Heritage at risk: documenting and valorising ice-houses in mountain territories

Throughout history, people have always faced challenges in the collection and distribution of water in its various forms. The collection and transportation of ice, in particular, posed significant difficulties. Since ancient times, ice storage and distribution systems, such as ice-houses, have been employed globally. Mediterranean countries have, over time, developed extensive ice storage and distribution networks. Snow was collected at high altitudes and stored in ice-houses located in the mountains, and artificial lakes were constructed for the specific purpose of ice production. Ice-houses belonged to one of two categories: those strategically located near production areas, serving as summer storage facilities, and those situated in villages on plains, where ice was stored after purchase. Today, ice-houses risk being forgotten. While a few of them are still used, for example, for ageing wine, most of them have long been lost to memory or fallen into disrepair. Only a very small number of ice-houses, such as the Madonnina ice-house in the Ecomuseum of the Pistoia Mountain, are being protected and enhanced as part of the local built heritage. This contribution aims to raise awareness of the heritage of ice-houses to foster their preservation and enhance them. This can be achieved through the systematic documentation of ice-houses and the systems employed for ice preservation, thereby ensuring the long-term conservation and effective appreciation of these structures.