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On
the left:
The tower house of Tresinaro, near Baiso;
Votigno, not far from Canossa;
Monchio dei Ferri, near Casina. |
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| The tower houses
constitute an important component characteristic of the emilian
landscape of the Apennines, mostly present in the hilly strip
(but some examples are to be found at a higher height). With
their soaring figure they still characterize the profile of
the ancient villages, spread all over the matildic territory.
The first tower houses (a sort of imitation of the towers of
the town) date back to the end of the Middle ages and they are
specially conceived for defensive uses. The door is high and
reachable through some retractile stairs. At the lower level
are located the food storage and the animals, at the first level
there are the residential rooms and at the third is placed a
real dovecot (pigeons and swifts constitute an important provision
of proteins). This architectural model spreads particularly
between XIII and XIV, diffusing squared imposing establishements,
mostly stone walled. In the following centuries the tower house
becomes more and more soaring, the fired brick appears without
substituting completely the stone and the first decorative elements
are introduced. The defensive need becomes less important and
even though the tower house maintains the function of a dovecot,
it assumes more and more the function of a mark of honour for
the family sometimes enriched by some additional buildings necessary
because of demographical reasons. |
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