Luoghi di culto e percorsi micaelici nel paesaggio della valle dell’Aniene. Letture storiche, per conoscere, conservare e valorizzare

Early surveys of the regions spanning the middle and upper valleys of the Aniene, Empiglione, and Giovenzano rivers identified numerous sites dedicated to the worship of the Archangel Michael. These sites include churches and chapels within towns, oratories on town outskirts, votive shrines and rural churches in the countryside, as well as simple caves distributed across the landscape, forming distinctive geometric patterns. Collectively, these sacred settlements demonstrate the strong connection between devotion to St. Michael and the region, resulting in a distinctive and complex cultural and sacred landscape. This landscape has been studied to better understand the underlying network of connections and to assess its potential for further enhancement. The complexity of this landscape necessitated a research strategy integrating multiple levels of investigation. These included the analysis of geographical systems, the identification of the cultic archetype of St. Michael, the examination of local sacred place typologies, and the reconstruction of the network of itineraries. These itineraries historically traversed the region and were examined through a historical interpretive process that included analyses of territorial morphol- ogy, cartographic studies, and field research. The research process enabled the identification of a system of specific elements and linear connections. To support preservation and enhancement, these findings should be shared with local communities to foster awareness of their cultural heritage. This approach encourages the transformation of memory into culture and identity, to be transmitted across generations, and supports the development of ‘land- scape communities’ that can convert territorial complexities into opportunities.