to 500 million euros, of which nearly 200 million exports.
Some itineraries on the hills
Going around the hills by bicycle (perhaps the assisted one, for the less adventurous) or by moped, is an experience to be done. In this slower and more relaxed mode it is possible to enjoy the beauties of small villages such as Rolle, Santo Stefano, Cison di Valmarino, Collalbrigo, and also stop in the many wineries and taverns in the area. The most famous of all is probably theOsteria Senz'Oste, where you can take what you want and pay freely in a small box. There are many itineraries that can be followed and an overall itinerary is still being planned that crosses the 29 municipalities in a length of 52 kilometers. It will be the first historical-naturalistic path of the Unesco area.
A dedicated exhibition
Meanwhile in Conegliano on 22 April 2022 he inaugurated the show The hills in color. The art of UNESCO heritage. In the historic setting of Palazzo Sarcinelli, over 40 works by 40 contemporary artists or of the last century to interpret the light and colors of this extraordinary landscape. A free exhibition open from Thursday to Sunday and full of collateral events also in the area, always free. Music, art and literature to celebrate a place increasingly appreciated not only by the Italian visitor but also by the foreigner.
Photo source: Giorgia Favero
