Preserving the treasures of the Italian Renaissance has turned into a race against time Automatic translate

An earthquake in northern Italy in the region of Emilia Romagna damaged or almost completely destroyed many of the unique monuments of Renaissance architecture. Six months there is a struggle for their restoration, but despite the efforts of restorers, it will not be possible to complete work before the onset of winter in the region.

Architect Andrea Sardo, standing on a pile of rubble left over from the Church of San Francesca in Mirandola, the city most affected by the earthquake, just shrugs his hands, stopping half a word: “Excuse me, I don’t know what can be said in this situations. ” There is practically nothing left of the oldest basilica in Mirandol. The only surviving wall and several graves that once ruled here by the Pico family in it are supported by a wooden structure erected by the builders.

A similar scene is observed at the site of the former Duomo Cathedral in Mirandole. The roof and the inner vault are completely destroyed, and huge cracks go along the facade.

Andrea Sardo is one of the experts hired by the Italian Ministry of Culture to assess the damage caused to the historic buildings of the region by natural disaster. He had already worked on the consequences of the earthquakes in Assisi and Aquila, but he did not see such catastrophic destruction, according to Sardo.

A total of 2200 churches and other historic buildings were destroyed or damaged. In addition to the structures, the art collections of paintings, sculptures, photographs, etc. were damaged. 27 people were killed, about 3,500 were injured, and 45,000 people were forced to leave their homes. The earthquake paralyzed the work of the region’s major industrial enterprises for the production of balsamic vinegar and cheese.

The restoration of many art monuments in Emilia Romagna has become a real race against time. Experts warn that what can not be processed before the onset of cold weather - can die forever. A team of experts and specially trained firefighters examines the affected territories, listing all damaged art objects in special catalogs, assigning each a priority level.

Funds allocated by the Government of Italy and the European Union to restore the cultural heritage of the region are in short supply. Andrea Sardo says that private donations are also not very many, enterprises and banks are experiencing dire consequences of the crisis. Therefore, the fate of monuments of architecture and art affected by the devastating earthquake can remain very sad.

Anna Sidorova