marianoimmobili

Rebirth of the former tobacco factories in Salento: a story of reuse and renewal

Introduction and diffusion of tobacco in Italy

The cultivation of tobacco in the heel of Italy has rather remote origins and has characterized the life of many families and farmers in Salento for a long time. According to sources, tobacco was grown as early as the eighteenth century. At the time, there were two types of tobacco: Kotor (dry-grown and irrigated) and Brazil (constantly irrigated). Both were used as snuff (mostly) and smoking (for the production of cigars), and were much appreciated by high society and the clergy of the time.

The very first tobacco growers were the mendicant friars, but it was the Venetian merchants and the Spanish who introduced it to the Terra d'Otranto. When the volumes produced became truly large, cultivation passed into the hands of the Kingdom of Italy. This happened at the beginning of the nineteenth century, when tobacco was widely spread in the Lecce countryside, in some villages down towards Capo di Leuca, but also towards Mesagne, Oria, Francavilla.

With the advent of the government tobacco monopoly, things changed. The farmers of Salento stopped seeing tobacco as a source of income: the real profit went to the landowners and the state. And the hours of work invested in tobacco production were so many that they did not receive adequate economic compensation. Among the varieties of cattaro in Salento, the one from Lecce stood out. It was a shorter plant than the others, with 22 leaves, the market particularly loved its fragrance and aroma. The village curly cattaro was also highly prized: its leaves were longer. In addition to these two types, others were soon added, coming from America, but also from Herzegovina.

The story would still be long and complex. But to be concise, let's get to the twentieth century. In this historical period, there were few families in the province of Lecce who had concessions for the cultivation and processing of tobacco. During the First World War, tobacco processing was entrusted to women, the famous "tabacchine", who were employed occasionally and without too many guarantees. It is no coincidence that there was no shortage of agitation to request that the amount of the piecework wage be revised.

The life of tobacconists and farmers of Salento

Over time, and also as a consequence of the olive and vine crisis of that period, the tobacco industry continued to expand. On the one hand it was an advantage: especially in the summer months, the cultivation of tobacco made it possible to significantly stem the problem of unemployment. On the other hand, tobacconists continued to receive a meager wage, with which they contributed minimally to the family income. And not only that: we almost always worked in precarious hygienic and sanitary conditions. Life in the tobacco factory was tough and the teacher (a female supervisor) made sure that no one spoke or wasted time in any way. The threat was always that of dismissal.

From sowing to harvesting, up to stringing the leaves

The cycle of tobacco cultivation by tobacconists in Salento began with the sowing process, which required expert hands, and took place in the so-called "ruddhre", i.e. a portion of land used for cultivation. This rectangle of land was worked to be leveled, with the rake, inside which an expanse of organic fertilizer was deposited. Subsequently, the tobacco seeds, mixed with the ash, were thrown onto the ground and then watered. Once ready for tobacco cultivation, they were uprooted from the root and then collected in "cascette", small wooden boxes, covered with a jute cloth and then transplanted onto new soil.

The harvest took place at the first light of dawn: a job that involved entire families, even children. In particular, 4 to 5 cycles were carried out to harvest the tobacco leaves, in order to perfectly clean the entire plant. All of this, approximately, in a week.

Once collected and arrived home, we sat in a circle and began the fundamental phase of threading, the "'nfilatura". This process consisted of threading the leaves along a large steel needle (the "cuceddhra") and then passing the string through the eye. Once all the threads were filled with tobacco leaves, they were hung on the frames and the sun drying phase could finally begin. The loom is called "tiralettu" and, once the sun set, they were brought into the house.

Once the tobacco was ready, it was delivered to the "Manifattura te lu tabbaccu" in wooden crates covered with jute sheets.

Processing in the tobacco factory

The tobacconists usually began their task towards the end of November when the tobacco leaves were now dry. They took care of their sorting, dividing them inside particular wooden crates by color and based on quality.

The tobacco leaves were put together and divided into small bunches and then pressed, while the other tobaccos formed the so-called "ballettes", arranged according to the weight and type of quality of the tobacco. Once this phase was completed we moved on to pressing, after which the leaves were placed in a wood stove to mature the tobacco with the heat.

There was a worker who supervised all these operations, or "the mescia" to check that there were no hitches or imperfections in the manufacturing processes. The balls were placed in a room in contact with sulphur, to avoid corrosion and after a few days placed in the warehouse for another inspection by the mescia. The tobacco leaves obtained were crumbled to create cigarettes and the tobacco obtained was taken to the Monopoly factories in order to evaluate the taste and flavor.

