Valogno, a fairytale country! History of the small village intended for oblivion and saved from street art

This is the story of a small village that was intended for oblivion

In the heart of the Roccamonfina-Foce del Garigliano regional park, four kilometers from Sessa Aurunca in the province of Caserta, Valogno is located, a small village that risked becoming yet another Italian ghost town. Like many other villages of the peninsula, between the 60s and 90s he saw his young people emigrate in search of luck, leaving behind empty houses and a handful of elderly residents. The country seemed destined to go out slowly, even without essential services such as a bar or grocery store.

The return to the origins that changed everything

The turning point came about ten years ago, when Giovanni Casale and his wife Dora Mesolella decided to make a courageous choice. He psychologist and she employed Telecom, both emigrated to Rome for work, pressed the “pause” button of their city lives to return to the birthplace. A return to the origins not dictated by nostalgia, but by an ambitious dream: to give life to Valogno through art.

“The colors of gray”: when the walls tell stories

The couple gave birth to the “The colors of the gray” project, self -financing an initiative that transformed the gray facades of the village into an open -air art gallery. Today Valogno hosts many murals that tell different stories: from fairy tales to enchanted vessels, from books to fairies, from heroes to brigands, without forgetting scenes of peasant life, historical moments and ancient trades. Art has awakened the village, populating it with colors and imagination.

An open -air museum in the mountains

At 400 meters above sea level, about ten kilometers from the Vulcano di Roccamonfina, Valogno today has 89 inhabitants, for the most part ultra -sepired. But despite the reduced population, the village has become a real outdoor museum with 96 artistic installations. In addition to the murals, which welcome visitors from the entrance with a spectacular Frida Kahlo, you can admire ceramic works and applied limbs.

A project that grows spontaneously

What makes this initiative even more special is how it has evolved over time. If initially Giovanni and Dora coordinated the artists in choosing the themes, today the project has developed independently: local artists prepare the walls and carry out their works in total freedom. Among the most significant creations stands out a crib with language for the blind, positioned outside a house that also hosts a solidarity restaurant. In this way, art has not only saved Valogno from oblivion, but continues to make it an increasingly alive and welcoming place.

Useful information

The village, located in the province of Caserta, is easily reachable along the SS7 and leaving Cascano/Carinola. From here, just follow the signs for Roccamonfina/Valogno. Once you arrive, it is advisable to park the car at the entrance of the town, along the road adjacent to the school on the right, where you can already admire the first street art work. From that point on, the village explores on foot, immersing itself among its murals and suggestive alleys. For any information, the locals will be happy to help you.