Tour audio Common Waters: water cultural heritage in Santorso and Marano Vicentino

With this itinerary you will discover the significant cultural water heritage that exists in the
riverine landscape between the municipalities of Santorso and Marano Vicentino. Since the
Middle Ages, the development of numerous artisan and proto-industrial activities have been
made possible by the control and management of surface water through the construction of
artificial watercourses and irrigation ditches. Such trades and industries include various
hydraulic factories, mills, follies and water powered hammers, used in the production of
essential products.
The itinerary involves cycling and walking through rural areas with well-preserved
architectural and landscape features evocative of worlds now long disappeared. The route
ends with a visit to some of the cutting-edge hydraulic interventions carried out as part of
the European Life Beware project. These far-sighted interventions help us understand how
to reduce the risks of flooding and build a common strategy of adaptation to climate
change.
By linking surface runoff management techniques developed by our ancestors with today's
most innovative technologies, by the end of the itinerary you will have an overall view of
both the history of local water and pioneering techniques used for the care and protection
of inherited landscapes. Reflecting its title ‘Acque Comuni’ (Common Waters), the itinerary
aims to spread new awareness of the value of water through a governance model applicable
throughout the Veneto region, and beyond. In addition to urgent actions, such as adapting
to climate change and improving hydraulic safety, it is necessary to combine the rediscovery
of the common heritage of water culture ⁠— both natural and cultural ⁠— with the active
involvement of local communities and associations.

For interventions carried out for climate change adaptation and hydraulic risk reduction
watch the video presentation of the LIFE BEWARE project