European Heritage Days

The City of Alba, through its Department of Culture and Tourism, has joined the European Heritage Days, which this year will have the theme: "Protecting Heritage. Renewing, Resisting, Reinventing.".

Here is the program for Saturday, September 26th:

3:15 PM - Departure from the entrance of the Federico Eusebio Civic Museum of Archaeology and Natural Sciences (Cortile della Maddalena). Participants will follow a route through Alba's historic center, stopping at the following archaeological sites: Casa Paruzza (Banca D'Alba headquarters at Via Cavour, 4); The Invisible City Archaeological Area (Piazzetta Chiodi); MUDI Diocesan Museum and Archaeological Trail (Piazza Rossetti – next to the Cathedral bell tower).Free guided tour lasting approximately 1.5 hours led by archaeologists and staff from the ABAP – AL Superintendency.Reservations are required (by Friday, September 25) at museo@comune.alba.cn.it , indicating the name and surname and telephone number of each participant.admission to the MUDI is €2.50 (free with Piedmont Museum Passes, disabled visitors and their companions, and visitors under 6).

From 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM - Exhibition Hall of the Federico Eusebio Civic Museum. Lecture and interactive experience: "Bioarchaeological Heritage: A Source to Protect and Rethink."
The bioarchaeological study of the burials in the San Rocco cemetery, discovered in 2024 during a preventive archaeology project, will be presented to the public.
The tombs, dating from the 17th to 19th centuries, are a valuable source for understanding the modern Alba community: through the study of human remains, it is possible to reconstruct aspects of the daily life, health, and living conditions of the people who lived in Alba. The scientific investigation, supported by Pio Cesare Società Semplice Agricola, demonstrates how heritage protection can translate into new opportunities for research and understanding.
The interactive experience will allow the public to directly observe the bioarchaeological material along with some grave goods, to discover how human remains can tell the story of past communities.

Program: Opening and introduction: Pio Cesare Società Semplice Agricola.
Presentation of the initiative: Dr. Simone Lerma – Superintendency of Agricultural and Natural Resources (ABAP AL).
Presentation of the works: Prof. Chiara Maria Lebole – University of Turin - Introduction to the study of the cemetery area.
“Between the distant past and the recent past: reading history through human remains” - Prof. Ezio Fulcheri – University of Genoa - Introduction to the study of human remains and their contribution to understanding past communities.
“The discovery and excavation of an archaeological site” - Dr. Elisa Ariaudo – AR.CO.P. (Piedmontese Cooperative Society for Archaeological Research) - Archaeological investigations of the San Rocco cemetery area.
“A biological archive on the outskirts of Alba” - Dr. Miria Ciccarone – University of Turin - Initial results of the study of the burials.
“From research to sharing” - Dr. Rosa Boano – University of Turin - Reflections and discussion with the audience.
"From Listening to Participation": Bioarchaeological Heritage Up Close - Interactive meeting with Dr. Miria Ciccarone. A brief hands-on experience to directly observe archaeological and bioarchaeological material, discover how human remains are studied, and understand what information they can still provide about the lives of people in the past.
Reservations are recommended at museo@comune.alba.cn.it , including the name and phone number of each participant.

9:00 PM - Special opening of the Federico Eusebio Civic Museum of Archaeology and Natural Sciences and guided tour of the museum rooms and underground storage areas, where the topic of burials, already covered in the conference, will be explored in greater depth.
Admission is the cost of the museum ticket. Entrance to the Civic Museum is in the Cortile della Maddalena at Via Vittorio Emanuele II, 19 (full price €5.00, reduced €3.00, free with Piedmont Museum Passes, disabled visitors and their companions, and visitors under 10).
Reservations are recommended at museo@comune.alba.cn.it , including the full name and telephone number of each participant.