Il recupero delle tonnare siciliane, un’opportunità per la riqualificazione del paesaggio costiero

Research on Sicilian tuna factories, or “tonnare”, is part of a larger study on extra-urban Industrial Archaeology in Sicily, conducted over several years. The tuna catching technique was perfectd by the Arabs, then defined as a protocol, which remained unchanged until the last century. Despite having been abandoned, many existing plants represent an attractive resource to realize activities related to the use of the coast for tourist purposes. After a general overview of the topic, this work, focuses on three examples: a plant waiting for refurbishment (Santa Panagia’s tonnara); a small open-air museum (Vendicari’s tonnara); a large site for events (Favignana’s tonnara). The critical comparison has highlighted different approaches in relation to the characteristics of the places. In addition to a systematization of the topic, the article offers some reflections on potential uses of this type of buildings.