Wrought iron works in eastern Sicily between XVIII and XIX century: construction and conservation

Alessandro Lo Faro1, Angelo Salemi1,

1University of Catania, Department of Architecture, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125, Catania,

mail: alessandro.lofaro@darc.unict.it; angelo.salemi@darc.unict.it

ABSTRACT 

Together with wood and stone, iron is also a material frequently used in traditional buildings. Using wrought iron were realized constructive elements of different uses: stiffening elements; precaution elements; vertical and horizontal connection; hardware for frames; decorative ironworks. During XVIII century the technological evolution and the architectonic language used in Italy made the ironworks protagonist of urban scene, together with stone works: saying it’s true, in particular, for external precaution elements such as gates, iron fences, grates and railings.

The historical centre of Catania, rebuilt after the earthquake in 1693, is still hardly conditioned by the presence of numerous religious buildings in which church squares are closed by exuberant ironworks. Their rich decorative apparatus combine itself with precise technological rules. These rules regulate the movement of the panels and the beats. The low evolution of wrought iron technology explains the homogeneity of constructive solutions used in eastern Sicily. Studying some cases belonging to historical centre of Catania, it was possible to find the more recurrent typologies of gates and grates. These have been classified towards a detailed geometrical survey. The drawing of some in situ samples and their analysis with metallographic procedures have allowed, also, to understand their working system and their conservation, with the aim to propose correct safeguard strategies of these outdoor architectural heritage.

Key-words: ironworks, eastern Sicily, construction, conservation decay