The Castellina of Norcia: from historical knowledge to digital valorization

This contribution presents the interim results of an interdisciplinary research project focused on the fortified complex of Castellina in Norcia, built in the mid-16th century and based on a design by Iacopo Barozzi da Vignola. The investigation is part of an ongoing university research project conducted by a team of scholars within the Work Package Knowledge, Conservation and Valorization of Material and Immaterial Heritage at the University of Perugia, dedicated to monumental heritage affected by critical conditions due to earthquakes. In this context, the study presented here focuses on the historical and architectural analysis of the 16th-century fortress known as La Castellina, located on the western side of Piazza San Benedetto in Norcia. The building – characterized by a massive and compact shape with four corner bastions – combines military and civilian features and has shown a particularly positive response to seismic events throughout its history. Based on in-depth archival research, it was possible to systematically organize sources and documents and place the morphological origin of the building in the process of evolution and transformation of fortified complexes between the 15th and 16th centuries. The second part of the research, based on the results of an integrated architectural survey, proposes a digital enhancement project aimed at increasing public interest in cultural heritage. To this end, a communication strategy is proposed that employs a system of audiovisual supports, facilitating access to information and awareness of the building’s history.