Via Francigena Pilgrimage Route Nominated for UNESCO World Heritage Status

The Via Francigena, the historic pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome, has been nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status, with a target inscription by 2020. The dossier has received approval from Italy's Ministry of Cultural Heritage, following an agreement among seven Italian regions (Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy, Piedmont, Liguria, Lazio, Valle d'Aosta, coordinated by Tuscany). The route spans approximately 1,800 kilometers across Italy, Switzerland, France, and England, divided into 79 stages. It was documented by Archbishop Sigeric of Canterbury in 990 AD. The European Association of the Via Francigena (AEVF) will conduct a feasibility study to select the specific segment for nomination and identify priority conservation interventions. Contacts have been renewed with institutions in France, England, and Switzerland to finalize the bureaucratic process; a meeting in Paris has already occurred, with another scheduled for September. Francesco Ferrari, vice president of AEVF and mayor of Orio Litta, emphasized the route's spiritual and touristic value, noting that the Lodigiano area has invested in two hostels at Corte Sant'Andrea and Orio Litta. The route currently sees an average of 1,100 pilgrims per year between June and September at the Grangia benedettina di Orio Litta stop.