La chiesa di San Michelino in Foro a Rimini: storia, analisi e progetto
10.6092/issn.1973-9494/4184
SummaryThis article tries to reconstruct the history of a building of great historical, architectural and artistic significance, unfortunately unknown to most people: the church of San Michelino in Rimini,  whose origin can be dated to between the fourth and sixth centuries. Today, it is possible to see only a few remaining parts of this ancient church embedded in buildings constructed in later periods.Starting from documentary and bibliographic sources this paper initially traces the history of the building, which was at first of Templar competence and then of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, before becoming private property.It also offers a brief study carried out around frescoes depicting a saint accidentally discovered in 1993 in the apse of the church.Through the bibliographic and documentary sources and the reading of the stratigraphy of the walls, the evolutionary history of the church is reconstructed architecturally.Finally, after analyzing the condition of the building, some guidelines are given to assist in developing a project of restoration and enhancement for the church and the frescoes inside.  RiassuntoIl saggio cerca di ricostruire la storia di un edificio di grande rilevanza storica a livello architettonico ed artistico, purtroppo sconosciuto ai più: la chiesa di San Michelino a Rimini. Dell’antica chiesa la cui origine è databile tra il IV e VI secolo oggi è possibile vedere solo alcune porzioni, incastonate in edifici costruiti in epoche successive.Partendo dalle fonti documentarie e bibliografiche si ripercorre inizialmente la storia dell’edificio, che è stata chiesa di competenza templare prima e giovannita poi, per diventare infine di proprietà privata.Si propone quindi un breve studio svolto circa gli affreschi raffiguranti una Santa ritrovati fortuitamente nel 1993 nell’abside della chiesa.Con riferimento alle fonti documentarie e bibliografiche e tramite la lettura della stratigrafia delle murature viene in seguito ricostruita la storia dell’evoluzione del manufatto a livello architettonico.Infine, dopo aver analizzato lo stato di conservazione dell’edificio, si forniscono alcune linee guida di intervento per un progetto di restauro e valorizzazione della chiesa e dell’affresco al suo interno.  RésuméCet essai tente de reconstruire l’histoire d’un bâtiment de grande importance historique au niveau architectural et artistique, inconnu malheureusement de la plupart des gens : il s’agit de l’église de San Michelino à Rimini. De l’ancienne église, dont l’origine est datable entre le IVe et VIe siècle, il ne reste aujourd’hui que quelques portions enchâssées dans des édifices qui ont été construits à des époques postérieures.Prenant comme point de départ les sources documentaires et bibliographiques, l’essai retrace initialement l’histoire du bâtiment, qui a été tout d’abord une église de l’Ordre des Templiers, puis des Johannites, pour devenir enfin une propriété privée.Une courte étude est ensuite proposée sur les fresques, représentant une Sainte, qui ont été retrouvées fortuitement dans l’abside de l’église en 1993.Des références aux sources documentaires et bibliographiques, ainsi que la lecture de la stratigraphie des maçonneries, permettent ensuite de reconstruire l’histoire de l’évolution de l’ouvrage au niveau architectural.Enfin, après avoir analysé l’état de conservation du bâtiment, l’auteur fournit quelques lignes directrices d’intervention en vue d’un projet de restauration et de valorisation de l’église et des fresques qu’elle abrite.  