Parco della Rimembranza and Casa Serpentello [The Park of Remembrance and Serpentello’s House]Luciano Serpentello (1854 – 19??)

Serpentello’s works were created in two different locations: The Park of Remembrance is located on the avenue of the same name, and the privately-owned house with elaborately decorated façade is located on Via Garibaldi.

Serpentello, a farmer, designed and built the Park to honor and remember World War I. He collected various relics of the Great War and placed them in a constructed landscape made of small foxholes, gravestones, shelters, and a copy of the Grotto of Postumia (Postojna Cave, as the territory now belongs to Slovenia, a huge karst cave system large enough to include a concert hall renowned for its excellent acoustics). The municipal offices opened the Park in 1924, and paid a small salary to Serpentello for its continued maintenance of the site. Over time the Park has changed, and now includes a war memorial.

Serpentello used cement mixed with waste coal and pebbles to construct the various elements of the Park. He used this same technique when, in the 1930s, he decorated the broad façade of his own home in high relief; among the imagery he sculpted were imaginary animals, various local crafts, the Virgin of Carmen, the Tower of Pisa, and more. Busts and inscriptions also grace the façade.

The Park is available for public visitation, free of charge, and one may view the façade of Serptentello’s former home from Via Garibaldi.

~Gabriele Mina

www.costruttoridibabele.net

Vignale Monferrato, Piemonte, 15049 it
Latitude/Longitude: 45.0097718 / 8.4000335

View Larger Map in New Window