Terremoto e architettura storica. Palermo e il sisma del 1726.

On September 1st 1726 Palermo was hit by a violent earthquake. Although it did not bring about the destruction of the city, the earthquake caused widespread and extensive damage to the architectural heritage. The local insti- tutions carried out a series of actions involving representatives of the technical culture. These actions affected the subsequent appearance of the urban pattern and influenced the construction methods of the time. Crossing the data taken from chronicles of the time, from maps produced after the earthquake and above all copious archival documents, the research aims to reconstruct the state in which Palermo was after that tragic event, highlighting a number of aspects. The attention was focused primarily on the role of public institutions and the consequent measures put in place in emergency management. Above all, this book has the purpose to investigate the technical aspects related to the assessment of the damage and the causes that provoked them as well as the subsequent interventions on architectural heritage. It investigates in depth the role of architects and masters in- volved both in the process of monitoring and verification of the damages and in the one of reconstruction of the damaged buildings. Finally, this work pays attention to the choice of the construction solutions put in place, now for the reconstruction, now for the consolidation and reinforcement. Through the cross-reading of the sources cited, supported by the direct analysis of the buildings, we tried to un- derstand the ways in which the architects of the time faced the situation determined by the earthquake, the reme- dies suggested or implemented and the changes produced on the buildings after their intervention. The documentary research has allowed to deepen some case studies related to monumental buildings, specifying the works realized, the role of the architects and the masters involved and the construction techniques imple- mented, mostly related to the consolidation of the damaged structures. The examination of the interventions showed that the earthquake was also an occasion of renewal in the field of construction. The technical culture of the time, while in line with the tradition, at the same time proved to be open to innovation and experimentation increasing awareness of its resources and marking a significant advancement of knowledge.