FORTIFIED LANDSCAPES AND “TRATTURI”, SIGNS OF VISUAL INTERDEPENDENCE. PAESAGGI FORTIFICATI E TRATTURI, SEGNI DELL’INTERDIPENDENZA VISIVA F

Starting from the time of the Samnites, the landscape of Molise takes on very unique characteristics thanks to the use of stone. The walls of the fortified settlements dominate the surrounding areas from the top of the mountains of Molise. Within these areas, in rather difficult environmental conditions, the first housing settlements were created, using the local stone to shape and build them. Others landmark in the landscape are the so called “tratturi” (drovers road used by shepherds to move large flocks of sheep), which are systems of connection between different cultural lands. As a matter of fact, until the end of the 19th century, they connected the Apulian plains to the mountains of Abruzzo and Molise and vice versa. The various settlements, both Samnite fortifications and fortified medieval villages, are in visual relationship with the same ancient routes. From the fortifications the surrounding territory was controlled, instead, along the drovers road the orientation was constituted by the presence of the settlements on top of the hills. The Samnites settlement system ensure both control over the “tratturi” and inter-visibility with neighboring community. In the Middle Ages a relationship of intervisibility between drovers road and fortified settlements is proposed, but to a lesser extent. Is very important the preservation of the historical views that the territory has handed down to us in an almost intact way is. The study of the territory and the landscape, through the use of GIS, leads to the identification of these ancient interdependent perspectives that are still preserved today. Respect for historical views linked to the territory is the premise for a planning that aims at the cultural enhancement of the territory.