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VILLA ADRIANA by MARINA DE FRANCESCHINI
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ROME. CASTEL SANT’ANGELO. THE SECRETS OF THE AELIUS BRIDGE

the The Mausoleum of Hadrian – toady's Castel Sant'Angelo – was built together with the Aelius  bridge which was its monumental and scenographic access. It connected it with the Campus Martius and ideally with the Mausoleum of Augustus, the previous imperial dynastic tomb where there was no longer any room for burials.

The Aelius bridge was modified and fortified several times, the Mausoleum was transformed into a fortress and both survived centuries of endless wars, sieges, floods and looting.

In the history of the Aelius  bridge the most devastating event was at the end of the nineteenth century: the construction of the new embankments of the river, the Lungotevere, to avoid periodic flooding.

All the medieval, Renaissance and Baroque additions were demolished and so the two original Roman ramps at the ends of the Bridge reappeared, almost intact. There was even the original stone paving with sidewalks and part of the parapets.

Instead of restoring and preserving the only Roman bridge that remained intact in the city of Rome, the Ministry of Public Works decided to demolish it, because it was a faster job which avoided the danger of paying penalties for the delay in the works.
The Director of the Mimistry wrote in a lapidary way: «Even if we admit that we must try to preserve the memory of ancient things, it does not seem that the interests of the Administration can be sacrificed for this purpose».

Fortunately, before the demolitions, surveys and inspections were carried out, which revealed the building secrets of a bridge which was supposed to last (almost) forever.
Piling, formwork, appropriate use of building materials, accurate hydraulic design to withstand the river floods.

Thanks to rare archive documents and precious photographs of the time, you can discover in detail the skill with which the bridge was designed and built in Marina De Franceschini's book «Castel Sant’Angelo. Mausoleo di Adriano. Architettura e Luce», soon forthcoming also in English language-.


Villa Adriana - Progetto Accademia
©2023-24 Marina De Franceschini
www.rirella-editrice.com

e-Mail: rirella.editrice@gmail.com
VILLA ADRIANA di Marina De Franceschini

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