The article aims to investigate the Genoese fortifications system from the point of view of the “stone materials” used in their construction and their response to the action of weathering. As a matter of fact the Genoese fortifications system has been widely studied but not from this point of view. The system of walls and fortifications covers a rather wide time span: it ranges from the XIIIth century to the XXth century. This compositional study (mineralogical and petrographical) gives the opportunity to draw a rather complete picture on the evolution of processing techniques, preparation of materials and their placing (lime mortars with different additives and aggregates, different kind of bricks, stone blocks processed in a different way). It will be also possible to get information on the response of these materials to the action of the decay agents. The Genoa expansion is linked to the progressive expansion of the defensive walls, which occurred on several occasions. The classification of different fortified city walls is commonly divided into "Old Walls", whose construction is before the XVIIth century, and "New Walls", erected later. Historically seven different city walls have been identified, starting from the early defensive works of the Romans. Around the year 935 the second wall was erected to protect a first little town and in 1155 the third wall was approved (completed in 1163), in the climate of affirmation of Commons and in response to the persistent threat of the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. Belongs to this period the towers of Porta Soprana and Porta dei Vacca. Starting from 1276 till 1346 new portions of the town were included to surround portions of a city in constant expansion. Population growth suffered a sudden stop with the arrival of the plague, and the walls will not undergo further changes throughout the XVth century. In 1536 it was initiated what is considered the sixth city walls which, with a total perimeter of 9615 meters, marks the limit of the "Old Walls". In 1631 the "New Walls" began to be erected with great rapidity under the threat of possible invasions from the hinterland and completed in 1633. The new walls circuit, built according to the new defensive military policy and the changing war requirements, brought the total length of the walls to 19,560 meters, of which more than 12 km in the mountainous hinterland. To complete the defensive system, since the XIVth century isolated outposts were present, that along the centuries grew up to become a defensive apparatus of Forts and Towers, partially integrated within the New Walls and implemented until the XIXth century, then disarmed in 1913 and partially re-used during the Second World War.

The building “stone materials” of the Genoese Fortification system from the XIIIth to XXth century / Pittaluga, Daniela; Caruso, Gianfranco; Fratini, Fabio; Pecchioni, Elena; Cantisani, Emma; Vettori, Silvia. - STAMPA. - (2017), pp. 118-118. (Intervento presentato al convegno RIPAM 2017 Rencontre Internationale sur le Patrimonie Architectural Mediterraneen "Conservation and Promotion of Architectural Heritage of the Mediterranean coastal site" tenutosi a Genova nel 20-22 September 2017).

The building “stone materials” of the Genoese Fortification system from the XIIIth to XXth century

Pecchioni Elena
;
2017

Abstract

The article aims to investigate the Genoese fortifications system from the point of view of the “stone materials” used in their construction and their response to the action of weathering. As a matter of fact the Genoese fortifications system has been widely studied but not from this point of view. The system of walls and fortifications covers a rather wide time span: it ranges from the XIIIth century to the XXth century. This compositional study (mineralogical and petrographical) gives the opportunity to draw a rather complete picture on the evolution of processing techniques, preparation of materials and their placing (lime mortars with different additives and aggregates, different kind of bricks, stone blocks processed in a different way). It will be also possible to get information on the response of these materials to the action of the decay agents. The Genoa expansion is linked to the progressive expansion of the defensive walls, which occurred on several occasions. The classification of different fortified city walls is commonly divided into "Old Walls", whose construction is before the XVIIth century, and "New Walls", erected later. Historically seven different city walls have been identified, starting from the early defensive works of the Romans. Around the year 935 the second wall was erected to protect a first little town and in 1155 the third wall was approved (completed in 1163), in the climate of affirmation of Commons and in response to the persistent threat of the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. Belongs to this period the towers of Porta Soprana and Porta dei Vacca. Starting from 1276 till 1346 new portions of the town were included to surround portions of a city in constant expansion. Population growth suffered a sudden stop with the arrival of the plague, and the walls will not undergo further changes throughout the XVth century. In 1536 it was initiated what is considered the sixth city walls which, with a total perimeter of 9615 meters, marks the limit of the "Old Walls". In 1631 the "New Walls" began to be erected with great rapidity under the threat of possible invasions from the hinterland and completed in 1633. The new walls circuit, built according to the new defensive military policy and the changing war requirements, brought the total length of the walls to 19,560 meters, of which more than 12 km in the mountainous hinterland. To complete the defensive system, since the XIVth century isolated outposts were present, that along the centuries grew up to become a defensive apparatus of Forts and Towers, partially integrated within the New Walls and implemented until the XIXth century, then disarmed in 1913 and partially re-used during the Second World War.
2017
Conservation and Promotion of Architectural Heritage of the Mediterranean coastal site
RIPAM 2017 Rencontre Internationale sur le Patrimonie Architectural Mediterraneen "Conservation and Promotion of Architectural Heritage of the Mediterranean coastal site"
Genova
Pittaluga, Daniela; Caruso, Gianfranco; Fratini, Fabio; Pecchioni, Elena; Cantisani, Emma; Vettori, Silvia
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Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/1101870
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