In March 2022, the historic village of Montalto delle Marche was selected as a pilot village for Le Marche Region within the framework of the “Attractiveness of Villages” program of the Italian Ministry of Culture – Line A of the PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan), with the project entitled “Metroborgo MontaltoLab. Presidato of Future Civilizations”.

 

The project was created with the ambitious goal of reversing the trend of depopulation and revitalizing the cultural, social, and economic fabric of the village, making it a model of resilience and sustainability. It aims to combine the human-scale dimension of a small village with the vibrant social and cultural life of a large urban center, through the recovery and enhancement of both tangible and intangible heritage.

The project looks to the past to imagine the future of Montalto.

The history and the figures who have contributed over time to building an extraordinary intangible heritage made up of culture, traditions, and practical knowledge have also left Montalto with grand and prestigious palaces, testimony to the town’s historical centrality. The “Metroborgo” develops through a series of Project Sites, which largely correspond to buildings of inestimable artistic, cultural, and emotional value for the local community. These places have been chosen to be restored to their former splendor and to host new functions in various fields, becoming the beating hearts of the new “Metroborgo” ecosystem.

The name “Metroborgo MontaltoLab. Presidato of Future Civilizations” encapsulates the very soul of the project.

Metroborgo is a neologism coined to combine the idea of a place that, within the dimensions of a human-scale village, contains the energy of social and cultural life, the capacity for innovation, and the advantages of metropolitan ecosystems.

MontaltoLab refers to the regeneration plan conceived as a constantly evolving laboratory, a hub for new connections, information flows, and exchanges.

Presidato of Future Civilizations is instead a tribute to the past, with a view toward the future. Thanks to Pope Sixtus V, Montalto gained a unique role compared to other villages in the Piceno and Marche hinterland. During his pontificate, Sixtus V elevated his Patria Carissima to a Diocese and “Capital of the Presidato,” exercising control over 17 municipalities from the sea to the mountains, establishing an autonomous government, and even minting its own currency. A political, cultural, economic, and relational hub—a “modern” village that experienced major urban transformations. This is why, today, the project’s title and vision retain the reference to the “Presidato”: to keep alive the link with the city’s glorious past. This reference is not nostalgic, but rather a driving force toward the future.

 

The Metroborgo MontaltoLab project is therefore structured around so-called “project sites”, each representing a fundamental piece in the regeneration of the village. These sites are renovated and repurposed to foster urban, economic, social, and cultural regeneration in Montalto and the surrounding area, promoting new forms of residency as well as initiatives in culture, tourism development, and academia.

Historical Archive: reorganization and digitization of the Historical Archive, transforming it into a center for research and dissemination.

Borgo Story: creation of micro urban installations that tell the story and traditions of the village, involving the local community.

Former Monastery of Santa Chiara: transformation of the former convent into a center for studies and training on intangible heritage, in collaboration with leading university institutions.

Palazzo Paradisi: redevelopment of the palace to host cultural and associative activities, with a focus on creativity and innovation.

MuTeb (Town Hall): reorganization of the civic museums, with an exhibition route that highlights the history and identity of the territory.

Palazzo Sacconi: creation of a multimedia experiential route dedicated to local food and wine, with spaces for tasting and promoting typical products. The building will also host high-end dining facilities and a wellness–spa area.

Palazzo Verdi: renovation of the palace to create a charming hospitality facility capable of attracting high-quality tourism.

Sant’Agostino Theatre: redevelopment of the municipal theatre, transforming it into a center for cultural production and promotion.

Abitare tra le Nuvole (Living Among the Cloud): recovery of an important building in the historic center, in the Cassero area, currently unused, to create 11 apartments. Through a dedicated allocation program, these will be assigned to young families and young couples, with the aim of encouraging stable repopulation of the village.

 

To find out more, visit www.metroborgomontalto.it.