Sextantio Restauri Italiani, S. Stefano di Sessanio, Abruzzen

LIVING IN SANTO STEFANO DI SESSANIO

The company’s main objective is to preserve the heritage of the Apennine Mountains. Much of our work takes place inside the national parks, and focuses on historic hamlets that were built during the middle ages. Paradoxically the poverty of Southern Italy has been the villages’ saviour - leaving the rural habitations untouched by urbanisation - though they were frequently abandoned to the elements.
Our goal is the preservation and revitalisation of these villages.
We strive to maintain the original dimensions, style and context of the villages, using reclaimed architectural materials and traditional fixtures and fittings. We rely on the local authorities to impose a total ban on new construction.
Unfor tunately, during the last half century, the landscape of southern Europe has been marred by unsympathetic and shoddy architectural development around some historic villages. We believe that the agenda for the hill town needs to move away from this cement-block development to a high quality conservation plan for the territory.
Our main inspiration comes from the conviction that the value of these remote hill top villages in the Apennines comes from their setting against the outstanding surrounding countryside.
Some of the buildings in Santo Stefano form part of a renowned Albergo Diffuso. (A hotel where rooms are spread throughout the medieval village). Other properties have been restored to be sold as private homes.
We pride ourselves on a professional and friendly style of
management. In accordance with the Realitalia business model, people who buy our homes can take advantage of the hotel facilities such as the restaurant and bar, as well as activities organized by the Albergo Diffuso.
The Albergo Diffuso offers facilities to people who buy our homes in Santo Stefano. Options include concierge assistance such as secretarial services, internet connection, fax and scanners. We can take care of repairs and building works to the properties, and provide a daily housekeeping services such as cleaning and laundry, provision of a welcome basket, shopping delivery and dinner served in your home. Should owners wish, your private home can be let as part of the Albergo Diffuso.

OWNERS CAN ALSO ENJOY THE USE
OF THE FOLLOWING FACILITIES:

CRAFTS WORKSHOP. Our domestic handicraft workshop produces traditional fabrics - from blankets to wedding trousseaus. Many of these items were intrinsic to the life of the mountain village, and formed part of the family rituals. Our collaboration with the Museum of the People of Abruzzo, we offer artisan craft workshops.
The workshop includes a children’s area, with handmade traditional toys and a collection of books featuring Abruzzo fables and stories.
FOOD AND WINE. Our restaurant works in conjunction with a local farm. We have researched long-lost local
recipes from the elders of the area, and invite you to try them in the restaurant.
The wine bar is a meeting place. It offers a selection of Abruzzo wines and snacks, including local cheese and meats.
The Tisaneria and the Liquorificio presents Abruzzo’s rich tradition of local teas and liqueurs. The teas are still used
as household medicines, while liqueurs are an important Abruzzo tradition.
MUSIC ENSEMBLE. We offer a programme of artistic and musical events during the year. It is presented by our
Ensemble in Residence, an orchestra which plays a season of concerts dedicated to the great figures in classical
music. We also stage cultural events in collaboration with artists on the theme of the relationship between art and
music. Maestro Orazio Tuccella is the artistic director

SANTO STEFANO
REVIVING HISTORY AND
RESTORING HERITAGE.

OUR FOUNDING PHILOSOPHY
The medieval hill town of Santo Stefano has a noble and welldefined heritage - its architecture is extraordinary. Our main goal in conserving the town is to retain its soul; at every opportunity we have sought to preserve the historic character of the buildings.
And where a modern lifestyle demands changes, we have chosen solutions that are sympathetic to the building’s design and structure.
The signature style of our conservation work is the use of reclaimed architectural materials. We find period pieces that substitute for originals, or we use recycled historic resources to restructure the fixtures and fittings. Whenever we adapt the function of furniture
or use reclaimed materials, we integrate them into the fabric of the restoration to reflect the building and its style. 
The medieval hill towns of the mountains of Abruzzo
have an intangible, poetic quality. The interiors of the
buildings, with their peasant origins, were built with a
poverty of materials, but a wealth of soul. They offer a
dignified welcome - typical of rural cultures where the
hearth and home are full of life.
In conserving Santo Stefano, we have made sure
that the building retains its essence - the welcoming
simplicity which characterises the region and its
landscape. And by conserving the simple furnishings
- alongside 21st century comforts - we have avoided
the “rustification” of the interiors, so often found in
countryside restorations.
We don’t want Santo Stefano to be a museum, an
exhibition, or a medieval film set. But we do want to
retain the identity of the town, with its expressive and
seductive meaning. We want to recall its deep ancestral
roots and the spirit of the people of the mountains.
The most complex aspect of this type of work is protecting
the landscape. It is vital to prohibit the construction
of new buildings in and around the village. This is the
only way we can secure the relationship between the
ancient hamlet and its surrounding countryside.
We believe that by protecting the landscape, we promote
both the economic and historic value of these areas.
But there is no legislation in Italy to preserve the worldfamous
hill towns and villages. Sadly, in southern Italy,
most historical hill towns that have been transformed
into tourist facilities have been blighted by intrusive and
inappropriate cement buildings, sometimes dressed up
as Swiss style chalets.
Santo Stefano offers a different vision. A cultural project
with a viable economic plan for the town, and a unique
and comprehensive conservation programme for its
buildings. It is the first example in the post war period
of a classic hill town in this part of Italy finding a new
and sustainable identity.
Our plan offers far more scope for renewal than tourist
developments made up of buildings that pay no heed
to the age-old relationship between the urban and rural
landscape. Our mission is the protection of the cultural
heritage of the Mediterranean mountains.