European Archaeology Days - Fiavè Pile Dwellings

The Fiavè pile dwellings take center stage for the European Archaeology Days

Every June, the Parco Archeo Natura in Fiavè joins the European Archaeology Days, a major cultural event coordinated by INRAP under the patronage of the Council of Europe, involving over 30 countries and thousands of initiatives across Europe. In the municipality of Fiavè, located in the Giudicarie valley, this event holds special significance: it is home to one of the prehistoric pile dwelling sites in the Alpine arc inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2011.

A Bronze Age heritage

The Fiavè site, located in the Doss-Torbiera area, preserves the remains of an ancient Bronze Age pile dwelling village, with evidence spanning over 3,500 years of history. The peat bog still holds the wooden piles that supported the homes—what early archaeologists called a true "forest of piles." The Parco Archeo Natura, covering about 12,000 square meters between Lake Garda and the Brenta Dolomites, offers a full-scale reconstruction of the pile dwelling village, complete with walkways over the water, visitable huts, and installations that evoke the daily life of prehistoric communities.

The program of the Days

During the European Archaeology Days, the public is guided through a discovery path typically divided into two parts:

• Participatory guided tour "A Day in a Pile Dwelling": an itinerary through the Park and the adjacent archaeological area to get a close look at the remains of the prehistoric piles and understand how people lived in a pile dwelling village.
• Workshop "In the Potter's Hut": a hands-on activity dedicated to the ceramic production of the prehistoric villages of Fiavè, where participants create a clay artifact to take home as a souvenir of the experience.

An experience for the whole family

The initiative, which offers free activities with a discounted entry fee to the Park, is designed to introduce adults and children to archaeology in a direct and engaging way. The formula combines the discovery of the UNESCO site with the practical nature of the workshops, making Fiavè one of the most evocative destinations in Trentino for history and nature lovers.

Fiavè and the Giudicarie territory

The municipality of Fiavè, in the province of Trento and the Trentino-Alto Adige region, is strategically located between Lake Garda and the Brenta Dolomites, in the heart of the UNESCO Alpi Ledrensi and Judicaria Biosphere Reserve. In addition to the Parco Archeo Natura, the village hosts the Museum of Pile Dwellings, which preserves original artifacts from the excavations and completes the visit to the archaeological site.