ZusammenfassungDie Abhandlung versucht, die Geschichte eines Gebäudes, das im Hinblick auf Architektur und Kunst von hoher geschichtlicher Bedeutung ist, den meisten Menschen jedoch leider unbekannt ist: die Kirche San Michelino in Rimini. Von dieser antiken Kirche, deren Ursprünge zwischen dem 4. und dem 6. Jahrhundert datiert werden können, sind heute nur noch einige Bruchteile zu sehen, die in Gebäude aus späterer Zeit eingegliedert sind.Anhand der dokumentarischen und bibliographischen Quellen wird eingangs die Geschichte des Gebäudes zurückverfolgt, das zunächst eine Kirche der Tempelherren und später der Johanniter war, um schließlich in Privatbesitz überzugehen.Darauf folgt eine kurze Studie der Fresken, die eine Heilige darstellen und im Jahr 1993 durch Zufall in der Apsis der Kirche wieder aufgefunden wurden.Mit Bezug auf die dokumentarischen und bibliographischen Quellen, sowie anhand der Interpretation des stratigraphischen Aufbaus der Mauern, wird danach die Geschichte der Entwicklung des Gebäudes auf architektonischer Ebene rekonstruiert.Abschließend werden nach Analyse des Erhaltungszustands des Gebäudes einige Leitlinien für ein Projekt zur Restaurierung und Aufwertung der Kirche und des in ihrem Inneren befindlichen Freskos geboten. ResumenEl ensayo intenta reconstruir la historia de un edificio de gran relevancia histórica desde el punto de vista arquitectónico y artístico, lamentablemente desconocido para la mayoría de las personas: la iglesia de San Michelino en Rímini. De la antigua iglesia, cuyo origen puede situarse entre los siglos IV y VI, hoy en día solo es posible apreciar algunas partes que se hayan engastadas en edificios construidos en épocas sucesivas.Inicialmente, a partir de fuentes documentales y bibliográficas se recorre la historia del edificio, el cual ha sido una iglesia de competencia templaria primero y de la Orden de San Juan después, para convertirse, por último, en propiedad privada.Por lo tanto, se propone un breve estudio de los frescos que representan a una Santa que han sido hallados casualmente en 1993 en el ábside de la iglesia.A continuación, haciendo referencia a las fuentes documentales y bibliográficas y a través de la lectura de la estratigrafía muraria, se reconstruye la historia de la evolución de la obra a nivel arquitectónico.Por último, tras haber analizado el estado de conservación del edificio, se facilitan algunas directrices para intervenciones de un proyecto de restauración y valorización de la iglesia y de los frescos que se hayan en su interior. РезюмеСтатья старается воссоздать историю здания большой исторической важности в  художественном и архитектурном плане, к сожалению, неизвестного большинству: церкви св. Микелино в Римини. От древней церкви, датируемой между IV и VI вв., можно увидеть только некоторые части внутри зданий, постороенных в последующие эпохи.Отправляясь от документальных и библиографических источников, в начале рассматривается история здания, которое являлось первоначально церковью компетенции тамплиеров, а позже церковью ордена св. Иоанна, и в конце концов стала частной собственностью.Затем предлагается короткое исследование фресок, изображающих Святую, случайно найденных в 1993 году в апсиде церкви.С учетом документальных и библиографических источников и благодаря статиграфическому чтению кладки впоследствии реконструируется история эволюции здания на архитектурном уровне. В заключение,  проанализировав состояние сохранности здания, предлагаются некоторые рекомендации для проекта реставрации и повышения ценности церкви и ее фрески.  摘要短文试图介绍一座建筑与艺术上具有重要的历史角色的建筑物的故事，遗憾的是大多数人并不认识:里米尼市San Michelino 教堂。古老教堂起源于第IV和第VI世纪之间，目前只可以看到一些部分，它们都融合在后期的建筑中。参考文献资料和书籍可以重温建筑物最初的历史，它先是在神殿宗教秩序下的教堂，之后是圣约翰宗教秩序下的教堂，最后成为了私人所属。之后文章介绍关于一个女圣人壁画的短期研究，该壁画是在1993年的教堂后殿偶然发现的。通过文献资料、书籍和城墙地层学的研究，之后文章描写了教堂的建筑方面发展的历史。最终，经过分析建筑保存的状态后，文章提供了修复和发展教堂和室内壁画的指导方针。 
application/pdf
1973-9494
4184
en
Andrea Serrau
Conservation Science in Cultural Heritage
The church of San Michelino in Foro in Rimini: history, analysis and project
Text.Serial.Journal
https://conservation-science.unibo.it/
13
Articles
2013-12-30
2014-02-09
2013-12-30
2015-11-02
155-174
CSCH
Andrea Serrau
2013/12/30
10.6092/issn.1973-9494/4184
155
1973-9494
en
174
BRANDI C., 1977, Teoria del restauro, Einaudi, Torino
The church of San Michelino in Foro in Rimini: history, analysis and project
https://conservation-science.unibo.it/article/download/4184/3626
13
T    HE CHURCH OF SAN MICHELINO IN FORO IN RIMINI:
     HISTORY, ANALYSIS AND PROJECT




