Modify the sub-location “Welcome to the fortified house ‘Grand Betum’ in Servino!” of the location “Fortified house ‘Grand Betum’ in Servino!”

Nothing is (yet) completely lost!

Thinking about what to write in this introduction, a series of moments experienced over these years working on the fortified house “Grand Betum” came back to my mind. The first are linked to the intuition of Davide Querio, who, knowing he was on the right track, in 2020 proposed to the Municipality to undertake the process of recovery and restoration of a piece of heritage that was literally disappearing. He inspired me, and at that moment a dream was born, which later became a concrete goal, whereas until then it had stopped at the idea that such abandonment could never end. I must also honestly say that—apart from the phase of drafting the project proposal to be submitted to funding bodies (GAL Valli del Canavese and the Ministry of Culture, ed.) in which we necessarily had to be positive and show belief—the subsequent phases represented real hardships, and discouragement sometimes suggested we should give up: first the complex process of acquiring the property, and then, between the main and necessary project revision and various bureaucratic setbacks and delays, the exhausting search for the final part of funding, which was only secured in 2024 with a direct financial commitment from the Municipality, without which it would not have been possible to start the works. The obstacles were not over, and the deadlines risked jeopardizing the efforts made. But thanks to the efficiency, seriousness, and dedication of the appointed company, the craftsmen involved, and the professionals, a race against time was won, allowing the fortified house to pass the winter of 2024–2025 protected by a new roof and thus saved from definitive collapse. The story of this recovery and restoration is important because it teaches us that nothing is yet lost. The extraordinary heritage, both tangible and intangible, preserved among these mountains is still there, perhaps dormant and certainly transformed, but not (yet) completely lost. This awareness is the essential condition for taking responsibility for it. It is then up to the Administrations and the entire community to have the tenacity to face obstacles while keeping the final goal firmly in mind. Bin ruà! Welcome to the fortified house “Grand Betum” of Servino!

Lorenzo Giacomino
Mayor of Ronco Canavese

The value among the stones

The Orco and Soana Valleys are a more complex—and therefore richer—territory than one might imagine: different altitudes correspond to different environments, upon which, over time, the communities that inhabited them have been shaped. The two valleys differ from each other, not only in morphology, but also in the different historical events and cultural influences that have affected them. However, the territorial element that unites them is undeniable, well described by Franco G. Ferrero in his “The Canavese of the Orco and Soana Valleys. At the foothills of Gran Paradiso”, where he states: “The distinctive elements that constitute its essence and roots belong to the cultural identity of the territory, inseparably linked to its history (...), making the Orco and Soana Valleys a land that still today claims its own proud uniqueness and ‘independence’.” Nowadays often considered—wrongly, in my opinion—a “marginal” territory, the Orco and Soana Valleys have historically held a recognized central role at least at a regional level. The historical stratification and its most significant evidence in local architecture prove this. Within it, a multiplicity of details has developed across various aspects. Precisely this marginality has allowed this genius loci to be preserved despite the passage of time. It is a true architectural wealth, and the fortified houses are a striking example. Too often forgotten, these structures are one of the most evident links connecting us to our often unknown and forgotten past: their recovery and enhancement must become a tool and an opportunity to rediscover our roots. This is what we have tried to do here, at the “Grand Betum” of Servino, going beyond mere material intervention and instead working “between the lines,” perceiving and managing what lies behind the structure itself, betting on the value that exists among these stones. Because only by rediscovering our history will we be able to protect it and at the same time consider it a vital element (far from being merely museum-like!) for our territory: the Orco and Soana Valleys! I can only welcome you into this site and wish you a pleasant visit!

Arch. Davide Querio
Designer of the recovery and restoration project