Constructive issues of Baroque architecture between
spolia
and scenographic fiction: the case of the
Ponte Ruinante
of Palazzo Barberini, Rome
The object of study for the Thesis of
Scuola di Specializzazione, the particular case of the
Ponte Ruinante
represented a particularly representative subject for many questions concerning the conservation of
Baroque Architecture. Aspects such as the theatrical fiction, the simulation of noble materials, here
together with reflections on the Antiquity and on the aesthetic value of the Ruins, have represented an
interesting test-bed for the application within the basic concepts of the “critical-conservative restoring”.
Starting from some initial considerations on the “conceptual value” of architectural materials, which in
Palazzo Barberini represents the dominant theme applied on a large scale, this short essay deals with the
architectural and constructive analysis (based on archival documents) of the
Ponte Ruinante, in order
to arrive at the historical understanding of the artifact in question, and outline the guiding ideas for its
preservation project, respectful of the multiple cultural values inherent in it.
