| Set against the old layout of the defensive walls, between the historic and the modern parts of the town, one of the most spellbinding corners of the old village is created: the Lama It is an authentic natural amphitheatre, erected among the plain small houses of Martina, which are divided by small staircases and landings. Here more than elsewhere, the spontaneous architecture setting reaches unique popular creative inventiveness levels. One only has to look around to discover a complex puzzle of roofs, small terraces, chimney-pots, small windows and small doors which offer as a whole a rich frame harmonious at the same time.
A natural theatrical wind, which under the bright sun rays beams even more because of its whiteness; only the grey chianche (local flat stones) of the pitched roofs, called a pignon in the local dialect.
The name lama indicates the lowest area of the land. The term is used also to identify the countryside landholdings. As it is also the lowest part of the old town, here the rainwater from the highest points of the hill of San Martino flowed, and therefore a real quagmire would be created. This was therefore the most disrupted, damp area, and because of this it was inhabited by the poorest people.
Today it represents an enchanting view where one can still breathe in the atmosphere of a time long gone. That time devoted to the faith and to work has left its traces here. Up on the left, on the top of a roof “a pignon”, stands out a lithic cross, almost like a small chapel, and below on the right there still is the small shop of a blacksmith, stained by the reddish soot.
As its structure is bounded by the houses which represent a sort of theatrical wing and the staircase a wide auditorium, in the summer the Lama is often used as a privileged place for various shows and entertainments. |