We started an interdisciplinary study, involving pedology and architecture sciences, aimed at recognizing and reappraising those we call “agri+cultural” Borbone sites in Italy. This paper deals with the “San Silvestro vineyard”, once cultivated within the homonymous farm in the San Leucio “Royal Site” in Caserta. Such a vineyard, whose original terracing structure is still perceptible, is a very valuable, but almost unknown record of Borbone farming. The vineyard overlooks the little court bounded by the buildings of the king's residence, and laterally by two symmetrical service bodies, built on the hill of Parito by the architect Francesco Collecini between 1797 and 1801, establishing a system conceptually similar to that of the royal palace of Carditello, but on a reduced scale. Through advanced GIS–based interpretation of original maps and bibliography sources, the “San Silvestro vineyard” has been redrawn in its initial topography, thanks to the comparison of historical and actual maps and through the identification of traces still visible in the present landscape design. Historical maps record the geographical information, that is fundamental to reconstructing past places, holding information retained by no other written source, such as place-names or boundaries. The fertile, volcanic soil of the vineyard, developed from the Phlegraean Campanian Ignimbrite, shows a 1st class suitability to vine cropping, thus testifying the pedo-agronomic expertise of Borbone House.
The “Agri+cultural” Heritage of “Two Sicilies” Borbone House. The Vineyard of “San Silvestro” farm in San Leucio (Caserta, Italy)
PARENTE R;
2014-01-01
Abstract
We started an interdisciplinary study, involving pedology and architecture sciences, aimed at recognizing and reappraising those we call “agri+cultural” Borbone sites in Italy. This paper deals with the “San Silvestro vineyard”, once cultivated within the homonymous farm in the San Leucio “Royal Site” in Caserta. Such a vineyard, whose original terracing structure is still perceptible, is a very valuable, but almost unknown record of Borbone farming. The vineyard overlooks the little court bounded by the buildings of the king's residence, and laterally by two symmetrical service bodies, built on the hill of Parito by the architect Francesco Collecini between 1797 and 1801, establishing a system conceptually similar to that of the royal palace of Carditello, but on a reduced scale. Through advanced GIS–based interpretation of original maps and bibliography sources, the “San Silvestro vineyard” has been redrawn in its initial topography, thanks to the comparison of historical and actual maps and through the identification of traces still visible in the present landscape design. Historical maps record the geographical information, that is fundamental to reconstructing past places, holding information retained by no other written source, such as place-names or boundaries. The fertile, volcanic soil of the vineyard, developed from the Phlegraean Campanian Ignimbrite, shows a 1st class suitability to vine cropping, thus testifying the pedo-agronomic expertise of Borbone House.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
