Beyond the earthquake: Knowledge for restoration. The case-study of Cornillo Vecchio (Amatrice, Italy)

Amongst the dynamics of the abandonment of historic towns in our country, those resulting from seismic events have manifested repeatedly over the centuries. Not least was the earthquake which struck L’Aquila and Central Italy in 2016, pitting the scientific community against several emergency scenarios whereupon the need emerged to consider how to reconstruct the destroyed heritage. Cornillo Vecchio, one of the 69 hamlets of Amatrice in the province of Rieti, represents a symbolic case, whereby the earthquake of August 24th 2016 and those of the following days almost entirely destroyed the inhabited historic centre, leading to its complete abandonment. Along with L’Aquila and Amatrice, the town of Cornillo was the focus of a study workshop organised by the Federico II University of Naples School of Specialisation in Architectural Heritage and Landscape in May 2019, during which, with the scientific coordination of professors Renata Picone and Giulio Zuccaro, it became possible to better understand the condition of both the historic centre, which was almost entirely destroyed by the earthquake, and of important religious sites in the area, such as the church of Santa Maria di Filetta and the Sanctuary of the Icona Passatora in Amatrice. With the aid of advanced technology it was possible to specify the materials, constructive techniques, state of conservation and damage mechanisms of artefacts, thereby achieving a degree of understanding sufficient to develop guidelines for both urban and architectural restoration. This paper seeks to illustrate the results of this experience, which has considered the historic town of Cornillo within its urban dimension in a critical and informed manner, with the intention of providing support to the understanding of the territory and its emergencies, thus creating a basis for the scientific approach to emergency scenarios which can benefit from a combination of different sources of knowledge and multidisciplinary teamwork.