Historic churches of Naples- Researchers have identified nine buildings that require a “quick response” and a further 57 places of worship that could suffer from future cavity collapses
Written content by Garry Shaw via The Art Newspaper
Many of the historic cathedrals, churches and chapels of Naples, Italy are at risk of vanishing into the earth, according to new research published in the Journal of Cultural Heritage. Combining map data with satellite imagery used to measure subtle changes in ground levels over time, a team of researchers from the University of Naples Federico II have identified which of the city’s places of worship are most at risk from sinkholes. The team revealed that nine are built over subterranean cavities, on ground affected by “ongoing deformation”, making these areas highly susceptible to sudden collapse. These buildings require a “quick response,” the team writes, including ongoing monitoring and checking the stability of the ground. They also say a further 57 places of worship lie above “potential future cavity collapses”.
The historic centre of Naples, a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1995, has more than 500 places of worship—cathedrals, churches and chapels—built over many centuries in various architectural styles. These buildings stand over an extensive network of underground spaces, used over the years as cemeteries, catacombs, crypts, aqueducts, cisterns, and stone quarries. But the soft stone that enabled the excavation of these subterranean spaces has left the ground above susceptible to collapse. The team writes that 190 sinkholes occurred between 1870 and 2010 in and around Naples, adding that of these, around 25% were caused by collapsing cavities, leading to deaths and damage to cultural heritage. “Such collapses, involving tuff and loose volcanoclastic soils, apparently occurred due to external triggers like significant rainfall events and human activities,” the researchers say.
According to the team, among the nine places of worship identified as highly susceptible to cavity collapse is the Pantheon-inspired 19th-century Basilica di San Francesco di Paola, close to Naples’ main square and one of the city’s major tourist attractions. Read more from The Art Newspaper.
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