Les miniatures di Cichin (Cichin’s Miniatures)Francesco Berta (1924 – 2001)

Francesco Berta, known by his nickname Cichin, worked at the local talc mines, driving a cable car, but also maintained his own property, which he farmed. Beginning in 1962 he began to build an automated nativity scene in the room of an old school; he used wooden characters and various gears to animate the scene. Each year he continued to expand the installation, and it became a renowned local attraction.

In recent years, he also devoted himself to establishing his own miniature world alongside a dirt road frequented by hikers. Here he duplicated in rock (and in smaller scale) the Mole Antonelliana, Turin’s most recognizable monument (Berta’s measured 4 meters [13 feet] high, in comparison to the 168 meter [588 feet] height of the original). There is also a Tower of Pisa and numerous examples of the typical architecture found in the Lanzo Valley.  

~Gabriele Mina

www.costruttoridibabele.net

Torino, Piemonte, 10123 it
Latitude/Longitude: 45.070312 / 7.686856

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