Naples. A wedding for 300 guests, with a banquet, music, lights, and artificial smoke. Nothing unusual, except that the sumptuous party took place inside the monumental cloisters of theState Archives of Naples, in spaces designed to preserve centuries of history.
THEevent's audience, celebrated last December 7th between the Land Registry Room and the Sala Filangieri, has aroused the indignation of the CGIL FP, CISL FP, CONFSAL UNSA and UILPA unions, who have denounced the risks for the artistic and architectural heritage.
“The spaces, particularly the Platano cloister, proved inadequate to accommodate all the guests, who crowded into the two wings of the cloister,” the unions wrote in a statement. “This put the sixteenth-century pictorial cycle present in the area at risk.”
The dangers were not limited to crowding. As highlighted by the unions, the use of artificial smoke to create atmosphere, cigarette smoke and the lighting of fireworks during the cutting of the cake further compromised the safety of the heritage.
“The spread of smoke repeatedly set off smoke detectors, requiring continuous interventions by technical personnel,” the complaint reads. In addition, the lawn of the Platano cloister, normally off-limits, was transformed into a stage for the cutting of the cake, accompanied by fountain fireworks.
The State Archives employees, present in insufficient numbers for an event of such proportions, found themselves facing a critical situation. “We do not hold ourselves responsible for any damage to the heritage, as we have done everything possible to invite guests and organizers to respect the rules,” the note emphasizes.
The management of the event was also characterized by a lack of adequate information and the failure to involve the Head of the Prevention and Protection Service (RSPP), as required by safety regulations. “The monumental spaces of the State Archives of Naples are not suitable for this type of public event,” the press release concludes.
The incident rekindles the debate on the improper use of places of historical interest, highlighting the risks of an increasingly difficult coexistence between modern needs and the protection of cultural heritage.
“We are quite shocked by what happened”, comments the Green-Sinistra alliance deputy Francesco Emilio Borrelli, informed about the event by the operators themselves. “So now we demand to know from the management not only whether the event in question has obtained all the permits and favorable opinions to be able to take place in this way but also whether it is not considered necessary to interrupt any form of social event inside the Archive which would lead to a lack of safety for the frescoes and monumental assets present.
Certain excessive, kitsch and out of context demonstrations can represent a danger for the historical and artistic heritage of our territory. Among other things, the anti-smoking systems have been repeatedly activated due to the excessive number of smokers and the diffusion with special artificial smoke devices”.
“We do not understand how the Superintendency, which is always intransigent towards the citizens, can then authorize similar events within its own monumental structures, clearly endangering the public and historical heritage that it should protect”, conclude Borrelli and radio host Gianni Simioli.
Article published on 9 December 2024 - 09:56
I don't know how it is possible that such a big event could take place in such an important place. There are rules to protect heritage, and it seems that they were not followed. Let's hope that in the future there will be more controls to avoid similar problems.