Arezzonotizie: Uncovering a parallel Arezzo, mission to unveil the secrets of the Hill of Pionta
The Hillock of Pionta, where the university area of Arezzo lies, until 1203 hosted the Episcopacy with the Old Cathadral. That year, the cathedral was transferred to within the city walls following the papal seal of Pope Innocence III. The old Episcopal seat was made up of two cathedral churches, the first known as St. Mary and St Stephen and the second the temple of St. Donato. The seat was completely abandoned in 1561 when the grand duke Cosimo I ordered its destruction. After this event the Bishop Usimbardi had a small church built in 1610 where the archaeological finds from the numerous excavations are conserved. These excavations brought to light the remains of St Mary and St Stephen’s which dates back to the end of VII and first half of VIII century. From these hints, the socio-cultural greatness of the Hillock of Pionta can be grasped. Truly one of a kind so that the authorities has identified it as a cultural heritage to be preserved. Its natural urban collocation further enables this intent. Pasquale Macrì: “this is good news for a number of reasons: an association with a group of top scientific experts is conducting a study on the area of the old cathedral which will start on the 20 March. Finding cultural roots in a time where emphasis is being placed on worship, of the Christianity of Arezzo, as is also taking place in the Fortress, gives further credit to the value of our city and the work of our administrators”. Franco Dringoli: “it is an extra incentive to work on the overall recovery plan of Pionta. The context is tied to a landscape and archaeological point of view. The area is wholly public, and has fallen prey to some unpleasant episodes that we would like to overcome by a process of urban renewal which goes from appropriate illumination to the clearing up of the area, both of which will be useful to the research that will be carried out there”. The president of the Cultural Association of Academo ‘Roberta Pellegrini’ , Mauro Mariottini underlined its intention “to carry out an intervention aimed at both the collection, knowledge and distribution of research carried out up till now and also a project of clearing up and safeguarding of the site. There is a parallel city to be discovered, the centre of power for centuries. We will use a drone for the 3D air relief maps, followed by a calculation of the data to create a projection, a virtual reconstruction of the citadel, historically realistic to 80-90 %, which will be shown online. The aim of the first phase is to make the cultural heritage of the Hillock of Pionta accessible to the public at large by using technological applications featuring both a strong communicative and acquisition impact and also of high scientific quality and cultural content” Already in 2006, under the care of Prof. Molinari of the University of Siena, Prof. De Minicis of the University of Tuscia and thanks to the scientific collaboration of Prof.Corchia of the University of Siena, exploratory and diagnostic investigations had taken place using magnetometry, resistivity and geo-radar. These studies will form the basis of our starting point. link
TSD Communications: The Old Cathedral of Arezzo, new work starting
Arezzo, 19th March 2014 – A drone over the Hillock of Pionta to investigate the archaeological area, then, as a second phase to the project, a recovery plan. The project is under the care of the cultural association of Academo “Roberta Pelligrini”
Corriere di Arezzo 20th March 2014
A drone to explore the Hill of Pionta. Presented the project of arrangement and preservation of the archaeological site of them where the old cathedral.
L@retina: The Hillock of Pionta: the episcopacy to be discovered
The Hillock of Pionta, where the university area of Arezzo lies, until 1203 hosted the Episcopacy with the Old Cathadral. That year, the cathedral was transferred to within the city walls following the papal seal of Pope Innocence III. The old Episcopal seat was made up of two cathedral churches, the first known as St. Mary and St Stephen and the second the temple of St. Donato. The seat was completely abandoned in 1561 when the grand duke Cosimo I ordered its destruction. After this event the Bishop Usimbardi had a small church built in 1610 where the archaeological finds from the numerous excavations are conserved. These excavations brought to light the remains of St Mary and St Stephen’s which dates back to the end of VII and first half of VIII century From these hints, the socio-cultural greatness of the Hillock of Pionta can be grasped. Truly one of a kind so that the authorities has identified it as a cultural heritage to be preserved. Its natural urban collocation further enables this intent. Pasquale Macrì: “this is good news for a number of reasons: an association with a group of top scientific experts is conducting a study on the area of the old cathedral which will start on the 20 March. Finding cultural roots in a time where emphasis is being placed on worship, of the Christianity of Arezzo, as is also taking place in the Fortress, gives further credit to the value of our city and the work of our administrators”. Franco Dringoli: “it is an extra incentive to work on the overall recovery plan of Pionta. The context is tied to a landscape and archaeological point of view. The area is wholly public, and has fallen prey to some unpleasant episodes that we would like to overcome by a process of urban renewal which goes from appropriate illumination to the clearing up of the area, both of which will be useful to the research that will be carried out there”. e president of the Cultural Association of Academo ‘Roberta Pellegrini’ , Mauro Mariottini underlined its intention “to carry out an intervention aimed at both the collection, knowledge and distribution of research carried out up till now and also a project of clearing up and safeguarding of the site. There is a parallel city to be discovered, the centre of power for centuries. We will use a drone for the 3D air relief maps, followed by a calculation of the data to create a projection, a virtual reconstruction of the citadel, historically realistic to 80-90 %, which will be shown online. The aim of the first phase is to make the cultural heritage of the Hillock of Pionta accessible to the public at large by using technological applications featuring both a strong communicative and acquisition impact and also of high scientific quality and cultural content” Already in 2006, under the care of Prof. Molinari of the University of Siena, Prof. De Minicis of the University of Tuscia and thanks to the scientific collaboration of Prof.Corchia of the University of Siena, exploratory and diagnostic investigations had taken place using magnetometry, resistivity and geo-radar. These studies will form the basis of our starting point. link
La Nazione, 20th March
An archaeological drone to reveal the mysteries of Pionta. First phase of the initiative being carried out by the Association of Academo, “Roberta Pelligrini”.
La Nazione, web site 20th March 2014
Press conference 19th March 2014 with the President of the Association Mauro Mariottini, local councillor for Cultural Heritage Prof. Pasquale Macri’and Councillor for Public Works Dr Franco Dringoli: investigation of the Hillock of Pionta. Press conference 19th March of the project of the Cultural Association of Academo “Roberta Pelligrini” The hillock where the University complex of Arezzo is found, since 1203 had hosted the Episcopacy with the Old Cathedral. The cathedral was later moved to within the city walls with the seal of Pope Innocence III. The old Episcopal seat was made up of two cathedral churches, the first known as St. Mary and St Stephen and the second the temple of St. Donato.