Very little of what we see today of the Arch of Titus belongs to the original structure, as Stendhal put it “only a copy remains”. In medieval times, when the forum was already in complete decay, the monument was incorporated in the Frangipane Fortresse remaining barely visible to the public. It was not until the modern era that the Papal authorities decided to launch a plan of preservation and restoration of the city’s’ cultural heritage.
Rome had been sacked many times, by the Vandals, the Goths, the Saracenes, the Normans, the Lansquenetes and conquered briefly by Napoleon’s troops that established the Roman Republic between 1798 and 1799. Moreover, three earthqakes, the last in 1706, had severely damaged the Roman Forum.
Only towards the second half of the 18th century, on the thrust of J.J. Winckelmann’s work on Roman antiquities, a modern idea of urban preservation and archeological dig began to take shape originating early forms of urban planning under Pius VII. During this papacy the papal rituals in public spaces also changed considerably, particularly in relation to the Jews.
Come join Centro Primo Levi and Marina Caffiero from the University of Rome La Sapienza for this exciting gallery talk.
This event is free and open to the public!
For more information on the program: primolevicenter.org/events/giuseppe-valadiers-restoration-of-the-arch-of-titus/
For reservations, please email: romelab@primolevicenter.org