The church, the village, the park. FAI's 'Places of the Heart' returns to save ruins

The Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano (FAI) has launched the 13th edition of its "Luoghi del Cuore" (Places of the Heart) initiative, a biennial census that invites Italians to vote for cultural heritage sites most in need of restoration. Since 2003, the campaign has collected over 13.5 million votes, with the 2024 edition alone receiving more than 2.3 million votes for over 41,000 sites across 6,508 municipalities. The initiative has funded 180 recovery projects, 40% of which involve churches, followed by environmental, architectural, and archaeological assets. Notable successes include the Church of San Pietro dei Samari in Gallipoli, the Oratorio del Sasso in Orasso, and the Complesso di Sant’Angelo Magno in Ascoli Piceno.

The initiative matters because it mobilizes grassroots participation—over 200 local committees and schools—to protect Italy's vast but often neglected cultural heritage, embodying the constitutional principle of subsidiarity. FAI President Marco Magnifico described it as "a popular movement from the Mediterranean to the Alps" that gives voice to small monuments. The project has attracted major sponsors, including Intesa Sanpaolo, which will contribute €600,000 in 2026 for restoration and enhancement projects. By combining public sentiment with private funding, "Luoghi del Cuore" has become a model for heritage preservation that empowers communities to save their own landmarks.