What do several historic villas, a
palace, a theatre, a former church, a lighthouse and a former
customs office have in common?
They are all among the 22 treasures owned by Italy's Demanio
State-property agency that are being put out under concession
for up to 50 years.
The aim is recoup these assets, combining tourism, culture,
environmental protection and sustainable transport, opening them
up to the public, removing them from the threat of degradation
and making the most of them in economic and social terms.
They are being entrusted to private entities that are capable of
restoring, reusing and managing the properties.
It is possible to respond to the call for tenders and present a
bid until 12:00 on May 19, 2022.
The properties are spread across the nation, they have a rich
range of variety, they have high value in terms of history and
identity and they are entwined in their landscape and urban
environments, as well as in the social and cultural fabric of
their local communities.
One of the biggest pieces of real-estate is the former Caserma
Caldieri barracks on the sea front of the island of Ortigia in
Siracusa, a building that dates back to the 17th century and was
originally a convent before being turned into barracks and a
military hospital.
Another is the Palazzo dei Principi Lanza di Trabia at San
Nicola Arcella (in the province of Cosenza), which was built at
the end of the 18th century and has a panoramic position on a
stretch of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Then there is Villa Lieta, previously Villa Boyd, which sits in
its own park at Sanremo and was built at the start of the 20th
century in a prestigious 19th century district; and Villa
Carducci Pandolfini, which is situated on a plain to the
south-west of Florence and is a 15th century structure built on
the remains of a 13th-century tower.
Another big property is the San Vito prison at Agrigento. Built
as a convent in the first half of the 15th century, it was
turned into a jail in the second half of the 19th century.
There is also Palermo's Real Casa dei Matti, a former mental
institution and military hospital close to the centre of the
capital of Sicily.
The list also features two very special properties.
These are the historic Teatro Rossi in Pisa, a theatre built in
1770 with a glorious past as a famous stage for works of prose,
opera and dance; and the former San Cristoforo church in Mantua,
which dates back to the early 15th century with additional
elements from the 18th century.
The properties up for tender also include medium-sized buildings
along sustainable tourism itineraries: the former Torre di
Badino customs office at Terracina; the Cardeto lighthouse in
Ancona; the Bacucco sul Po toll gate at Ariano nel Polesine;
the former Roccolo and Ronchi toll gates at Pieve di Cadore
together with the Sottocastello station; the former Monte Croce
Carnico defensive barracks at Paluzza; the Monte di Mezzo former
munitions depot at Sagrado; the Sperone bastion and the Gran
Maestrato of San Lazzaro a Capua; the Villa Margi rail signal
box at Reitano; the roadman's house at Irsina; a customs house
with garden at Grottammare; and another property in Via Stenico,
Cremona.
The initiative is part of the Valore Paese Italia (Italy Country
Value) project that sees the Demanio agency work with the
culture ministry, tourism agency ENIT, Difesa Servizi Spa and
other institutional partners such as Anas and Anci-Fondazione
Patrimonio Comune.
The project aims to bring together under the same brand the
networks that seek to valorize properties of cultural and
landscape interest, helping the development of new activities
linked to sustainable tourism, culture, sport, training and
sustainable transport, via public-private partnership
instruments.
Among the objectives of Valore Paese Italia is that of creating
a system to support slow, sustainable tourism lined to the
valorization of public assets.
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