One of the greatest fortunes of the location of the BF Mountain SHOP store is having the Villa Ada park a 5-minute walk away. Calling it a park is an understatement and by continuing to read this article you will discover why.
The opportunity arose to organize an excursion that will allow us to discover all of Villa Ada together with Andrea Zinno, creator of the Facebook page Villa Ada Savoia and the YouTube channel > Villa Ada Savoia
Andrea, previously, has created this excursion together with other Villa Ada enthusiasts and we wanted to propose it to you, our customers. So Daniela and I will be there too.
The excursion will be about 10km long, it is free and open to everyone as long as you have some training in walking. The places available are for a maximum of 20 people and the booking request must be sent to the Whatsapp number 3479770595 or by participating in the Facebook event at this link > https://bit.ly/4edkYFn
The excursion will be done in friendship and everyone will be responsible for themselves. The type of equipment required is a Trekking shoe, even low and Trail are fine as long as they have a sculpted sole and a backpack with spare t-shirts, water for at least a liter, some snacks and a sun hat. The meeting point will be on October 13, 2024 at the entrance of Villa Ada di Ponte Salario at 9:00. We will return to the same starting point for lunch time.
And now, an interview with Andrea Zinno!
BF: Hi Andrea, I would like to immediately thank you as a Roman citizen and above all as a resident of the Trieste/Africano neighborhood for having created the Facebook page “Villa Ada Savoia” and for the work of dissemination that you do on our beloved Villa.
How did your activity as a blogger dedicated to Villa Ada come about?
Andrea: As often happens, I would say almost by chance. I practically grew up in Villa Ada, having been born and raised in the neighborhood and having also attended the Montessori Middle School, which for a few years was in the buildings where Legambiente is now. Over time, of course, my attendance has been at alternating moments, but more recently, I would say a couple of years ago,
Having started visiting it again, I had the idea of starting to tell about it, in its hidden places, in its conformation, in its history and, why not, in its mysteries.
The Facebook page was born like this, as a place for sharing, which was then followed by the YouTube channel and, lastly, the Podcast “Villa Ada, history and stories”.
More and more captivated by its charm, I began to study the villa in a systematic way, dedicating myself to the research of historical documentation in the Central State Archives, in the State Archives of Rome, in the Capitoline Archives and, in general, in the minor sources which, in various capacities, preserve documentation relating to the villa.
BF: Can you tell us briefly its history? How did it come about and when did it become a citizens’ space?
Andrea: I would say that the history of the villa began in the period 1775-1789, when Prince Luigi Pallavicini purchased three vineyards – Saliceti, Capocaccia and Calzamiglia – which were located in the area that today is between Via di Villa Ada and Via Chiana, effectively giving life to what we could call the embryo of the villa. Pallavicini began important works, which led to the construction of the Temple of Flora, the Belvedere and the pyramid, adjacent to the Temple of Flora which today is almost completely disappeared. In 1835 Pallavicini sold it to the Potenziani family, who did not make significant interventions, and who then, in 1872, sold the villa to Vittorio
Emanuele II, who is credited with having brought the villa to its current extension of approximately 160 hectares thanks to an impressive series of acquisitions, and with having built many of the buildings that are still present today. Upon the death of the King, his son Umberto I sold the villa to Count Telfener, who also gave it the name “Villa Ada”, chosen by the Count in honor of his wife Ada Hungerford. The Count then sold it to his mother-in-law, who in turn sold it to the Banca Romana, which was then engulfed in the well-known scandal, until 1904, when Vittorio Emanuele III repurchased the villa, where he resided with his family until September 9, 1943, when he abandoned it.
With the transition from monarchy to republic, the King's assets will be confiscated by the State (here the situation is actually more complex, due to the death of Vittorio Emanuele III a few days before the entry into force of the Italian Constitution, which included provisions relating to expropriation) and then, first in 1958 and then in 1996, the villa will be opened to the public, after the necessary safety measures and net of some buildings that are still private property, starting from the Royal Palace, purchased in 1997 by the Republic of Egypt, for approximately 25 billion lire.
In what direction should local institutions work to make the most of the accessibility to this precious and historic green space?
Andrea: I believe that the best way to enhance the villa and allow citizens to experience it is to respect its particular, varied and surprising conformation, without making it a simple park, which loses its nature as an urban forest (Villa Ada is one of the largest urban forests in Europe, if not the largest).
Securing the still dangerous points, therefore, but also documentation, with guides and illustrative signs (as was done in the past). Restoration of the buildings, with a subsequent intended use that does not abandon them again to themselves, but that is consistent with the context (here the PNRR has given a big push forward and many works have already started).
For those who frequent it or would like to do so, it is important to always keep in mind the nature of the villa and its history, its morphological characteristics, flora and fauna. As already said, Villa Ada is not a simple park, but something more, unique.
BF: Do you think that citizens can do more to avoid the degradation of some areas? I think of the whole part of Ponte Salario where there are significant quantities of garbage along the road. Do you think an initiative like re-take could generate interest in participation?
Andrea: Well, the first thing that comes to mind – and I would say the most obvious – is to respect it, as the city must be respected, because if there is waste it is because someone left it…
There are re-take initiatives, the most recent of which are in the area of Via di Ponte Salario and Forte Antenne, but we are talking about 160 hectares, with areas that are difficult to access.
I must then unfortunately add that, inside the villa and often in areas that are difficult to see and reach, there are often dumps of various types of waste, which give the clear idea of having been there for a long time.
BF: What are the most abandoned areas that could be revalued?
Andrea: First of all, I think it is necessary to understand what we mean by “abandoned” and “revalued”, considering that, if we want to respect the villa for how it was born and developed, we must remember that some of its areas, first and foremost the Colle del Roccolo, have always been deliberately wild areas (the Colle del Roccolo was the hunting reserve of the Savoy, beneath which are hidden quarries and hypogea and if anyone has read “Let the party begin” by Niccolò Ammanniti, they will know what I am talking about 😀 ), so any revaluation work must necessarily preserve its spirit and conformation.
There are of course other areas, which I would not define as abandoned, but simply hidden, difficult to reach, far from the paths usually travelled, such as the Bosco della Regina Elena, in Monte Antenne, or the area adjacent to the wall that separates the villa from Via Panama, which if indicated and documented could become further destinations for excursions and walks .
BF: It is clear from your blog how much you are attached and passionate about this place. What do you feel when you are at Villa Ada?
Andrea: Peace and quiet, especially when I go there in the early hours of the morning; curiosity in always looking for new and interesting things; disbelief and surprise when you discover things you wouldn't expect, like the archaic well, probably from the Etruscan or Roman era and still in practically perfect conditions, that I discovered last year at Monte Antenne
or the seventeenth-century cippi of the Company of the Most Holy Savior ad Sancta Sanctorum, discovered together with Lorenzo Grassi, coordinator of the Sherwood Observatory and companion on many explorations.
We at BF Mountain thank Andrea Zinno so much for this interview and for all the outreach work he does. It is truly a priceless added value. We are very happy to offer you this excursion with him! See you on April 14th for those who can make it!
Here are the links where you can listen, read or watch Andrea Zinno's content: