Monumental Buildings Research Articles

O/C Isotopic and EPR Signature of Marble from the Apuan Alps (Italy): A Critical Review

A critical review of studies concerning the attribution of the provenance of marble from the Apuan Alps (Italy) (AAM) used for historical–monumental buildings and artefacts is proposed based on its O/C isotopic and EPR signature. First, a summary of the geological origin of AAM and its geo-structural evolution and setting is presented. A review of the exploitation history of AAM is then discussed. This geological and historical information is used as categorical information to better constrain the literature multimethodic database, containing numerous data, including O/C isotopic and EPR spectroscopic parameters. A robust multivariate statistical analysis of the combination of all these data is performed. The results point to the fact that the O/C isotopic and EPR signature can help in attributing an analysed AAM sample to a marble extraction district, and to a certain extent also to a site, whereas the discrimination of the individual quarry appears to not yet be achievable.

Multidisciplinary Approach of Proactive Preservation of the Religions Complex in Old Cairo—Part 2: Structural Challenges

Old Cairo, also known as Islamic Cairo, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site representing a rich tapestry of history and culture. Today, among various significant aspects, its cultural heritage necessitates the elaboration of a proactive conservation strategy, which should take advantage of the intrinsic support provided by the efforts documented in the literature that have been made in several scientific fields, disciplines, and directions over the years. Most historic religious monumental buildings in Old Cairo, in particular, not only face the effects of local seismic hazards, which are emphasized by damage by past earthquakes, but also suffer the consequences of several influencing parameters that are unique to the Cairo city context. In this sense, it is known that the structural retrofitting of these monumental buildings requires sound knowledge of technical details and criticalities, based on inspections, numerical simulations, the in-field integration of technologies, and laboratory tests. Many other gaps should also be addressed, and a sound conservation strategy should be elaborated on the basis of a multi-target approach, which could account for the structural engineering perspective but also contextualize the retrofit within the state of the art and the evolution of past events. This is the target of the contemporary “Particular Relevance” bilateral Italy–Egypt “CoReng” project, seeking to define a multidisciplinary strategy for conserving Old Cairo’s cultural heritage and focusing primarily on the case study of the Religions Complex. To this end, a review analysis of major oversights and challenges relating to historic monuments in Old Cairo is presented in this paper. Learning from past accidents and experiences is, in fact, the primary supporting basis for elaborating new operational steps and efficient approaches to mitigating challenges and minimizing the consequences of emergency events. As such, this review contribution specifically focuses on the structural vulnerability of historic monumental buildings in Old Cairo, reporting on past efforts, past strategy proposals, research experiences, and trends.

A Multi-Proxy Investigation of the Anthropogenic Landscape Near the Early Bronze Age Building VII at Al-Khashbah, Oman

The Early Bronze Age in southeastern Arabia is characterized by a significant shift in the archaeological record that coincides with the regional deterioration of climatic conditions associated with the end of the Holocene Humid Period. This study presents evidence for human modification of the local landscape around Building VII, a large circular structure at Al-Khashbah, Oman dating to the late third millennium BC. Through multiproxy analyses combining archaeological, geophysical, geomorphological, pedological and malacological, geochemical, palynological, and archaeobotanical datasets, we found evidence for the excavation of sediments at the foot of Building VII during the Umm an-Nar period. This excavation was subsequently filled by sediment presenting evidence for soil development, increased organic carbon, salt enrichment, microcharcoal, and snails. We suggest that both the excavation and subsequent aggradation may be related to gardening activities, though archaeobotanical and palynological analyses did not yield sufficient preserved material for local vegetation reconstruction. Nevertheless, our results contribute valuable insights into local human-environmental interactions and show that investigations beyond the visible archaeology of the monumental buildings of Early Bronze Age Oman can record a wide range of human activities and land modification near these important sites. These results have the potential to provide information on the resilience and adaptation to climate aridification by Umm an-Nar period peoples in central Oman and landscape modification during this period of economic transformation, increasing sedentarization, and growing social differentiation.

