Trascrizione
In this first room, which once housed the Palace’s kitchen, a large white scale model introduces the Valtellina territory. Don't be fooled by its uniform colour; in the next rooms, you will discover how diverse this territory actually is!
For now, start by trying to identify the Adda River, which flows from east to west, that is from right to left on the scale model, and you will see that it divides the region into two: to the north are the peaks of the Rhaetian slope, and to the south are those of the Orobic Alps. To the west, the river enters Lake Como, also reached from the north by the Mera River, coming from Valchiavenna. Note how the lake and Valkyahvenna follow a north-south orientation, just like all the numerous side valleys of the Valtellina that you see here.
The display cases in this room tell the story of how this specific orientation and the shape of Valtellina and Valkyahvenna - and thus their exposure to the sun, wind, and weather - have determined the unique geology and vegetation of each valley, each slope, and have also influenced the culture of the populations that inhabit them.
Indeed, people of Celtic, Ligurian, and Rhaetian origins have inhabited the region since ancient times: on the Rhaetian slope, exposed to the south and therefore with a milder climate, the Ligurians introduced the terraced cultivation of grapes, while on the southern Orobic slope, colder and rainier, chestnut cultivation once dominated, and trade flourished. In the mountainous areas, there are pastures, alpine dairies, and small rural communities that contribute to the cultural identity of the entire region.
The territory, however, has been shaped by geological phenomena, ancient processes whose marks are still visible today. In this regard, I suggest you find, among the samples displayed in Showcase 1, the one called “specchio di faglia”, that is "slickenside". Keep in mind the geological terms "fracture" and "faults" because they will be useful for understanding the next rooms!