| Year: | 2010-2011 |
| Location: | Fiumicino, Rome |
| Client: | Congregazione di Porto e Santa Rufina |
| Status: | Completed |
| Collaborator: | Arch. Erika Buoncristiani Arch. Ivan Contreras Rubio |
| Description: | The Episcopio (bishop’s palace) is a fortified medieval complex built using pre-existing roman structures of the ancient trading city of Porto. Enclosed by walls, it includes the baroque Church of SS. Ippolito and Lucia, a medieval tower and the adjoining bishop’s palace. The present Church of Ss. Ippolito and Lucia, built in the sixteenth century, has a single nave and a lowered barrel vault flanked by two side chapels. The church was renovated and expanded several times between 1700 and 1800, including the reconstruction of the façade, the addition of a new building along the south side and the two side chapels. The restoration concerned the nave, the side chapels, the presbytery and the sacristy. The building showed severe deterioration of its plaster and wall colouring. The restoration, therefore, focused on recovering the original plaster and colouring. Samples of the existing ancient flooring were also taken to assess its conditions and decide on its recovery or demolition and replacement with new flooring . Some previous restoration outcomes were adjusted: in particular, the re-flooring and restoration of the apse niche in the presbytery area. |