The worksites of the Duomo di Milano: extending the life of a Cathedral

Construction, damage and conservation are intertwined in the life of Milan Cathedral. The evolution of the structural system and the restorations carried out throughout the centuries are described with a particular focus on the case study of the tiburio, with the supporting pillars; these underwent dramatic damage in the XX century, close to collapse, followed by repair and strengthening interventions and the rebirth of the Cathedral. This same part of the monument is currently the object of the latest ongoing restoration interventions, related to service state conditions. The organization of the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano is outlined by the worksite management. The inspection and maintenance are set in relation to the technical activities of other institutions. The aim of all operations for the preservation of the structural safety and cultural identity of the monument up to the present day, is discussed. A discussion is provided for monumental heritage buildings, encompassing structural assessment, reliability evaluation, damage survey, maintenance and repair operations, in relation to the underlying social values.

Обратная сторона детали: каменная пластика феодоритов XV века

As the most important compositional and decorative elements of a building, stone architectural details could also have structural significance or represent spolia adapted for new needs. As a result, their upper, lower, lateral, and back surfaces are often no less informative than the frontal surfaces, adorned with exquisite carvings or dedication texts. In this regard, the architectural decoration of the monumental buildings of Mangup, Funa, and Kalamita, the three key settlements of the so-called Principality of Theodoro — the capital city, the ancestral castle on the eastern outskirts of the domain, and the coastal fortress guarding the port — is extremely indicative. It forms two groups of carved stone products, which can be differentiated chronologically and partly stylistically, among which the primary place belongs to the construction inscriptions dated 1425—1427 and 1459. The timeframe of the study covers a relatively peaceful period of almost half a century of existence and cultural development of this state formation, the beginning and middle of which coincide with the wars with Caffa in 1422—1423 and 1433—1441, and the end was marked by the conquest of Crimea by the Ottomans in 1475.

The photogrammetric survey for the knowledge of religious spaces. Geometrical and dimensional analysis of the cloister

Abstract. This research shows the photogrammetric survey and graphic documentation of the cloister of the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and San Frutos in the city of Segovia, Spain.The building consists of a series of architectural elements dating back to the Renaissance period. Segovia Cathedral, dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption and San Frutos, is a masterpiece of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. It represents an icon of the Christian faith and a cultural-historical point in Spanish history.The building was erected in the 16th century (1525–1577), when Renaissance architecture was flourishing in much of Europe. The research analyzes the context through the methodology of architectural drawing in order to propose knowledge and paths of fruition and enhancement. In the stages of the research, it was considered useful to divide the monumental building from the cloister in order to expand the possibilities of a more direct knowledge of the open layout towards the central courtyard. Particularly interesting is the system of vaults and buttresses that characterize the ceilings of the Cloister.The results achieved highlight an understanding of the vaulted system in relation to the planimetric space, completely divorced from the city and able to allow the passage of the religious in moments of solitude and prayer.

Some Thoughts on the Julio-Claudian Period of Nysa ad Maeandrum in the Light of a Private Portrait from the City

The Carian city of Nysa ad Maeandrum was established during the Early Hellenistic period. Strabo mentioned the city where he was educated in his youth, defining Nysa as a dipolis - a double city. Excavations carried out in the city have unearthed a network of streets, numerous buildings, and sculptural fragments. The subject of this study is a marble head recovered as spolia in a Late Antique building located at the intersection of Street 1-plateia (western part) and Street 6W. Despite some discrepancies, the head is coherent with the male portrait types of the Julio-Claudian family. In this context, it represents a private portrait reflecting the public honoring practice of Nysa. The evidence for that period in the city is limited, and the existence of monumental buildings is known by indirect sources, mainly from Strabo’s accounts. Besides the public honorings of civic officers, imperial honoring is attested by an inscribed statue base. Numismatic data indicate the Nysaeans’ gratitude for Tiberius and provides insight into the city’s social context during the Julio-Claudian period. The typological classification of the marble head makes it the first Julio-Claudian sculpture of the city and sheds light on Nysa’s history during that period.

