The lands in northern Campania, where Capua is located, developed over the centuries according to the trade flows necessarily conveyed to these territories. The strategic relevance of the geographical position promoted local economy and, at the same time, led to a defensive land planning. The role that Capua played as a fortified city affected its historical, urban and architectural development. Capua’s urban design, confined by the city walls limits, and the several military buildings located in the town center testify the millenary process as a result of which the urban transformation has always been affected by the military technologies upgrading. This article proposes a diachronic reading of Capua’s fortified land. It starts with an historical introduction concerning the city military foundation. Urban interventions that affected the landscape image are discussed, likewise several military architectures are illustrated, as examples of the town vocation and of the military requirements changing over the time. In this sense a huge amount of religious complexes were converted into army facilities, as well as new buildings arose in the city center according to the renewed Capua’s role. Latest political developments led to the decommissioning and the decay of the major part of this architectural heritage. At the end some architecture case-study are described, which, due to their collocation and typological features, are now creating several gaps in the urban fabric, that hence requires restoration interventions. The Capua’s historical events study shows the ancient dependency between military needs and urban planning. Capua’s development might be read as sired to a specific purpose that is legible in the city plan and style. For this reason a comprehensive vision for future rehabilitation proposals is necessary. The city of arts, the military stronghold and the contemporary university citadel form part of the same heritage that suggests changes of reusing as well as conservation requirements.
Capua. Fortified city between history and urban landscape / Luciano, A.; Marmo, R.; Liguori, P.; Polverino, F.. - In: SUSTAINABLE MEDITERRANEAN CONSTRUCTION. LAND CULTURE, RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY. - ISSN 2385-1546. - 2019:N1 Special Issue(2019).
Capua. Fortified city between history and urban landscape
Marmo R.;Polverino F.
2019
Abstract
The lands in northern Campania, where Capua is located, developed over the centuries according to the trade flows necessarily conveyed to these territories. The strategic relevance of the geographical position promoted local economy and, at the same time, led to a defensive land planning. The role that Capua played as a fortified city affected its historical, urban and architectural development. Capua’s urban design, confined by the city walls limits, and the several military buildings located in the town center testify the millenary process as a result of which the urban transformation has always been affected by the military technologies upgrading. This article proposes a diachronic reading of Capua’s fortified land. It starts with an historical introduction concerning the city military foundation. Urban interventions that affected the landscape image are discussed, likewise several military architectures are illustrated, as examples of the town vocation and of the military requirements changing over the time. In this sense a huge amount of religious complexes were converted into army facilities, as well as new buildings arose in the city center according to the renewed Capua’s role. Latest political developments led to the decommissioning and the decay of the major part of this architectural heritage. At the end some architecture case-study are described, which, due to their collocation and typological features, are now creating several gaps in the urban fabric, that hence requires restoration interventions. The Capua’s historical events study shows the ancient dependency between military needs and urban planning. Capua’s development might be read as sired to a specific purpose that is legible in the city plan and style. For this reason a comprehensive vision for future rehabilitation proposals is necessary. The city of arts, the military stronghold and the contemporary university citadel form part of the same heritage that suggests changes of reusing as well as conservation requirements.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