   Alessandra Peroni•
   Facoltà di Conservazione dei Beni Culturali
   Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna

   Giulia Lazzarini
   Facoltà di Architettura
   Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna

   Andrea Serrau
   Facoltà di Architettura
   Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna



   Keywords: San Michelino in foro, Templars, architectural restoration, frescoes, Rimini

   1. Preface

    The church of ‘San Michelino in Foro’ is unique in the area of Rimini: the complex-
ity of its architecture is the most tangible sign of the elaborate history of the structure.
Its story presumably started around the VI century AD and ended in the XIII century




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when the building belonged to the Order of  the Templars and continued until today to
be private property. After a few centuries under the ownership of the Knights of Malta,
it became a private possession in the 19th century and the church and its architecture
were gradually transformed.
    A detail which increases the importance of the structure is a fresco in the apsidal
part of the church, datable to around the second half of the XIII century, a rare example
of the local painting of that period. Today, the building is part of the adjacent edifices
and is unknown to the majority of the inhabitants of Rimini.
    This article is based on the studies carried out for the Master Degree thesis of Gi-
ulia Lazzarini and Andrea Serrau, together with Michela Misirolli. It is entitled “Art and
architecture. Restoration and enhancement of mural painting in the XIII century in Ri-
mini”, supported by research carried out by the historian Alessandra Peroni, collected
in the thesis entitled “The church of San Michelino in Foro of Rimini: historical, urban
and artistic aspects” .
    The aim of the article is to valorize the history (documental, artistic and architec-
tural) of the church in the hope that a forthcoming restoration will be considered for the
recovery of the building and the interior mural paintings.




• Corresponding author: alessandra.peroni@libero.it

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                                                                                          2.The history of San Michelino through documents (Alessandra Peroni)

                                                                                           The church of San Michelino begins to appear in documents only from the mid-twelfth
                                                                                       century. This element, in the light of architectural evidence, leaves no option but to make
                                                                                       assumptions about the period of its foundation and the following centuries. In this regard,
                                                                                       it is worth mentioning the studies carried out by the physician Giovanni Bianchi during
                                                                                       the eighteenth century. He was convinced that the church was built on the behest of San
                                                                                       Gaudenzo, Bishop of Rimini in the fifth century, after the destruction of the city Pantheon,
                                                                                       as reported a century before in the Raccolto istorico by Cesare Clementini [1-2]. Apart
                                                                                       from tradition, a hypothesis about the dating cannot be disregarded without a compari-
                                                                                       son between the oldest extant portions of the structure and the history of the urban con-
                                                                                       text under examination, for which reference should be made to the analysis carried out
                                                                                       by the architect Lazzarini in section 3.2. From a historical point of view it should be noted
                                                                                       however, that scholars are divided on the period of its foundation: for the construction of
                                                                                       San Michelino, D’Agincourt and Rimondini [3-4] have suggested the fifth century, while
                                                                                       Tonini and Turchini [5-6] have proposed the VI century.
A. Peroni, G. Lazzarini, A. Serrau - The Church of San Michelino in Foro in RiminI




                                                                                           In the first case, an Arian commission should be assumed, inserted in a social con-
                                                                                       text that was beginning to benefit from a renewed economic and agricultural impulse.
                                                                                       The reference to Galla Placidia is therefore natural, especially in view of the fact that,
                                                                                       according to the historian Agnello, it was he who ordered the construction of the church
                                                                                       of Santo Stefano around the year 440, in the southern town of Rimini. Between the fifth
                                                                                       and sixth century the Po valley was the scene of many battles, including the so-called
                                                                                       Gothic-Byzantine war, which strongly interested Rimini. The process of deterioration
                                                                                       and decay of the city was in a sense offset by the strengthening of imperial Ravenna
                                                                                       and by the political asceticism of its officials and its clergy: the proximity of Ravenna is
                                                                                       in fact found in the spread of hagiotoponyms of Byzantine Saints, including the same
                                                                                       Michele, as well as architectural techniques such as the use of clay pipes. The hypoth-
                                                                                       esis regarding the dating of the church to the sixth century should therefore be traced
                                                                                       back to the period after the clash between the Goths and the Romans of the East. As a
                                                                                       meeting point between the two theories, the proposal of Gobbi and Sica is of particular
                                                                                       interest. They speculate that an early Christian temple, probably already dedicated to
                                                                                       the Archangel, could possibly date back to the fifth century; it could therefore represent
                                                                                       a kind of intermediate stage between the pagan temple and the church dedicated to
                                                                                       San Michelino [7].
                                                                                           However, we can only assume that the dedication has remained the same since the
                                                                                       beginning, because the first document attesting the presence of the church dates back
                                                                                       to 1144, in the Bull of Pope Lucius II dated May 21. At the request of Bishop Rainerio,
                                                                                       with this document the Court confirmed their rights and properties to the clergy of
                                                                                       Rimini. It listed the churches in the area, of which, among the structures infra civitate,
                                                                                       the “ecclesia sancti Michaelis Archangeli” is the first on the list1. Instead, in a document
                                                                                       dated November 3, 1225 a “Rainerius de hora Sancti Michaelis” is mentioned. This
                                                                                       indication shows the importance of the church in the thirteenth century, such as to give
                                                                                       its name to an area of the city2 [8]. The presence of the Templars, however, is attested
                                                                                       only from 1257, in a document which states that Riclelmus of Forlì “executor et vicarius
                                                                                       a Mutinensi episcopo constitutus in provincia Romandiole et in Marchia Anconitana”
                                                                                       instructed the provost of Rimini to exhort the inhabitants of the city and diocese to pay
                                                                                       contributions on behalf of the milites Templi” [9]. A paper dated 27 July 1283 refers
                                                                                       more clearly to a “Dominus Ranutius de Florentino sive frater mansionis Templi que


