Sirmione's Scaliger Castle gets a makeover: restorations for the monument on Lake Garda

Renovation work for the Scaliger Castle in Sirmione: the Lombardy Regional Museums Directorate, the institution of the Ministry of Culture that manages, among others, the castle, has in fact taken advantage of the periods of closure to the public in recent months to start (and partly complete) the ambitious project of restoring the exterior elevations of the dockyard. The intervention is in continuity with the work carried out since 2017 inside the dockyard and on the northern front, which had been followed by the opening to the public of the northern arm of the fortified port in March 2018, an international study conference in spring 2019, and a scientific publication a few months later.

During 2020, the design was drawn up and the contract for the restoration of the north, east and south exterior elevations of the dock was awarded. When the construction site is completed, thanks to the planned cleaning, consolidation, and protection works that will remove blackening and biological patinas, consolidate detachments, and fill gaps (to mention only the most widespread degradations), the colors and textures of the surfaces, both stone and plastered, will be appreciated again. The building will regain a unified appearance without masking both the original materials and the marks left by the passage of time. The planned commitment of resources is about €600,000 for 9 months of work.

The regional directorate lets it be known that that of the Scaliger Castle is, from a conservation point of view, an extreme situation, a challenge for designers and restorers: the building is in fact directly founded in water, the most fearsome among the agents of decay. Not only that: the bulk of the fortress is exposed to the action of particularly aggressive atmospheric agents such as the pelér, the king of Garda winds, which blows eroding and disintegrating its masonry, literally denuding it of any finish. The logistics of the construction site are also complex and challenging: the erection of scaffolding directly overhanging the lake’s waters required great expertise in the erection and dismantling phases.

But even on these seemingly specialized fronts, work was done with the public in mind, the management points out. In fact, the Castle offers one of the most representative, beloved and photographed views, not only of Sirmione, but of the entire Lake Garda: it was therefore unthinkable to preclude the view of the entire lake side for long months. For this reason, already in the design phase, the management decided to work in successive batches, so as to always leave visible at least part of the external walls, now inescapable elements of the landscape. The first batch of work, which began at the end of March this year and is worth about €200,000, focused on the south elevation of the dock, the first that appears to the view of those reaching the historic center of Sirmione. By mutual agreement with the contractor, Piacenti S.p.a. of Prato, it was decided to proceed by vertical spans, so as to be able to further reduce the time required for scaffolding: in these days about two-thirds of the southern front, where work has already been completed, will thus begin to be uncovered. At the same time, the construction site will move to the east elevation, where work will continue until early fall, and then move on to the north elevation.

The commitment of the Regional Management will not end with this year: in view of the appointment with Brescia-Bergamo Italian Capitals of Culture 2023, the continuation of the recovery of the portions facing the city marina is being defined in these days as well. The work will probably continue not only in 2021, but for a good part of 2022. In the meantime, and in order to make the public appreciate at least in small doses the extraordinary relationship with water and landscape that characterizes the building, on the occasion of the European Heritage Days to be held on September 25 and 26, coinciding with the National Castles Days, the Regional Directorate is organizing an extraordinary opening of the dockyard, which has been closed to the public now since the beginning of the pandemic due to the difficulty of ensuring the necessary spacing. In fact, thanks to the enhancement plan financed by the Ministry of Culture, it will be possible to participate in guided tours for small groups, accompanied by the architects and art historians working in the museum. On the same occasion, in conjunction with events organized by the Italian Institute of Castles, a number of videos will also be presented that will tell the story of the restoration site, allowing the public to understand the work done behind the scenes by technicians and restorers.

Sirmione's Scaliger Castle gets a makeover: restorations for the monument on Lake Garda

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