Not so long I posted an item about Villa Ada, one of Bagni di Lucca’s grand villas, now sadly empty, prone to vandalism and subject to the elements. You can see the interior of this startling building in my ‘urban exploration’ photos at:

https://longoio3.com/2018/12/29/the-secrets-of-villa-ada/

I also asked people to vote for Villa Ada as a building at risk at.

https://longoio3.com/2018/09/30/cerretos-place-of-the-heart/

As co-ordinator of votes for Villa Ada, Rita Gualtieri wrote: “this is our sad result. In Bagni di Lucca we only know how to complain and be divided among ourselves. But do not believe it’s all over. . We will try again.”

This is the history of votes for Villa Ada since 2003:

CENSUS 2018 258° Place 1.074 Votes

CENSUS 2016 3.283° Place 19 Votes

CENSUS 2014 11.035° Place 1 Votes

CENSUS 2012 5.309° Place 3 Votes

CENSUS 2010 287° Place 2 Votes

CENSUS 2004 1.332° Place 1 Votes

CENSUS 2003 1.697° Place 1 Votes

I don’t think Rita should be entirely dejected. After all, thanks to her determined efforts, the most recent census for Villa Ada saw an increase of over a thousand votes compared to previous occasions, besides a placement raised from 1,697 to 258th. We can only be on the up and up.

As for two points, often mentioned with reference to Bagni di Lucca and Villa Ada:

1. Lack of interest: publicity and sponsorship are the keystones today. The comune through its various departments, the pro-loco and the tourist office should be much more forcibly behind these efforts at conserving and revaluing Bagni di Lucca’s wonderful architecture.
2. Lack of use of these buildings: this has been brought up before and it’s true that some buildings, in particular, thermal buildings have been restored only to lie neglected and dilapidated because no entrepreneur has come forwards to use and maintain them. Again strong and far-reaching publicity and sponsorship are needed badly.

You might ask what came at the top of the list of endangered places and buildings. It is a location which was at risk of almost complete devastation, as described in my post at: https://longoio3.com/2018/10/01/hell-on-earth-near-pisa/

It is, of course, that natural wonderland known as the Monte Pisano, which divides the Lucchesia from Pisa.

The Monte Pisano got 115,670 votes! Clearly, the devastating forest fire last year raised people’s consciousness and it certainly deserved to be put at the top of the list of endangered locations (of which in Italy there are just too many…).

However, let us hope that Villa Ada may still remain standing in some dignity before local arguing inhabitants of all heredities finally realise what they might be losing.

In the meanwhile I applaud Rita and say, ‘Well done! We can only do better next year.’