"КАМЕННЫЕ" МЕЧЕТИ ВОСТОЧНОГО КАЗАХСТАНА: К ПРОБЛЕМЕ ИСТОЧНИКОВ ДЛЯ СОВРЕМЕННОЙ РЕГИОНАЛЬНОЙ АРХИТЕКТУРЫ

The «stone» mosques, i.e. constructed from burnt brick in cities of Eastern Kazakhstan, represent a distinctive phenomenon of regional architecture, of the period - 19th-the early 20th century. Moreover, even in conjunction with wooden mosques, built before the "stone" ones, they represent variations within well-established tradition. Nevertheless, the renewed construction of mosques in cities of Eastern Kazakhstan since the 1990s completely disregards this tradition legitimized by centuries. The article is devoted to this regional phenomenon, analyses architecture of mosques in terms of its use in architectural practice of erecting monumental buildings and to outline possible paths for monuments study. Numerous mentions in literature of Eastern Kazakhstan mosques and individual studies, which provide their descriptions and even stylistic analysis (in the context of Eastern Kazakhstan architecture of 19th-early 20th century), however, didn't consider these monuments in terms of their continuity for creation of modern regional architecture, i.e. "stone" mosques as a source for creation of up to date architecture. This article, doesn't provide brief architectural and artistic analysis of mosques only but also, uses comparative and systematic analysis analyses, to identify the compositional principles that demonstrate their architecture. As a result of the conducted research, compositional principles underlying the architecture of Eastern Kazakhstan mosques were identified. This primarily concerns the volumetric-spatial structure of mosques, built on the longitudinal-axial principle. It is proposed to use both the stylistic composition of these monuments, namely eclecticism, but in a reinterpreted form, and the architectural-artistic discoveries that enrich architecture of mosques.

Avenida d. Pedro I: memória nacional e tensões na construção da São Paulo moderna

This text deals with the construction of the urban landscape in Colina do Ipiranga, São Paulo city, birthplace of the Brazilian nation; dealing in a particular way with one of its elements, avenida d. Pedro I, examining the disputes and the definition of its layout. The construction of the memorial complex for the independence of Brazil began in 1885, with the monumental building, and was completed with the works carried out in commemoration of the Centenary of Independence: the garden, the sculptural monument, and the avenue.

OTTOMAN PERIOD OF COMMERCIAL URBAN AREAS: RESEARCH OF MANİSA-KULA CONSERVATION AREA

Kula is one of the districts of Manisa where historical and traditional residential architecture is intensely seen. This study aims to reveal the historical commercial buildings in the Kula Urban Conservation Area within the determined limits, with an urban and architectural focus. There are many studies on the traditional houses and monumental buildings of Kula, but there is no study on the historical bazaar and commercial buildings. This study is important because it covers these structures, which are both Group 1 and Group 2 cultural assets that need to be protected, and the holistic traditional bazaar texture in the district and documents it in this context. In the research, the existence of a highly qualified commercial fabric was determined. In this area, there are many shops and inns with few examples that have preserved their original character. The majority of historical commercial buildings could not maintain their original function and were re-functioned with current commercial activities.

The Foundation of Pi-Ramesse: Strengthening the Rule of the 19th Dynasty and Displaying Egypt to the Outside World

In the past, the statement from P. Anastasi II, that everybody left his city to settle in Pi-Ramesse, has mainly been interpreted in a somewhat propagandistic sense – everybody wanted to leave their old city to come to the marvellous new capital with all its wonders. While this interpretation might have been the author’s intention, based on the reality of a new capital, it can be interpreted in different ways: a new place needs people to function. This gave the founder of the new city the opportunity to carefully choose these people to enhance and stabilize his power. Moreover, the city, with its particular location, served as a gateway into Egypt and thus also as a showcase to foreigners. The Egyptian sovereigns could demonstrate their power and access to resources by monumental building. This contribution aims to highlight some rarely discussed motivations for the foundation of Pi-Ramesse. [Formula: see text]

The Origins of Reinforced Concrete Interventions to Historic Structures in Turkey

ABSTRACT Reinforced concrete interventions have been a critical issue for restorations in the field of conservation since the early twentieth century. Until the twenty-first century, cement-containing interventions could be seen in almost all restorations in Turkey. There are even examples of monumental buildings whose structural systems have been converted to reinforced concrete. However, in more recent years in Turkey, reconstructions with echoes of stylistic unity began to emerge, with less of a focus on preservation and without consideration of the documentary value of the reinforced concrete used in the strengthening interventions of the twentieth century. From a structural viewpoint, it is necessary to assess whether mixed structures of reinforced concrete and masonry work well. From a conservation viewpoint, despite negative perceptions of reinforced concrete, these historic interventions have avoided confusion or falsification where the precise original nature of the structure is unknown. With these remarks in mind, this study describes the origins of reinforced concrete interventions in conservation in Turkey. It provides a general framework of the concept of interventions for strengthening and preservation at the intersection of reinforced concrete, earthquakes, codes, and conservation theories by tracking experiences with reinforced concrete from the Ottoman Empire to the early years of the Republic of Turkey.

