The Charterhouse of Padula becomes a digital village
The project, promoted by Digital Monks and Huawei according to the ideas of the 'Tornanza', aims to encourage the return of young emigrants
by Vera Viola
The Charterhouse of Padula becomes a hub of innovation: enhancing the Unesco heritage site, launching training courses and creating start-ups will attract young people and tourists alike. The initiative has been promoted by Monaci Digitali and Huawei on the basis of the Tornanza project devised by two entrepreneurs, Antonio Prota and Flavio Albano, who have chosen the Charterhouse of Padula as the first example of territorial regeneration capable of combining local identity, innovation and new economic opportunities.
The Charterhouse of San Lorenzo in Padula represents a symbolic place: it is one of the largest monastic complexes in Europe, a UNESCO heritage site, an imposing piece of architecture. Today it is located in an inland area marked by depopulation and the progressive loss of opportunities, a condition common to many areas of the country. This is precisely why the Charterhouse embodies the meaning of the 'Tornanza' in an exemplary manner: to demonstrate that even peripheral places can once again become central, if they are put in a position to welcome new functions, new people and new energy.
The Charterhouse of Padula thus becomes a laboratory in which to experiment with a regeneration model inspired by the Digital Village philosophy. An approach that attempts to transform a great place of memory into a space for contemporary cultural production. Here the historical heritage is not musealised, but becomes a living infrastructure, capable of hosting training, work, research and new forms of relations.
'La Tornanza is an act of love towards territories in danger of being forgotten,' explains Antonio Prota of La Tornanza. 'We believe that places like Padula can once again become central if provided with vision, skills and adequate infrastructure. Here we are showing that it is possible'.
In the Certosa di Padula, the Digital Monks community operates, which has transformed unused spaces into meeting places for young people, professionals and innovators. Here, training courses, activities for start-ups, meetings on artificial intelligence and talent programmes take place, creating new opportunities for growth for the territory. "We wanted the Certosa to become a lived place again, not just visited," says Gianluca Vegliante of Monaci Digitali. "Today people study, work, and design companies here. It is a strong signal for Padula and for the entire inland area of Campania'. The Certosa di Padula is also recognised at European level as a Startup Village, joining a network that promotes the renaissance of rural and inland areas.
