TRENTINO’S PREHISTORIC VILLAGE BETWEEN LAND AND WATER

In Fiavé, between Lake Garda and the Brenta Dolomites, visitors can turn back the clock 3,500 years and discover the daily life of an ancient pile-dwelling village on the shores of Lake Carera. The body of water has retained the traces of the first communities suspended between water and earth for thousands of years. These were then excavated and brought to light by archaeologists in the early 1970s.

The Parco Archeo Natura di Fiavè (Fiavè Archaeological Nature Park) will be inaugurated on 24 June 2021, having been conceived and curated by the Superintendence for cultural heritage of the Autonomous Province of Trento. An elaborate display has been created incorporating archeology, history and nature with emotive and multi-sensory characteristics.

Fiavé is currently one of the 111 localities, including Ledro, that constitute the series of sites forming the prehistoric pile dwellings of the Alps, which were proclaimed Unesco World Heritage sites in 2011. The Giudicarie area was recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2015 and the Dolomiti di Brenta, another World Heritage Site, are reflected in the still ponds of the peat bog.

A small lake has been created, and life-size reproductions of the support poles of the huts have been replicated on its banks, together with a reconstruction of the last prehistoric village. The Superintendency is committed to creating reconstructions that are as historically accurate as possible. The unique features of the villages on the water were shown by the excavation campaigns from 1969 to the 1990s, shedding new light on the prehistoric pile dwellings in the Alpine area and putting Fiavé on the global map of archaeological sites. The documentation provided the basis for the faithful reconstruction of five huts, three of which can be visited and accessed through a walkway suspended over the water, set up and furnished so that people can immerse themselves in the daily life of the inhabitants of the ancient village.

The itinerary includes information panels and installations that illustrate life in the times of stilt-houses, a visitor centre with videos and multimedia equipment, rest areas and spaces dedicated to families and younger visitors.

In the inhabited area of Fiavè, the Pile-Dwelling Museum, which was inaugurated in 2012, immediately attracted visitors thanks to its engaging and innovative exhibitions, which offer interactive contextualisation for the nearby archaeological site. The collection, which is the only one of its kind in Europe, features around 300 wooden objects that astonish visitors with their modernity. These include crockery and kitchen utensils such as cups, ladles, trays and whisks, and work tools such as buckets, clubs, sickles, drills and axe handles.

Further Information

Ledro Pile-Dwellings. The eastern shore of Lago di Ledro has also proved to be an area of archaeological importance, in particular the remains of a pile-dwelling village from the Ancient - Middle Bronze Age (2200-1350 BC). Over the past century, more than 10,000 poles have been discovered here. The museum and the village recreate the atmosphere of this settlement, where visitors can relive the lives of our ancestors. In the summer months, the public can enjoy "Palafittando", a rich programme of experimental archeology workshops with recreations, "living prehistory" events, concerts, shows and themed events.

Monte San Martino in Lundo. This spur of rock between Altogarda and Giudicarie, buried by vegetation until about ten years ago, has revealed the remains of an ancient fortification built in the late the Roman Empire to stop invasions of "barbarians", according to strategic and military directions. It served as a sentinel to keep the network of roads between Europe and Italy in the hands of King Charlemagne and the new empire. After centuries of oblivion, thanks to an international project, archaeologists have brought to light the most significant features, which have been extraordinarily well preserved. The oratory dedicated to San Martino stands out in particular.

UNESCO biosphere reserve Alpi Ledrensi and Judicaria. A substantial portion of the territory between Lago di Garda and the Dolomiti di Brenta — forming an area of 47 thousand hectares that is particularly rich in biodiversity, as well as in historical-cultural traces and sustainable uses of natural resources — obtained this prestigious international award in 2015 as part of the MaB - "Man and Biosphere" programme. These are the Giudicarie Esteriori and Tennese, part of the Ecomuseum of Judicaria "Dalle Dolomiti al Garda" (From the Dolomites to Garda) and the valleys of Ledro and Basso Chiese.