THE INAUGURATION OF THE ANCIENT LABICANA ROAD, A STONE’S THROW THE ANTONELLO COLONNA RESORT&SPA
The cooperation between the private and public sector made it possible to bring to light a stretch of a well preserved basolato paving the ancient Labicana road. This is a site of great archaeological interest which was presented to the press and to local autorities, one year after the agreement signed between the municipality of Valmontone and the famous Chef Antonello Colonna.
For some time, as the starry Chef explained, testimonies of topographers and ancient road maps suggested that a substantial portion of the road could be found in the area known as”Colle dei Quadri”, under the superficial grass mantle.
“Here, – Antonello Colonna added – there was a coaching inn “ad Pictas” in ancient times. It was a kind of “resort” at that time. It seems that someone was “farsighted”. I’d like to rename this operation “no sooner said that done”, Antonello Colonna said, for the speed with which all things have been done since we met at the local town hall in Valmontone. To be honest, this thought has pervaded me since I was 35, but it was just a short time ago that I found someone capable of understanding what a small-business I wanted to do and gave me the chance to make it real.”
The important stretch of the Roman road was brought to public enjoyment through the sponsorship agreement between the Valmontone municipality and Antonello Colonna srl, has taken charge of the cost of recovery operations, site management and maintenance activities in the future. In our plans, there is also the realisation of cultural activities in the site, initiatives supported and promoted by the private sector in accordance with the Municipality and the Superintendence for Archaeological Heritage, under the supervision of which the intervent had been carried out.
The mayor of Valmontone, Alberto Latini and the newly-elected mayor of Labico, Danilo Giovannoli, were present at the event. The mayor of Labico together with the local Councillor for Productive Activities, Benedetto Paris, announced their intent, according to the newly-passed law in the Regional Governamnet of Lazio, to establish the Ecomuseum “Valle delle Canapine-Valle Fredda”, in the area where Labicana road runs.
“It’s not true that you won’t eat with culture, – Colonna said – actualy it is without culture that you can’t eat. We believe that a site like this is an added value to the cultural heritage of this area, as Italy is reach in small but valuable treasures which are at risk to disappear, as the ancient consolare road. Today, by restoring this area, we are strenghthening a project that ranges from architecture to art, from the environment to our landscapes and to the agri-food heritage, focusing on food and its links with the territory and its history.”
“With this project – mayor Latini said – the ralationship between the Municipality, the Council for Productive Activities of Lazio and of South Etruria and also the private entrepreneur, will be consolidated also with reference to promotional aspects, as any event, initiative, will be conveyed through a coordinated image involving the three actors. Efforts will therefore be focused on a single and affective goal”
