The ruins of the Castle of Conti D'Aquino in Belcasro (Catanzaro, Italy). Conservation, reuse and accessibility

The castle of Belcastro (Catanzaro, Italy) is an interesting palimpsest of typologies, constructive and defence techniques, and also for repair and restoration, which documents the transformations of the fortification from the origin – probably the 13th century – up to the recent works of restoration. Built on the upper part of a small historical centre, the castle is the most important attraction and, with its massive donjon, it overlooks the valley, characterizing a landscape which is rich in fortifications. The essay traces the phases of the project of conservation promoted in 2005 by the local administration in collaboration with the University of Reggio Calabria. The main purpose of the project, which is now almost complete, is to integrate the technical tools and methods for conservation of the ancient structures with the strategies for the reuse of the fortification, fully respecting what remains of the original construction. By preserving all the traces of the past, the project enhances the history of the castle and, at the same time, tries to solve relevant problems of stability of the structures, particularly of the bailey, adopting reversible and non-invasive techniques for the reinforcement of the masonry. The same strategy is adopted to solve the difficult problem of accessibility to the donjon with the use of removable elements.