Alpine Hut “Colonei di Pesina”

This ancient property (colonel) of the rural community of Pesina, which is currently owned by the Municipality of Caprino, covers an area characterized by dome-shaped hillocks, basins and karst sinkholes. The hut presents all the features characterizing the spatial organization of the territory that dates back to the 18^th century, when the local nobility turned vast mid-mountain areas into locations for grazing cattle during the summer.

The alpine hut or “baito”, surrounded by extensive areas of pasture reclaimed from the forest, is typically composed of two rooms: the “logo del late” (the milk room) and the “logo del fogo” (the fire room) that served for the processing of milk and as residence for herdsmen during the alpine pasturing season  The other adjoining buildings are the “casàra”, for the storage and maturation of cheese, and the “porsil”, the pigsty where herdsmen raised pigs that were fed on “scòta”, residue from the processing of milk (whey).

Close to the buildings were small plots of land bordered by dry-stone walls for the cultivation of vegetables, and the “riserve”(reserves), small fir or pine woods that served as shelter for animals on a very sunny day or during the night. Finally, on the hut’s grazing land there are always some “pozze” (puddles) derived from natural sinkholes, sealed with clay to collect rainwater for watering livestock.