The "contrada" in Lessinia

By Piero Piazzola

 

 

The “Contrada”

 

Many researchers have tried to find the most plausible explanation for the term contrada—especially in reference to the structure typical of Lessinia. But the most convincing interpretation seems to be that of a small cluster of two or more residential homes with adjoining rural buildings, all sharing a road (perhaps from the vulgar Latin cum strata, meaning paved or beaten road).

 

Beyond etymology, there’s no such thing as a typical contrada in Lessinia—there never has been—due to various factors such as the terrain’s shape, the most suitable positioning of buildings for shelter from the wind or exposure to sunlight, the proximity to a spring or stream, the reliability of the ground for building foundations, the advantage of being able to build on one’s own land without needing to purchase it, and the possibility of expanding nearby by adding new buildings, saving both materials and time. There were also practical reasons, like ease of hay storage, and broader considerations such as access to existing roads and even personal aspirations.

 

 

Types of Contrade

 

If we take a closer look, for example, at the contrade of western Lessinia (e.g. Sant’Anna d’Alfaedo, Fosse, Ronconi and surrounding areas), we’ll find that none of them share a layout that could serve as a model for the others. Both their building styles and site plans, along with materials and architectural lines, differ markedly from those found in central Lessinia (e.g. Bosco Chiesanuova, Velo Veronese, San Mauro di Saline) and especially from those in eastern Lessinia (e.g. upper Val d’Illasi and upper Val d’Alpone).

 

Let’s consider the contrade of Vaona, Fosse, Breonio, Ronconi, Zivelongo, Cona, Vaggimal, Spiazzo, and Gorgusello (the latter being one of the oldest and most characteristic contrade of Lessinia, known for its buildings made entirely from Prun stone). These areas, while located in a specific part of Lessinia, differ from others primarily in construction materials and a few architectural details.

 

Now look at contrade like Tinazzo, Zamberlini, Beccherli, Brutti, Covile, Falz, Bortoletti, Cuniche, Croce, Campe, Stander, and Valle di Velo in central Lessinia, situated around Erbezzo, Bosco Chiesanuova, Roverè Veronese, and Velo Veronese—none of these share the same site plan either.

 

Moving on to eastern Lessinia, between the Progno-Illasi and Chiampo valleys, contrade take on yet another distinct character, showing that people adapted their building approaches—and even their livelihoods—to the particularities of place, with no regard for preconceived models. In this part of Lessinia, we find contrade like Pagani, Grisi, Pelosi, Furlani, Campilgeri, Gugoli, Flori, Gaiga, Ambrosi, Venchi, Martelletti, Valcasara, Valtanara, and more. The area around Giazza deserves separate mention, as its steep slopes and limited building space led to the clustering of structures in tight proximity.

 

Each of these contrade is built upon land chosen for some or most of the following criteria: sunlight, water, air, stable subsoil, ease of clearing, availability of local building materials and scaffolding, accessibility, and soil productivity.

 

 

Construction Materials

 

While a full comparison of building materials would take time, a brief overview can be offered:

 

• In western Lessinia, the most common material is lastrame (slab stone) from Prun and the surrounding area.

• In central Lessinia, slab stone is still used, but less so—mainly because the stone here is thicker and heavier. Roofs often still use Prun stone, while walls are generally built with rosso ammonitico, a red ammonite limestone.

• In eastern Lessinia, roofs are typically made of terracotta tiles and walls from white limestone flakes (locally called scojo), sometimes mixed with volcanic stone in Val d’Alpone. In that area, only the eaves and the so-called penè (side walls) are still covered with stone slabs.

 

 

The Contrada as Community

 

Across most of the territory—especially in the areas with Cimbrian origins—the mountain people also relied on a basic principle: mutual support, solidarity, and shared interests. The head of the family would build a home and a barn for a son getting married or for a close relative, right next to the existing house. The buildings were placed side by side so that one supported the other, often with thick walls that helped preserve warmth in winter and coolness in summer. This is how contrade—inhabited clusters—were born, a structure which modern “row houses” have tried to imitate.

 

Generally, in Lessinia’s contrade, houses and rural buildings are aligned in one or more rows depending on the space and slope of the land, and are oriented toward the sun. Alternatively, buildings are arranged around a central area—a kind of courtyard (corte), like in Zivelongo—with a fountain, a water basin, or a well in the center, and façades facing the sun.

 

In older clusters, each house often had its own vegetable garden adjacent to it—either in front or behind (as still seen in contrada Spedo). The communal space was often paved with slab stone (as is still visible in Cona). Roofs on residential buildings had a shallow pitch, while those on rural structures were much steeper (though some so-called “scholars” mistakenly called them “Gothic,” even though they have nothing to do with Gothic architecture).

 

Usually, each contrada takes its name from the first person who built a house and barn there—or, inversely, the contrada gave its name as a surname to those who came to live there.