The sector is starting to show signs of suffering

From 1935 onwards, however, the sector began to show signs of suffering. The entire sector showed signs of decline for a wide range of reasons: the introduction of poor quality varieties, poor commercial capacity, the choice of unsuitable land, unfavorable weather conditions, poor preparation on the agricultural front, the lack of use of fertilizers and so on. Not to mention that the vine and olive tree were gaining ground. Towards the end of the 1930s the work began to be reorganised: from packaging methods to the processing of the leaves themselves, methods were changed and sometimes even a minimum of mechanization began to be introduced. These choices led to a reduction in manpower and necessary working hours, which resulted in a series of workers' revolts and trade union activities.

A recovery of the sector followed, thanks also to a series of measures issued specifically in favor of tobacco growers. We then reached the 1960s, when tobacco downy mildew appeared, a plant disease that seriously damaged the sector.

In 1970 the Monopoly regime fell: the tobacco growers were freed but, in fact, left in disarray. It was, in fact, the final blow to the sector, which ended its history in a short time.

Tobacco factories and their rebirth

A rather forgotten recent history, despite the socio-economic and cultural repercussions, which has left an incredible abandoned architectural heritage, today mostly in ruins in the Salento area. Many are buildings that go almost unnoticed, with a regular and simple structure, made of tuff, often also vaulted but small in size, sometimes newly built, and sometimes built on the basis of pre-existing buildings, such as farmhouses or farms. However, there are also warehouses larger than 1,000 m2 where the processing and storage of tobacco that flowed from extensive cultivations was concentrated. Factories that are true landmarks in the outskirts of the municipalities of Salento, up to the great works created in Lecce, the "Royal Tobacco Manufactures". What has become of this agro-industrial archeology today? Below are some approaches for the reuse and reconversion of an architectural heritage spread across the territory, which seeks specific answers according to the cases in regional financing with European funds linked to tourism, in the regional territorial landscape plan which catalogs it in the "System of agricultural factories food", in the 2015 regional law on the "Enhancement of industrial archeology heritage", in program agreements in variation of the PRG. But, above all, it is a heritage that would like to find a different future with the help of private individuals and, even more so, of institutions, so that it can be transformed from a problem into a great territorial opportunity, as farms and farms have already been in Puglia. rural artefacts.

Near the municipality of Veglie, between 1926 and 1928, as part of the reclamation of the Salento countryside wanted by the fascist regime, "Monteruga" was specifically founded, a real village, expanding a pre-existing farm, the whose aim was to create a thriving center for the production of tobacco, as well as oil and wine. Its architecture reflects the traditional one of the villages in the area in the first decades of the twentieth century. What is attractive is the fact that the entire village seems to have suddenly stopped in the last century and, although affected by the inevitable degradation of time, is overall quite intact and well preserved. We still find the tobacco warehouse, the oil mill, the silos, the Church of Sant'Antonio and the farmhouses. Towards the end of the 1970s it reached up to 800 inhabitants, only to suffer a rapid and drastic decline over the following decade, due to the privatization of the company and the division of the land. The Ministry of Culture has placed it under restriction as a "site of particularly important interest", and the hope is that this place will be recovered as soon as possible.

Some recent examples of former tobacco factories that have found new use, following a careful and respectful renovation, are: “La Masseria Diso – Il Tabacchificio”, one of the most renowned examples of luxury hospitality in this type of pre-existence; “The former tobacco factory of Taurisano”, now used as an exhibition space for works by contemporary artists; “Il Tabacchificio – Hotel” located in Gagliano del Capo.

Other former tobacco factories, however, are waiting to be brought back to life, and this is the very current case of a former tobacco factory located in southern Salento, in Castrignano del Capo. It is a structure dating back to 1800, whose original nucleus is that of a farmhouse dating back to 1600, entirely built with barrel and star vaults, distributed over two floors. The project for the recovery and conversion into a luxury accommodation facility, with an adjoining restaurant, is underway, respecting the local architecture and traditions of the place.

The future:

The recovery of former tobacco factories is not only a question of architectural restoration, but also of preserving collective memory and promoting sustainable development. With the support of institutions and private investors, these buildings can become engines of growth for Salento, transforming a page of industrial history into a new chapter of prosperity and innovation.

by marianoimmobili

"Suspended Harmony: The Vaults in the Architecture of Salento”

The Leccese stone and the Carparo

Richness, beauty, solidity, three attributes that best define a material that has made, and continues to make, the history of a place. The Lecce stone, a limestone formation dating back to approximately 21 million years ago, is one of the main stones that make up the architecture of Salento, with a unique structure, color and compactness.

