World Heritage Identification Number: 1390
World Heritage since: 2014
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Agriculture Landscapes, Parks & Gardens
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇮🇹 Italy
Continent: Europe
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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The Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: A Terroir of Wine, History, and Culture
The Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014, offers a unique blend of natural beauty, historical significance, and cultural richness. Located in the southwestern portion of Piedmont, this expansive region stretches between the Po River and the Ligurian Apennines, encompassing a diverse array of vineyards, castles, and picturesque villages.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
This landscape covers five distinct wine-growing areas with outstanding landscapes and the Castle of Cavour, an emblematic name both in the development of vineyards and in Italian history. It is located in the southern part of Piedmont, between the Po River and the Ligurian Apennines, and encompasses the whole range of technical and economic processes relating to the winegrowing and winemaking that has characterized the region for centuries. Vine pollen has been found in the area dating from the 5th century BC, when Piedmont was a place of contact and trade between the Etruscans and the Celts; Etruscan and Celtic words, particularly wine-related ones, are still found in the local dialect. During the Roman Empire, Pliny the Elder mentions the Piedmont region as being one of the most favourable for growing vines in ancient Italy; Strabo mentions its barrels.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (iii): The cultural landscapes of the Piedmont vineyards provide outstanding living testimony to winegrowing and winemaking traditions that stem from a long history, and that have been continuously improved and adapted up to the present day. They bear witness to an extremely comprehensive social, rural and urban realm, and to sustainable economic structures. They include a multitude of harmonious built elements that bear witness to its history and its professional practices.
Criterion (v): The vineyards of Langhe-Roero and Monferrato constitute an outstanding example of man’s interaction with his natural environment. Following a long and slow evolution of winegrowing expertise, the best possible adaptation of grape varieties to land with specific soil and climatic components has been carried out, which in itself is related to winemaking expertise, thereby becoming an international benchmark. The winegrowing landscape also expresses great aesthetic qualities, making it into an archetype of European vineyards.
Encyclopedia Record: Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato
Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato is the official name of a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising "five distinct wine-growing areas with outstanding landscapes" plus the Castle of Grinzane Cavour in the region of Piedmont, Italy.Additional Site Details
Area: 10,789 hectares
Number of Components: 6
(v) — Outstanding example of traditional human settlement
Coordinates: 44.6086111111 , 7.9636111111
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© Cloud7, CC BY-SA 3.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
World Heritage Research
Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.
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I ciabòt del sito UNESCO Langhe-Roero e Monferrato: problematiche di conservazione delle architetture rurali fragili quali componenti storico-culturali dei paesaggi vitivinicoli
Eight years after its UNESCO recognition, the Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato has seen limited progress in preserving its fragile rural architecture, particularly the 'ciabòt,' which are critical to the site's historical and cultural identity. Despite updates to planning tools and declarations of notable cultural interest following the 2017 Regional Landscape Plan, conservation efforts remain insufficient to address the challenges of maintaining this heritage. The study evaluates the effectiveness of these measures, highlighting gaps in culturally sustainable development strategies for such landscapes.
Beltramo, G. (2023). I ciabòt del sito UNESCO Langhe-Roero e Monferrato: problematiche di conservazione delle architetture rurali fragili quali componenti storico-culturali dei paesaggi vitivinicoli. Restauro Archeologico, 30(1). https://doi.org/10.36253/rar-14290
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Mitigating visual impacts of built structures: the contribution of mayors in the collaborative managing of a UNESCO cultural landscape
A study identifies effective mitigation strategies for visual impacts of built structures on the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato. Through qualitative research involving interviews and focus groups with mayors from ten municipalities, conducted in 2015 and 2020, the study highlights tools and policies that can enhance landscape planning and heritage management. These strategies aim to preserve the authenticity of the cultural landscape while supporting its long-term conservation. The research also emphasizes the role of mayors as key stakeholders in managing visual impacts and promoting sustainable scenarios for the landscape.
