Seeing and Saving Serravalle, Another Gem in Veneto

I’d bet that you’ve never heard of Serravalle, a hidden medieval gem in region of Veneto. Neither did I until it was brought to my attention by Jamie Donahoe, co-founder of Adventures in Preservation, about the conservation work that is being carried out in Serravalle.

An overview of Serravalle

With a penchant for exploring towns off-the-beaten-path, and an appreciation for conservation efforts, I was excited to have her share more about wonderful work she is doing with Judith Broeker. She and Judith began to focus on preserving the world’s architectural heritage, bringing the concept of volunteer vacations to building conservation.

In the article below, Jamie gives us more insights about Serravalle, the fascinating work that they’ll be doing there, and the opportunity for you to participate in a one-of-a-kind adventure. Here’s the article:

Verona, Vicenza, Treviso – these lyrical-sounding cities are among the most well-known parts of the Veneto. Yet just 30 kilometres from Venice, north of Treviso, at the end of a mountain valley is another medieval gem, Serravalle.

Serravalle can be a bit tricky to find on a map, because in 1886, with the unification of Italy, it merged with neighboring Ceneda to form Vittorio Veneto, named after the Italian King Vittorio Emanuele II. (If Vittorio Veneto rings a bell, it’s because many Italian cities have a Via Vittorio Veneto, chosen to commemorate the Italian army’s resounding defeat of the Austrian army in the Veneto on November 4, 1918.)

View of the historic center of Serravalle, highlighted by the green hills behind it

Of Vittorio Vento’s two municipalities, Serravalle is considered the more picturesque, with beautiful 15^th century palazzos and charming arcaded streets set in a forested landscape. The River Meschio runs through the city, and a walk along it is one of the best ways to get a sense of the city.

In Serravalle, you can sample the wonders of northern Italian cuisine, stay at the charming Palazzo Galletti bed & breakfast, and explore the Museo Cenedese.  You can also experience the true heart of Italy by exploring its art and architecture in the accompaniment of Alma Ortolon, one of the country’s top art conservators.

The frescoed façade of the Museo del Cendese

The fabulous food served at the Palazzo Galletti is just one of the great things about this Italian adventure.

Alma, in partnership with Adventures in Preservation, welcomes travelers seeking to do a little bit more, and she helps them do that little bit more by involving them in the conservation of her home city’s cultural heritage. The current project involves restoration of the cloister of the 15^th century Monastery of San Giovanni Battista.

The work to be done next year builds on work done in a similar 2007 collaboration. Jammers (participants) will work with Alma to evaluate the condition and stability of the cloister’s columns and wall paintings, looking for existing issues that are perpetuating deterioration. This documentation is the initial phase of the conservation process.  It is also a critical phase.

There are two, one-week sessions that experiential travelers can join: September 28 – October 4, 2014, and October 5-11, 2014. The fee, which includes lodging, most meals, materials and training, and field trips, starts at US$1790 per week.

Jammers pause in their work documenting the wall painting in the cloister

Each day of this adventure in preservation holds the promise of all the delights of travel: discovering new things about Italy, art, architecture and even yourself. As you learn, you’ll be helping move restoration of a historic building forward, and, of course, partaking of all the other wonders Italy has to offer.

The week-long trip includes a day excursion to the fabled city of Venice. Even if you’ve been to Venice before, having Alma by your side will give you completely different perspective of the city. She will also show you Serravalle and its wonderful frescoed interiors, and of course guide you in the hands-on work in the cloister.

Complete details are available from Adventures in Preservation