National Day of Historic Houses at Borgo Storico Seghetti Panichi

The village opens its doors for the National Day of Historic Houses

Once a year, usually on the last Sunday of May, the Borgo Storico Seghetti Panichi participates in the National Day of the Association of Italian Historic Houses (ADSI) and opens its gates to the public for free. It is an opportunity to visit, in the heart of the Piceno hills, one of the most evocative residences in the Municipality of Castel di Lama, in the Province of Ascoli Piceno, in the Marche region.

The National Day is the largest collective opening initiative of Italy's private heritage: in a single day, hundreds of castles, palaces, villas, parks, and gardens throughout Italy become accessible, creating what ADSI calls the country's largest widespread museum.

A medieval fortress turned residence

The complex is built around an ancient medieval fortress, transformed into a country house in the 18th century. It includes the Residenza San Pancrazio, buildings constructed between the 17th and 19th centuries along the ancient castle walls, and the Gentilizio Oratory of San Pancrazio, dating back to 1608, which houses precious frescoes. After damage from the 2016 earthquake, the village was closed for about ten years and recently restored, partly thanks to PNRR funds.

Ludwig Winter's bioenergetic garden

The true heart of the visit is the historic park, created between 1875 and 1890 by the German botanist and landscape architect Ludwig Winter. Extending over about five hectares, it hosts rare species and monumental trees and is now recognized as the first example of a bioenergetic garden in a historic context in Europe: a path where the aesthetic dimension intertwines with well-being, regeneration, and stress reduction.

What to visit

• Guided tour of the historic park and Ludwig Winter's bioenergetic garden
• The educational exhibition dedicated to the bioenergy of trees, between the visible and invisible
• Presentation of the restoration of the Gentilizio Oratory of San Pancrazio, illustrated by the technicians who worked on it
• The historic buildings of the village and the ancient castle walls

A living heritage

Participating in the National Day at Borgo Seghetti Panichi means not only admiring a place of great beauty but also understanding the work of preservation and rebirth of a private historic residence, a fragile heritage that requires constant care. For this reason, admission is free, but booking is mandatory through the ADSI website, to ensure visits in small groups and with due attention to the sites.