This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)

Mezzano is a town in Trentino, less than 2 miles from Fiera di Primero, in the Paneveggio Pale di San Martino park (Unesco natural heritage). In 1966, it was completely flooded, but luckily the historic centre was soon restored.

Acknowledged as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, Mezzano is full of the typical houses of the region, the so-called “tabià”, featuring stone flooring and a wooden balcony; they actually date back to the XV century. The village is also rich in XVII century wall paintings, fountains, wash houses, ancient sawmills, cobbled streets, and some 400 vegetable gardens used by the locals to grow vegetables, wheat and thousands of beautiful roses.

Several old barns and sawmills have recently been turned into museums of the local crafts, theatres and other gathering places, like Lucia Trotter’s “Arteler” workshop: it exhibits some XVIII looms for hemp weaving. In addition, many international and local artists have decorated the surrounding territory with 32 land art installations: they were made with piles of artistic wood transformed into chains, cobs, snails, mermaids, arrows, religious figures, and angels.

Many of the residents in Mezzano are skilled artisans and careful guardians of the peasant traditions; they love singing even on the street, entertaining their audience with ancient prayers and songs. In August, some students from New York’s International Music Academy usually spend two weeks here, performing in the local theatres and churches.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)