                                                                                 156
(...) moratur apud ecclesiam Sancti Michaelis de Arimino”. In another document of
1284, we find “Frater Albertinus de Regio praeceptor domus de militie Arimino pro
ecclesie Sancti Michaelis de Arimino”, which also appears in a parchment of the fol-
lowing year: “Frater de Albertinus de Regio ordinis militie Templi de nomine dicte mili-
tie”. It appears he is still tutor in the lists of tithes that go from 1290 to 1292, because
together with the first and third payment of 1290, he also pays for the “mansio” of SS.
Simone and Giuda located in Budrio di Longiano, which evidently was dependent on
San Michelino3. We are then informed about the precautionary expropriation of the
church which took place on 3rd December 1309 as a result of investigations carried
out by Pope Clement V related to the Order in 1308 with the Bull Faciens misericordi-
am: this document states that “Henricus, abbas monasterii Sancte Marie in Cosmedin
Ravennatis, et Henricus, plebanus de Lardença, Pisane diocesis, procuratres domino-
rum R(ainaldi) Ravennatis, et fratris I(ohannis) Pisani, archiepiscoporum, curatorum
et administratorum omnium bonorum ordinis milicie Templi Ierosolimitani in provincia
Romaniole et aliarum parcium, ornamenta et alia utensilia ecclesie Sancti Michaelis de
Arimino, ordinis predicti, ut in inventario continetur, presbytero Gaudencio, capellano
ibidem, in custodiam consignarunt et mandaverunt eidem, quod hodie per totam diem
asignet dictas res duobus parochianis ipsius ecclesie et maxime Sampirolo, eiusdem
ecclesie parochiano”4. In 1310 two Templars of San Michelino from Cesena, Giovanni
da Todi and Andrea da Siena, were interrogated. As a result, we are able to obtain a
great deal of information about life inside the mansio of Rimini: in fact, on sheet 49r,
we read that the “presbiter Iohannes de Tuderto (...) interrogatus quot fuerunt plures
fratres in conventu seu loco, ubi moram contraxit ex quo fuit professus ordinem illum,
respondit quod tres”; on sheet 50v concerning the article “Item quod elimosine” he
replied that “numquam fuit utra mare, nec contraxit moram in aliquo loco ordinis, nisi
in Arimino” and further stated that “in Arimino, ubi morabatur, fiebat die dominico eli-
mosina generalis et aliis diebus dabatur omnibus petentibus panis; et, si qui forenses




                                                                                                     CONSERVATION SCIENCE IN CULTURAL HERITAGE
venissent ad domum, curialiter recipiebantur” [11].
     Following the final abolition of the milites Templi on April 3 of that year, on May 2
the Bull Ad providam Christi vicarii was issued, which transferred ownership of the
Order’s properties to the Knights Hospitaller. Pursuant to this measure, on August
7, the Giovannita monk Atto received the church of San Michelino in Foro from the
subsecutore Filippo, after reprimanding Malatestino Malatesta, who had apparently
taken advantage of the freezing of the Templar assets to take undue possession of
them5 [12]. In a document dated 8th January 1368 reported by Garampi, it is claimed
that Brother Leonardo di Francesco da Forte, praeceptor Templi Sancti Michaelis de
Arimino Ordinis Ierosolimitani, was assigned the church of San Simone de Butrio ter-
ritori Ariminensis6. As a result, the Hospitallers took possession of most Templar prop-
erties and re-organised them locally. San Michelino, thus, did not lose its authority, but
was able to strengthen it: this is particularly evident not only in the network of churches
dependent on it and in the emphyteutic goods it provided, but also in the legacies that
were donated. One example is that dated August 22, 1391, in the will of domina Felixia
filia quondam Cini del Monte Loccho et postea uxor Iohannis quondam filii Petri cenci-
arii de contrata Sancti Micchaelis civitatis Arimini et nunc de dicta contrata, who “item
reliquit ecclesie Sancti Micchaelis civitatis Arimini pro tabula altaris pingenda et incoata
unum ducatum auri”7 [8].
     Recent studies by Oreste Delucca about 15th Century Rimini also give us informa-
tion about the patrimonial situation of San Michelino during the 1400s, together with


