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 More
than twenty years ago, Ivo Rambaldi, who, at that time,
was owner of a thermos-sanitary plant company but also
a well traveled history and art lover, visited a miniature
park on one of his journeys abroad. On that day, Rambaldi
was taken by the idea to create a park even more beautiful
than any other park of this kind. He continued to think
about the project, then set to work: he wrote, telephoned
and visited companies all over Italy, in search of materials
suitable for the construction of products which could
remain exposed to water, sunlight, heat and cold without
deteriorating. He studied the materials, documented the
results, and carried out a variety of experiments. He
rejected wood, which deteriorates, a plastic-metal combination,
which in his view lacked "expression", until acquired
experience led him to conclude that the best choice was
foam resin. He began to work, reducing his hydraulics
companies' activities and gradually extending the laboratory
for the construction of the miniature monuments. Assisted
by a team of fourteen technicians, two surveyors and four
professors, he traveled more than twenty-seven thousand
kilometers, personally measuring the monuments to be reproduced.
He took more than six thousand photographs and requested
drawings and maps from all of the universities in Italy.
The first monument reproduced was that of S. Apollinaire
in Classe, perhaps as a tribute to his hometown (Ivo Rambaldi
was born and lived in Ravenna). In the meantime, he sought
a suitable location for the park, his choice being Viserba,
just off the main Adriatic road; easily reached from many
resorts on the Adriatic Riviera.
So
it was that after three years of hard work and the investment
of three hundred million Lire, on 4 July 1970, Italia
in Miniature, the first park of its kind in Italy, opened
its doors to the public. The display area measured a total
of 20,000 square meters, with 50 miniatures. Since then
the park has never stopped growing, and today, the tourist
is presented with a truly extraordinary spectacle. Over
an area of 85,000 square meters, upon which the profile
of the Italian peninsula is carved - obviously scaled
down - stand more than 270 perfect miniatures, all on
a scale from 1:25 to 1:50, surrounded by flowers, grass
and bonsai trees, and equipped with moving miniature trains,
motorways, cable cars, ships, ports and airports. In addition,
"across the border" lies a miniature Europe, with games
and exclusive attractions; many created from original
plans drawn up by the park's organizers. In fact, Italia
in Miniature has a large workshop under Mont. Blanc (the
artificial one) and a laboratory in Rimini (the real one),
where highly qualified specialists work together with
architects and engineers to create almost any "devilry".
We
only have to mention the "Arcobaleno" monorail, inaugurated
on 18 July 1987; "Venice", with the Grand Canal and Saint
Mark's Square faithfully Reproduced at one fifth of the
actual size (1992); the "Canoe" water ride (1991); "Pinocchio",
a journey into one of the most famous Italian fairy-tales
(1993). Today, with almost 600,000 visitors per year,
Italia in Miniature is one of the Most important tourist
attractions in Italy. Thanks to its originality and the
Perfection of the miniatures displayed, it often captures
the attention of the Italian and international cinema
and television. The opening or closing sequences of important
broadcasts and scenes for all kinds of films have been
filmed there. But Italia in Miniature doesn't end here.
It is a "factory for ideas" in continual ferment: come
back and you'll believe it.
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Available in Capri in Miniature Art, history and customs
the little Capri, which is artistically represented by
Sergio Rubino, reveals the salient moments of its history
and its greatest natural beauties, taking us on a fascinating
journey through the past. The large size of the work,
18 x 9m (46 x 23 ft), which is made of pottery and limestone,
entirely sculpted and worked by hand and finished off
with dwarf vegetation, provides a unique opportunity to
admire the island in all of its enchanting beauty. The
showcases: 1 - 2 Representations of historical scenes
of local life and folk traditions.
Capri
In Miniature
Via G. Orlandi
105 80071 ANACAPRI
Phone: 39 81 8371169
capriinminiatura@capri.it
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