Sayburç a mid-9th millennium BC site in the foothills of the Eastern Taurus

A Pre-Pottery Neolithic site at Sayburç is currently being studied as part of the Şanlıurfa Neo-lithic Research Project – Taş Tepler (Türkiye), which is focused on the Neolithic Period at the Şanlıurfa Plateau. The settlement belongs to the early sedentary societies on the plateau, characterized by monumental buildings, T-shaped pillars, and rich symbolic elements that distinguish the region from its contemporaries in Southwest Asia. A growing body of evidence indicates that rituals and the associated symbolism and narratives play a pivotal role in the formation of the region’s early sedentary societies. The construction of special buildings in Sayburç, situated close to dwellings and accompanied by associated symbolism, illustrates the intertwining of the sacred with everyday life. This paper presents the preliminary results of the first three years of research on the site and discusses the cultural dimension of the region itself.

Uncertainty-informed identification of tie-rod mechanical properties in monumental buildings

Tie-rods are classic structural elements that have been used for centuries to enhance stability in historic masonry buildings and offer valuable insights into structural performance over time through dynamic vibration measurements. This paper tackles the inverse problem, aiming to quantify uncertainties in mechanical properties, tensile axial force and boundary conditions of tie-rods based on experimental vibration frequencies. The approach assumes known probabilistic models for random parameters, such as mass per unit length, bending stiffness, tensile force and boundary conditions, with certain parameters requiring estimation. Finite dimensional models, i.e., deterministic functions in time and/or space, and a finite number of random variables are employed to discretize both physical and probability spaces. The paper concludes with a Monte Carlo simulation, that provides a comprehensive characterization of uncertainties and the best estimates for unknown features, including mass per unit length, stiffness, boundary conditions and tensile force necessary for achieving target free vibration modal parameters, i.e. natural frequencies.

Design transformations in monuments and memorials as monumental buildings: new perspectives on the place-making model

The monument, or the memorial, as a place of memory and emotional support, has been the focus of scholarly attention. Although existing studies have explored its space’s materialization, identity, history, and memory content, the materials about its design transformation have yet to be deeply excavated. Based on the relevant theories of place and place-making, the researchers constructed a knowledge system of the place-making model, the spatial vector pattern, and the worship behaviors of monuments. On this basis, a qualitative research methodology is adopted. Through case studies and participant observation, the design transformation of the monument/memorial is interpreted in the following five dimensions: function theme, morphology style, spatial relationship, visitor experience, and symbolic meaning. The results of this study show that the monument/memorial tends to promote in-depth public reflection and critical engagement with history, reflecting changes in how society perceives historical events. This research provides new perspectives for understanding the multidimensionality of the monument/memorial but also emphasizes the need to continue exploring its interaction with the socio-cultural context.

Hierarchical organization and skilled workforces for constructing the Tartessic earthen building at Casas del Turuñuelo (Guareña, Spain)

This article presents the results of the geoarchaeological study of earthen building materials used in a Tartessic public building at Casas del Turuñuelo. The construction dates back to the fifth century BCE and is one of the monumental buildings of Tartessic culture, characterized by its complex architecture, prestige goods, and intentional destruction after a feast and animal sacrifice. We applied an integrated methodology combining macro and micro approaches to investigate earthen construction processes, such as techniques, labour organization, workers’ specialization, and environmental exploitation. The sample mainly consists of mudbricks, but we also include other forms of earthen materials such as mud plasters, mud mortars, and geological soils for comparison. In total, 64 samples from different building parts were studied through X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, thin-section petrography, and CHN analyses. The results reveal that the workforce involved in the construction process used different resources and presented different skill levels, but was centrally planned and organized. This study reflects on the communities’ knowledge of the environment, the logistic effort and technical skill employed in the building process, and the existence of strong political structures capable of managing the erection of the complex Tartessic buildings.