Among the peculiarities of this stone there is undoubtedly the fact that it contains, in the formation itself, fragments of shells, small fossils which enrich the structure geologically, but also clays, quartz which are added to a series of minerals which fortify it and make it even more more fascinating.

A stone widely used above all due to its widespread diffusion and the ease with which it can be worked, as it emerges from the ground naturally and is found throughout the Salento area, in immense quarries up to fifty meters deep.

Among the municipalities in which it is most widespread, Melpignano, Cursi, Maglie and Corigliano d'Otranto stand out, where stones of the main colors ranging from white to straw yellow can be found. Until the mid-20th century, extraction took place entirely by hand, until it changed completely in the last sixty years, with the introduction of modern machinery.

There is another type of rock that is often associated, if not even confused, with Lecce stone. We are talking about carparo, a calcarenitic stone which is very widespread in the areas of southern Salento especially, and deriving from the cementation of limestone rock sediments in a marine environment mostly.

Slangly called "tuff", it has the ability to take on different aspects on the outside, and is a material widely used in Salento construction, with a tenacious consistency and workable only with a chisel and axe. Its resistance, however, makes it a perfect covering especially for the external facades of buildings, especially for those exposed to bad weather and the corrosive action of salt, if facing the sea.

The Vaults and their origin

In the context of wall structures, the vault represented not only the highest manifestation of technical construction skills, but also and above all the culmination of the commitment of the creative faculties and the point of arrival of the primordial search for the most effective system for the horizontal closure of the space. It has constituted a system perfected with the contribution of both individual operational skills and available material. The traditional lack of wood necessary in the construction of flat coverings and roofs has forced the construction of the wall vault, which was also favored by the presence of workers with considerable skill and the availability of a stone that is particularly easy to work and quite resistant.

The construction of the simplest vault, the barrel vault, was nothing other than the repetition of another elementary structure: that of the round arch, which in turn represented the point of arrival of centuries-old experiences that began with the overcoming of the system architrave (two piers and an architrave) conditioned by the weight of the monolithic block. With the experience gained over the centuries, it was understood that the load on the monolithic architrave carried by the masonry above could be attenuated, if not eliminated, with the positioning of cantilevered ashlars (see Lion Gate of Mycenae) practiced, for example , in the roofs of the local trulli (furnieddhi, pajare), without the use of scaffolding (also called "fake arches").

The round arch had its maximum expansion and diffusion in the period of the Roman Empire and subsequently gave rise to numerous variations and applications, from bridges to aqueducts, to tunnels, with shapes gradually modified until including in the 18th century even the very widespread and typical trefoil arch of Nardò. The Romans loved the barrel vault so much that they built nothing without it, the Colosseum itself, a gigantic and unparalleled futuristic construction for those times, rested entirely on a long chain of barrel vaults which, on several floors, raised a of the wonders of the ancient world. In Lecce, one can observe, through the remains of the Roman amphitheatre, how the rooms, the corridors from one area of the arena to another and each sector of the monument were distributed through the vault.

In Salento there are not many other examples of vaulted buildings still standing that date back to those times. In the 5th century AD we find the Church of Casaranello (Casarano), whose vaults have also been decorated with very precious Byzantine mosaics, which in Italy have comparison only with those of Ravenna.

As the centuries passed, the vault was used not only for churches but also for castles and the noble residences of powerful landowners. This is the case of the Celsorizzo tower, in Acquarica del Capo, inside which there is a completely frescoed barrel-vaulted chapel.

The castle of Gallipoli presents within one of its bastions, one of the most gigantic and majestic vaults in all of Salento, so large that it cannot be photographed in its entirety with a lens.

Even the castle of Otranto, rebuilt in 1481, has an environment created with a reckless vault, the result of great architectural expertise: in this case too, to be able to appreciate it in photos, you need to observe two of them, taken from different angles. An authentic technical masterpiece.

Just as the round arch represents the original element of the barrel vault, similarly, the barrel vault represents the basic element of all the variations on the theme that have produced the numerous types of masonry vaults.

From the development of the barrel vault, the pavilion vault and the cross vault follow.

The pavilion vault is born from the union of some portions of the barrel vault, it is generally used for rooms and halls as it lends itself well to being frescoed in an almost continuous manner. The pavilion vault, or with pavilion heads, can be lowered and its central surface made horizontal with a plane that intersects it. This type of roofing, frequently used because it is more suitable for decoration with frescoes, is called a schifo vault, which in Salento has taken the name of a malrotta vault.

