Il Paesaggio della Val Tidone nelle fonti cartografiche

The study of landscape history takes on a significant role in terms of sustainability in European Union policies. The historical investigation forms the basis for the development of urban planning strategies. Therefore, the history of the landscape is not an end in itself but fundamental for the protection of the biodiversity and cultural heritage that characterize the Italian landscape. This consideration prompt research on studying the history of the Piacenza landscape through direct material sources (artefacts) and indirect (archival documents, toponymy, iconographic and bibliographic sources). The peculiar landscapes of the Italian territory, in most cases, have taken on a characteristic aspect to the transformations related to human activity, even if most environments are usually identified as ‘natural’. For this reason, historical research on the landscape is based on the study of the environment and the relationships that man has established with it. This ongoing research about the Val Tidone landscape represents the first investigation results on indirect sources, focusing particularly on historical cartography. The cartography shows administrative boundaries, waterways, and private properties, providing many elements useful for understanding the landscape in different historical moments.