The Basilica della Madonna dell’Umiltà in Pistoia: survey, analysis and documentation

The Basilica della Madonna dell'Umiltà is the most important example of Renaissance monumental architecture in Pistoia. The geometric conformation of the church was devised by Giuliano da Sangallo with the assistance of his brother Antonio, of Francione and of Pollaiolo; the Pistoian architect Ventura Vitoni was responsible for building the church and in the mid sixteenth century Giorgio Vasari designed and supervised the construction of the majestic 59-metre-high dome. The dome with its copper-covered ribs, metal tie-rod reinforcements and sandstone lantern has become a fundamental part of the urban image of Pistoia. In recent years the rapidly deteriorating condition of the monument attracted the concerned attention of the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Cultural Activities, the Pistoia and Pescia Savings Bank Foundation and the Bishop’s See of Pistoia. A series of observations and studies have attempted a geometric-structural analysis; this analysis, although accompanied by uncertainty, inevitable when dealing with such complex organisms, can constitute a reliable base for diagnosing the problems. The first phase of the restoration work, directed by the Florence Superintendence for the Architectural and Landscape Heritage, commenced in May 2008. During this phase the University of Florence carried out an instrumental survey of the entire complex which included a topographical survey and a laser scanner survey; a three-dimensional model of the monument was acquired and its structural geometry was verified.