san Giorgio. The 5 Star Movement has presented a question to the city council to ask the Mayor for clarifications in light of the recent tragedy in Naples where the detachment of a piece of cornice from a historic building caused the death of a passerby. Furthermore, we learn from the documents of the managers that the Municipality of San Giorgio a Cremano is in debt to the Acampora Company for the sum of €635.905,26. The Acampora Company, we recall, was interested in placing that external scaffolding in 2012, which appears to be a real steel exoskeleton, on the side of the structure on the Via Botteghelle side, where an imminent collapse was feared. The rental cost of the steel tube scaffolding was around €170.000,00 per year, hence the current debt which has almost reached €700.
The problem arose because the villa was subject to landscape and cultural heritage constraints and the Municipality intervened to help by taking responsibility for paying for the scaffolding while the tenants inside would have had to take responsibility for the remaining work on the entire property.
Harsh comment by Tommaso Castaldo, spokesperson for the 5 Star Movement: “With mediation (the Municipality) could have bought the scaffolding installed knowing that it could not be removed unless the danger was completely eliminated. Today we find ourselves with a dilapidated villa and financial damage that will have repercussions on the taxpayers' coffers. An administration that is also incapable of mediation”. The questioning ended without any clarification but only with the promise of receiving a future response via certified email.
Villa Pignatelli Di Montecalvo was inaugurated in 1747 as a residential home for Princess Emanuella Caracciolo Pignatelli who contracted out the works. The princess was very attached to the town of San Giorgio a Cremano and it was she who donated the statue of San Giorgio Martire to the church of Santa Maria del Principio, which is still present in the church today. The princess herself lived most of her time in the mighty villa built entirely with large tuff columns. After her death in the same villa, a slow decline of the structure began, which is currently inhabited by several families who cannot afford the enormous costs of a renovation.
The 1980 earthquake caused numerous wounds to the structure that are still evident today. In fact, numerous holes were inflicted on the building to inject cement and consolidate the structure. Over the years, the villa has been literally violated: numerous marbles and coats of arms that embellished the structure have disappeared. The ancient oratory has become a garage, some windows have been bricked up or made smaller. Air conditioners, satellite dishes, antennas and wires have appeared around the walls of the building. There is almost no trace of the frescoes. The grass in some places grows without ever being cut. In 2012, a further disfigurement: fearing further deterioration of a part of the villa, additional protection of reinforced concrete and steel pipes was placed, occupying the roadway so much that it became a one-way street. This has created traffic problems and given rise to protests by some citizens who even call for the structure to be demolished. Curiosity: in 1973 the villa was also affected by the outbreak of cholera in Naples. One of the very first victims, an 18-month-old baby girl Francesca Noviello, was living with her family inside the building. After her death, her parents were even banished from San Giorgio a Cremano. The citizens hope that this ancient and majestic villa can rise again in all its splendor.
George Kontovas
Article published on 14 June 2019 - 13:49
