Paestum, start of extension work affecting former Cirio plant

Work begins in Paestum on the restoration and refurbishment of the Museum of the Sanctuary of Santa Venera, theformer Cirio factory, and the new gateway to the Park and Archaeological Museum of Paestum. This project opens a new chapter in the history of Paestum’s cultural heritage and centers around an icon of the city of Capaccia. The former “Cirio” tomato factory was built in 1907 partly on the ancient remains of a shrine dedicated to Aphrodite whose presence is still remembered in the area’s toponym “Santa Venere.”

The work that has just begun has as its priority objective the restoration of the state of preservation of the building, which unfortunately is in a very precarious condition, with unsafe or collapsed bodies of the building, and the cleaning of the external area from weeds and wild vegetation. After the necessary clearing of possible war devices, it is planned to secure and set up the construction site in the whole lot, start the work of preparing the historical walls to be restored, dismantle the small bodies of the building, and demolish the deteriorated artifacts and the unsafe roofs. This will be followed by the start of the actual restoration.

The first results of the work and the planning of future interventions will be presented at a press conference scheduled in December, at the Sala Cella of the National Archaeological Museum of Paestum where the Director of the Archaeological Park of Paestum and Velia, Tiziana D’Angelo, the Director General of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the Mayor of Capaccio Paestum, Franco Alfieri, the Director of the National Museum of Matera and Single Responsible for the Procedure, Arch. Annamaria Mauro, the Director of Works, Arch. Luigi Di Muccio, the designers of Studio Guicciardini & Magni Architetti and the company Consorzio CONPAT S.c.a.r.l., which was awarded the works.

“The start of work at the former Cirio plant,” says Tiziana D’Angelo, director of the Paestum and Velia Archaeological Park, “marks a concrete commitment to expanding and redefining the Paestum and Velia Archaeological Park complex and enhancing its relationship with the territory. Just a few steps from the city walls, the Sanctuary of Santa Venera is once again accessible and, above all, offers a unique opportunity to harmoniously link the city’s most recent and ancient past to create a dynamic reality, a real ’factory’ in which to build new cultural projects.”

“The planned works,” stresses Massimo Osanna, director general museums, “will lead to the creation of a new place of culture, a space of knowledge, learning and inspiration for the communities of the area and for audiences from all over the world. A virtuous project capable of creating value starting from the redevelopment of an industrial building and an archaeological area marked by the presence of the important extra-urban sanctuary dedicated to Aphrodite, excavated and studied since the 1980s by the great master Mario Torelli together with the University of Michigan.”

According to Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, “it is a great opportunity for the area that links one of the most important sanctuaries of ancient Poseidonia, that of Aphrodite, behind the complex and of a rare but not unparalleled form, as shown by the late Mario Torelli highlighting its similarities with the so-called Heroon of Olympia, to medieval Paestum, industrial archaeology, contemporary art and the Mediterranean diet. A cultural factory capable of expressing all the richness of Magna Graecia’s heritage.”

“The works that, among other things, will lead to the restoration and redevelopment of the former Cirio factory,” says the mayor of Capaccio Paestum, “are part of the season of rebirth that the City of Capaccio Paestum has been experiencing in recent years. Congratulations to director D’Angelo for this important achievement.”

“The combination of classical archaeology and industrial archaeology,” says Annamaria Mauro, single project manager, “is married in this unique and extraordinary construction site. Restoring, enhancing and opening to the public the area of the former Cirio plant constitutes the primary objective of the intervention. After an in-depth historical and typological analysis that led us to targeted choices of critical restoration, and thus to protect and enhance above all what is left of the first historical core of the factory of 1910 and the 1950 extension, both spatially and materially, the articulated construction site puts into system the realization of a cultural pole closely connected to the archaeological area and the Museum that will be information and visitor reception center and will host contemporary art events, exhibitions and events, visitable warehouses, an auditorium, a study and research center, and various insights into intangible heritage, local traditions and landscape.”

“Underlying the transformation of this former factory,” explains construction director Luigi Di Muccio. “there is the desire to create a pulsating center of knowledge, inspiration and education. A place where history speaks, where generations can learn from the challenges and victories of the past. A place where the identity of Santa Venera is celebrated and shared. These are the themes and values that directed the designers and animate the work that has just begun.”

Pictured: the remains of the shrine and the former factory

Paestum, start of extension work affecting former Cirio plant

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