MEJES: The Masi of Val Gardena. Memory of a landscape

The Masi of Val Gardena – Mejes de Gherdëina – constitute an age-old architectural heritage, dating back in some cases to the 13th century, representing, apart from their historical and documentary value, an invaluable wealth of architectural, constructive and aesthetic features. However, these masi are increasingly threatened by demolition due to the radical economic and social transformation of the territory and the difficulty of adapting these historic structures to modern needs.
The loss of this heritage would mark an irrevocable depletion of part of the valley's material culture.

The constant threat of demolition and the greater interest shown recently in the preservation of the masi have made it necessary to re-document and re-photograph these characteristic buildings, so typical of peasant culture, expanding and updating the 2008-2013 Museo Gherdëina project, which covered all the masi and barns of the Val Gardena, censused in the Map of the Masi of Val Gardena.

The new black and white images, captured by the photographer Václav Šedý, give us an exciting, insightful glimpse into this distinctive architectural style, part of peasant culture for centuries. 221 images are published in a catalogue with contributions of Annibale Salsa, Alberto Grimoldi, Josef Nössing, Paulina Moroder, Wolfgang von Klebelsberg and Václav Šedý.

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