Aimar, F. (2022). Mitigating visual impacts of built structures: the contribution of mayors in the collaborative managing of a UNESCO cultural landscape. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, 14(6), 842–873. https://doi.org/10.1108/jchmsd-02-2021-0017
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UNESCO’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage: Sustainable development perspectives
A significant finding of this study is the identification and development of the relationship between tangible and intangible heritage as essential, interconnected resources for sustainable development. The research examines two illustrative UNESCO application paths: the recognition of The Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato as a Cultural Landscape of World Heritage under the 1972 Convention, and the inscription of The Celebration of Celestinian Forgiveness in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage under the 2003 Convention. By analyzing these case studies, the study advances an interdisciplinary reflection on safeguarding, enhancing, and increasing accessibility of cultural heritage. It derives insights into living within organic landscapes, collective identities, inclusive places, sociability, communicative restitution, participatory management, and integrated sustainability.
Sinibaldi, E., Parente, A.,. (2020). UNESCO’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage: Sustainable development perspectives. Pravovedenie, 64(1), 47–56. https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu25.2020.104
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Landscape Economic Attractiveness: An Integrated Methodology for Exploring the Rural Landscapes in Piedmont (Italy)
Researchers developed an integrated methodology to measure the economic attractiveness of rural landscapes, specifically applying it to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Piedmont, Italy: the Moraine Amphitheatre of Ivrea and the vineyard landscape of Langhe-Roero and Monferrato. The study introduced a synthetic index—Landscape Economic Attractiveness Index (LEAI)—derived from a system of landscape indicators, which was then integrated into a dynamic model to assess its role in human mobility across multi-pole systems. This approach provides actionable insights for policymakers aiming to guide landscape and territorial transformations while preserving cultural and environmental integrity. The methodology offers a framework for evaluating rural landscapes' economic potential, supporting sustainable development strategies.
Assumma, V., Bottero, M., & Monaco, R. (2019). Landscape Economic Attractiveness: An Integrated Methodology for Exploring the Rural Landscapes in Piedmont (Italy). Land, 8(7), 105. https://doi.org/10.3390/land8070105
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Un Approccio Integrato per la Misurazione dei Valori e Delle Pressioni dei Paesaggi Vitivinicoli del Piemonte
An integrated evaluation methodology has been developed to measure the values and pressures within the UNESCO-listed Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont, specifically the Langhe-Roero and Monferrato regions. This approach assesses both the economic value of the territory and the pressures exerted on its components through a system of indicators. The methodology provides a reliable tool for decision-making in defining territorial transformation scenarios, offering a comprehensive framework to balance economic and environmental considerations in this culturally significant landscape.
Assumma, V., Bottero, M., Monaco, R., & Mondini, G. (2018). UN APPROCCIO INTEGRATO PER LA MISURAZIONE DEI VALORI E DELLE PRESSIONI DEI PAESAGGI VITIVINICOLI DEL PIEMONTE [JD]. LaborEst, 16, 75–80. https://doi.org/10.19254/LaborEst.16.12
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Turismo enogastronomico nella Langa del Barolo: indagine presso i ristoratori
Restaurant managers in the Langa del Barolo region, part of Italy's UNESCO-listed Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont, highly value and accept initiatives aimed at promoting wine and food tourism. The study found that traditional word-of-mouth recommendations remain influential but are increasingly supplemented by digital interactions via social media, which significantly expands global reach and engagement with tourists. This highlights the dual importance of local authenticity and modern digital tools in shaping enogastronomic tourism experiences.
Giovanni Peira, Fabio Paruzzo, Maria Beatrice Pairotti, & Alessandro Bonadonna. (2017). Turismo enogastronomico nella Langa del Barolo: indagine presso i ristoratori [JB]. Micro & Macro Marketing, 1, 27–44. https://doi.org/10.1431/86067
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