Status prawny zabytkowych obiektów budowlanych w kontekście zarządzania majątkiem przedsiębiorstwa

The purpose of the article is to present regulations relating to monument buildings in various areas of law in the Polish legal system. One of the key aspects is to examine the way of regulating the status of monument buildings in tax law. The article is divided into three parts in which the authors discuss the following issues: civil law regulations, the status of monument buildings in accounting law and taxation of monument buildings. Within the Polish legal system, heritage buildings are typically subject to different regulations than other real estate, as shown in this study.

Priene, a Monumental Disaster in the Aegean: Digital Approaches to the Doric Stoa’s and the Theater’s Lost Evidence

This paper uses digital approaches to investigate Priene’s (Turkey) archaeological area. The city was built ex novo, after a catastrophic earthquake around 350 BC, on a new site facing the Mediterranean Sea. The city suffered a slow decline following centuries of development and was abandoned after the 12th century. The remains of Priene were discovered in the 17th century, and different excavations and studies have been conducted in the last few centuries. The city’s remains have been studied from various archaeological and historical points of view. It is documented that the city suffered different earthquakes during its existence, as demonstrated by the partial restorations and damage patterns visible within the remains. This contribution offers a methodological and interdisciplinary approach for studying and enhancing archaeological heritage. This paper presents the preliminary results of the first comprehensive digital acquisition of the Aegean city of Priene. The digitization approaches here described focused on digital acquisition and 3D modeling restitution in the form of virtual reconstructions of two monumental buildings: the Doric Stoa near the Temple of Athena Polias and the Theater. The procedure was complementary to the analysis and comprehension of previous numerous studies carried out by British and German institutions, where digital acquisition and restitution techniques have led to the validation of previously obtained results. For the first time, digital models have been used as tools for accessing heterogeneous knowledge, and they have been incorporated into the discourse of archeological studies. Indeed, the interdisciplinary team went beyond archaeological data to attempt to digitally reconstruct monumental complexes and conduct preliminary structural evaluations scientifically.

O legado de Galbinski: As premissas de projeto das edificações monumentais da biblioteca central e do restaurante universitário da Universidade de Brasília

The architecture was developed in such a way as to meet the needs of society. It, which in the early days was intended to serve only as safe shelters, currently must also promote harmony, beauty, comfort and well-being. Knowing this, at the time of the construction of Brasília, an imposing university was thought of in which the library and the restaurant were of equal magnitude, to represent its professors, researchers, students and technicians. This challenge fell to the architect José Galbinski, who designed two monumental buildings: the Central Library and the University Restaurant of the University of Brasilia. In 2016, an in-person interview was conducted with Professor Dr. Galbinski at his workplace in which information was collected about the process of creating these works, focusing mainly on his design premises. Therefore, the main objective of this scientific work is to share such information from when these works were still only in the realm of ideas and to share the story of the creator José Galbinski and his creatures (Library and Restaurant). To quantify the success of these premises, questionnaires were answered by its users, who evaluated the degree of comfort of these constructions. These results of the questionnaires will be explained shortly.

On the fusion between interferometric satellite data and in situ measurements for the monitoring of built heritage

Over the past decades, earthquakes, and other catastrophic events has highlighted the increasingly growing vulnerability of infrastructures, buildings, and architectural heritage structures. In addition to catastrophic events, often related to climate change, another fundamental aspect is represented by the lack of maintenance and monitoring of the asset. In the field of preservation of buildings and infrastructures, Structural Health Monitoring techniques can effectively contribute to the assessment of the health state of structures. In the case of structural monitoring using data-driven approaches, since the information depends on the type of data used, a great resource for knowing as much as possible about the structure is represented by the combination of multiple data. Thanks to the integration of different types of data, it is possible to know the conditions of the structure in more detail as different aspects can be combined. In this context, together with the data obtained from in situ monitoring systems, data obtained remotely, i.e. satellite data, can be used. There are different types of satellite data that can be used to study different aspects, e.g., multispectral data, hyperspectral data, and interferometric data, and they can make different contribution to civil engineering. In this paper, the exploitability of open-source interferometric data is investigated and they are studied for the purpose of their integration with data obtained from a monitoring system installed on a monumental building, in order to monitor and observe structural health.