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Urgent report: ancient towers of Varano – Ischitella (FG) – ca Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano
Dear Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano,
we follow up on our email of February 22nd, in which we informed you of what is happening to the two ancient Towers of Varano (Grande and Piccola), located in Foce Varano in the Municipality of Ischitella (Foggia). Having not received any response, we are once again calling for active intervention on the issue.
For years we have been arguing that these two towers dating back to the end of the 1200s (the oldest coastal towers in the Gargano), at risk of imminent collapse, must be protected by the relevant bodies, given the total negligence on the part of the owners who abandoned them.
Only recently, thanks to a report we sent to the Secretary Mario Turetta (who in turn activated the Superintendence of Foggia), something is changing
This report was the last desperate act, following years of disinterest on the part of the bodies responsible for protection. Primarily of the Municipality of Ischitella, even after the last collapse episode which occurred on 13 January 2024 on the Torre Grande.
The Small Tower, on the other hand, has a huge gash which compromises its stability. We fear it is a matter of a short time, after which it will collapse disastrously just as happened to the Torre Grande in 1987.
After our reports in January 2024, the Superintendence of Foggia intervened with an inspection and with the necessary documents addressed to the owners of the two towers and the Municipality of Ischitella, but currently nothing has been done, not even making them safe.
On our initiative, we have also launched an online petition which has currently collected more than 1200 signatures: change.org/torridivarano
The objective of this letter addressed to you is to make you directly aware of the situation and to request, if possible, his personal inspection of the Varano Towers so that these precious assets of our historical and cultural heritage are urgently preserved through all those actions that only the Ministry led by you can promote.
First of all, we believe, the possible procedure Expropriation of Cultural Heritage for protection purposes.
We are working hard to ensure that, instead, the institutions, with the support of the reports from us Associations and the citizens who support us by signing the petition addressed to the decision makers including you, finally intervene to protect these two precious assets of our cultural heritage.
Hoping for your cordial feedback, we remain available for further clarifications.
Alessandro Rota (president of the Officine Ianós Cultural Association)
3496697394 [email protected]
Teresa Maria Rauzino (president of the Gargano Nord section of the Homeland History Society for Puglia)
3802577054 t
