The prehistoric Alpine stilt houses are part of 111 human dwellings scattered all over the heart of Europe, included in the Unesco World Heritage Sites list.

The Alpine Range harbors a series of unique, well preserved prehistoric pile-settlements, a priceless source of information on the first permanent settlings in the area.

Nineteen are located in 5 different regions Italy, 10 of them are in Lombardy alone. These houses feature one thing in common: the use of stilt poles under the aforementioned accommodations. These wooden and thatch huts were erected on a platform supported by beams stuck into the bottom of a river, a lagoon or even dry land.

They allow us to better understand daily life of agricultural communities during prehistoric, neolithic and bronze ages. Moreover, due to the findings of utensils, it is possible to identify which tools could be used at the time.

The region boasts the oldest structure ever known until now. It can be seen in Lake Varese, at the Island of Virginia, near a museum showcasing the archaeological excavation spots of a V millennium B.c. village.

Unesco Sites in Lombardy are an ideal destination for planning a memorable cultural vacation.