The cross vault, already known in Roman times, appears as the intersection of two identical barrel vaults. Two semicircular edges are created in the intrados that go from one corner to the opposite one. These edges can be crossed by a reinforcing rib called a rib, fundamental structural elements of this roofing and not simple decorations.

The local lords who retired to live in the countryside in the 15th century hired the best masters to build their farm, an architectural typology present throughout the province of Lecce, which in some cases represents the pinnacle of the use of the vaults known at the time , such as Masseria Barba ai Monti (Lecce), Masseria Barone Vecchio (Surbo), Masseria Monacelli (Squinzano), Masseria Papa (Lecce), etc.

The star vault

Known above all as a corner vault, it is rather recent compared to other vaulted roofs: there are no examples dating back to the 17th century. This type of coverage is typical of Salento, so much so that it is often identified as a vault from Lecce; it originates from the need to adapt the materials available on site to the construction of solid, large and functional, but also aesthetically pleasing buildings. Due to these characteristics, the star vault can very often be found in churches and Baroque buildings in Lecce. Unlike the cross vault, of which it represents the evolution, the weight of the roof is not placed on the perimeter walls, but on four pillars, and the vault becomes more complex, with the addition of more evident ribs, which will give it the typical shape of a stylized four-pointed star. This type of vault is suitable for small to medium sized rooms as the lateral arch, being rounded, would make the structure too high.

The Church was the richest client, so we can admire wonderful vaults, completely frescoed, as inside the incomparable Santa Caterina, in Galatina. Or you can find them increasingly ingenious and effective, as in the Maria Santissima dell'Incoronata church, in Acquarica di Lecce.

The square vault, the apotheosis of the vault

While for the corner vault the pillars were made up of a square, in the square vaults the corner pillar has an "L" shape, this is because the relief points of the

vault, which functions in the same way as the previous one, are two for each pillar. In this case an eight-pointed star will be highlighted in the cap (two points per arm). For this reason it is also called "double star vault". From this it is clear that these vaults were intended for large rooms, where the loads were much greater than the corner vault. Beyond this, the "decorativeness" of this vault when brought into small spaces lost its effect. In fact, the minimum size of the rooms for its use was at least 6.00 x 6.00 m.

A curious feature found in the central key of the cap is the "signature" of its maker, usually represented by a cross (given the existing illiteracy) which due to its shape, size and positioning could be traced back to the creator of the artefact. For many, however, it only represents a sign of good wishes for the end of the work and a symbol for the owner that it was time to offer the "capicanal" (final banquet to be offered to the workers, still in use, in many places, even with other types of constructions), and then settle the payments. The protection of the building, however, was entrusted to a holy card brought by the owner and buried either in the foundations or at the base of the hanging.

Then came the stately palaces, such as that of the Castromediano barons, in Cavallino, whose visitor who happens to observe the vault of its large gallery hall cannot help but be amazed by its grandeur, height and artistic beauty! A journey, the one in the artistic vaults of Salento, which still challenges the past and contemporary world today!

Conclusions

The vaults populate the villages of this sunny land, the peasant neighborhoods, the humble country homes, up to the churches and palaces. On the one hand, simple architecture, on the other, monumental, ecclesiastical and noble architecture. Distant worlds, linked by the same creativity that is a fundamental part of these valuable geometric works. There is not only technique in the construction of vaults: there is manual talent, there is organization and also intellect. Behind a building tradition that has marked the residential settlements of the province of Lecce, there are therefore numerous meanings which, in some ways, recall art and anthropology. A typical building artefact fully enters the world of art when its reproduction over time is characterized by the introduction of rules into the production process.

Rules of harmony, measurement, interweaving and specialization and not simple repetitiveness. The mechanism is not that of serial copies, but of a reference model from the past, handed down from generation to generation. Rules therefore that give the construction of vaults beauty and static nature, formal decoration and durability, creative occupation of space and a suggestive image that remains intact over time.

An art which, however, cannot be defined as authorial: it is impossible, in fact, to trace the origin of the vaults, to trace their genesis. There is no name of the first inventor, nor his date of birth, because the star vaults are the result of the experience of a collective subject, of the people, of masters who, over the years, have perfected the technique, protecting it from any degeneration.

The art that evolves over time, improving, also brings with it the traces of the changes of the man of Salento, who has changed his relationship with the earth, with the surrounding environment: hence the link with anthropology, that science that delves into the spiritual and behavioral dimension of man. In distant times it was built for various reasons: to shelter, first of all, but also to raise monuments to the divinities, to give life to rites and liturgies that have made the history of Salento. This still happens today.

Two ways, therefore, to "read" the vaults: as beauties to be admired and as signs of a language to be interpreted.

by marianoimmobili