THE LIMONAIE OF GARDA LAKE: A CULTURAL LANDSCAPE TO PRESERVE

In Riviera del Garda, particularly from Salò to Limone, the citrus cultivation, documented since 15th century, required lemon-houses building, the limonaie: the citrus trees had to be sheltered during the cold months and it was necessary to built wide drystone greenhouses in which the trees grew. These monumental greenhouses were turned into buildings during the winter by enclosing them with timber roofs. The very particular architecture of the limonaie of the Garda Lake, may be considered as an unusual agricultural cultivation, which made characteristic the landscape. Local people were able to create the northernmost zone of commercial citrus growing in the world. These lemon-houses are still emblems of Garda landscape, even though most of them are no more used, but have been abandoned or rehabilitated to different functions. By focusing on the limonaie this paper looks at the components of this historical landscape and defines goals and standards for conservation and maintenance.