Finally, down the stairs. Work has begun to remove the controversial metal structure installed on the façade of the Certosa di San Lorenzo in Padula, one of the jewels of Europe's monastic heritage. This long-awaited project has become a symbol of a battle to respect the historical and landscape identity of the site, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 1998.
The staircase had been placed for safety reasons, but its presence had caused a real uprising in the world of culture and active citizenship. The one who denounced the case most forcefully was Angelo Paladino, president of the European Landscape Observatory, who had asked for rapid action to restore decorum and coherence to the facade of the monument.
After months of discussions between the Ministry of Culture, local authorities, associations and scholars, the green light has arrived for an operation that many consider not only technical, but deeply symbolic. The staircase, for many a visual and conceptual wound in the heart of one of the most important religious complexes in Europe, will be permanently removed.
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It is a very important thing that the staircase has been removed, but I am not sure that it is the right solution. Perhaps there should have been more discussions before taking such a drastic decision on such an important monument.