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Once upon a time, a long time ago, there was a small village perched high in the mountains. One day, this small village was shaken by dramatic news: a group of witches were said to have lived there, working evil of all kinds... No. What you have heard may be the beginning of a fairy tale, but it is simply reality. There are places whose charm also depends on specific events. This is the case of Triora, a beautiful village perched on the high slopes of the Argentina Valley in the province of Imperia, on the border with Piedmont and France. In 1587 and for years afterwards, Triora was the scene of one of the most important witch trials in post-Tridentine Italy. On our trip to Triora, we will encounter the many places that tell us about this clamorous trial, the events that generated it and the outcome. Here we simply ask ourselves: would Triora have the same charm without the memory of that trial? Certainly yes, is the answer. Because Triora fascinates for its long and millenary history, and for the richness and refinement of the works of art that are preserved there. We will discover them together. At the centre of our journey is Triora's Ethno-historical Museum, which has two great merits: it allows visitors to see Palazzo Stella, one of the most beautiful buildings in the village, and it offers an exhibition that tells us about many ethno-historical aspects linked to the phenomenon of witchcraft. The museum, in fact, offers a scientific point of view within everyone's reach to understand this phenomenon, which certainly had a much more general and vast relevance, going far beyond the borders of Triora. If in the first section the typical material of esoteric beliefs is collected, in the second section the central theme is that of the archetype of the woman-witch and the beliefs connected to this figure. The third section is dedicated in particular to the phytotherapeutic skills of that world, such as to generate the figure of the 'domina herbarum', the woman who was able, with herbs, to obtain cures and... much more. On the other hand, we must remember that we are talking about a world where there was no difference between medicine and magic. Finally, the fourth section is devoted precisely to the Triora process, with very attractive multimedia reconstructions and documentation for further study. To get to know Triora better, our itinerary recommends the Collegiate Church, a splendid church rich in works of art that bear witness to the importance of the village from the 14th century to the present day. The Ethnographic Museum is the second museum in the village, and is extremely interesting for the evidence of ancient rural life it contains. San Dalmazzo and the Castle represent, with different functions, the development of Triora's defensive structure. The ancient oven and the "soprana" fountain are evidence of the ancient uses of collective resources that in that ancient world were carefully preserved. The "cabotina" takes us back in the popular imagination to the witches of 1587, while St Catherine, an isolated church in the heart of a wood, leaves us with the flavour of a timeless mystery.

Liguria

GRITACCESS:

Museum of Triora > Ancient bakery

Type Itinéraire : roaming

Thème : History