                                                                                               157
                                                                                       the church of San Marco, also owned by the order of the Knights Hospitaller. In ad-
                                                                                       dition to some lands, they also possessed two hospitales in the city: the hospice of
                                                                                       Campana and that of San Marco, which had strong connections with the two churches
                                                                                       in Rimini [8]. San Michelino’s progressive detachment from the former Roman forum,
                                                                                       today’s Piazza Tre Martiri, can be  attributed to the same period. This was due to the
                                                                                       inclusion, in the area in front of it, of two buildings used as butcher’s shops. Later,
                                                                                       in 1547, the tower Clock which still exists today, was subsequently erected between
                                                                                       the two buildings. In the second decade of the 1600s, in speaking of the churches of
                                                                                       Rimini, Adimari cited San Michelino by saying “ch’è prebenda dell’illustrissimo com-
                                                                                       mendatore Contarino Venetiano (…) alla qual chiesa è anco anessa la chiesa di San
                                                                                       Sebastiano confraternita”. The same historian also reported how, in 1613, thanks to
                                                                                       the same “commendatore”, “i Minimi frari di San Francesco di Paola (...) hanno avuto
                                                                                       per hospitio movibile nella città nostra, la chiesa di San Michaele Arcangelo, che è
                                                                                       commenda delli cavaglieri di Malta”. The church, therefore, was home for a short time
                                                                                       to this religious Order, which in 1614 had already established itself in a place near the
                                                                                       Chapel of Saint Anthony [13].
A. Peroni, G. Lazzarini, A. Serrau - The Church of San Michelino in Foro in RiminI




                                                                                           The Order of the Knights of Malta held San Michelino in Foro until its suppression in
                                                                                       the early nineteenth century. Many details about life in the church and events that took
                                                                                       place there can be inferred from the analysis of the many remaining cabrei8.


                                                                                          3. Historical and artistic aspects

                                                                                          3.1. The frescoes (Alessandra Peroni)




                                                                                       Figure 1. Part of the fresco representing the Saint, Church of San Michelino in Foro, Rimini.
                                                                                       (Photo by Fabrizio Petrangeli)




                                                                                 158
    As we have seen, documentary sources inform us that the Templars were in San
Michelino from at least the mid-thirteenth century. Therefore, the commission of one
of the most interesting examples of thirteenth-century painting in Romagna can be
attributed to them. It has already been dated by Federico Zeri to the year 1270. It
was found in 1993 under a thick layer of plaster. The image of the so-called “saint of
San Michelino” is, in fact, the only visible portion of a definitely larger cycle, as can be
inferred from the confused forms of another hallowed figure placed to her left with the
same height and spatial setting and by other traces found in the surviving layers of
paint located in the area of the apse (Figure 1) [14].
    There is little left of thirteenth century painting in Rimini, although there were cer-
tainly numerous commissions, in part due to the different religious orders which settled
in the city. One of the rare examples worth mentioning is the head of the Redeemer of
Umbrian-Tuscan style, dating back to the last decade of the thirteenth century; it comes
from the bell tower of the former Cathedral of Santa Colomba, destroyed during the
Second World War and is known to us only thanks to the photo published in the studies
carried out by Turchini and Pasini. The “Maesta”, a work said to be by Cimabue, which
was still visible in the church of San Tommaso in the seventeenth century, has also
disappeared. Further evidence can be found in the school of Giunta’s crucifixes from
the Franciscan convents of Villa Verucchio and Longiano. Their diffusion seems to be
due to the presence of the painter or to at least one of his crosses in Bologna, around
1240 and whose pictorial style became widespread during the second half of the cen-
tury9. However, as Rimondini recalls, in mentioning a letter from Monsignor Garampi to
Giovanni Bianchi dated 21st October 1760, “Nell’ultimo foglietto che ella mi ha favorito
di Venezia, vedo farsi gran caso delle memorie di crocifissi anteriori al 1216; in Rimini
ve n’era fino dal 1160 in 1170; ed io ne ho i documenti”, the work of Riminese painters
was already thriving by the end of the twelfth century. It is therefore logical to assume
that these models inspired the artists of the famous fourteenth-century local school of




                                                                                                        CONSERVATION SCIENCE IN CULTURAL HERITAGE
the master Giotto [14].
    And if the scenario as regards Rimini’s thirteenth century painting is incomplete,
the situation is no different with regard to the coeval artistic production commissioned
by the Templars; the most important evidence in Italy of this is the church of San
Bevignate in Perugia. The cycle of paintings in the nave and choir, dating back to the
seventh decade of the thirteenth century, is characterized by its simple language and
arrangement in decorative geometric frames, its decisive drawing, expressed almost
unhesitatingly with rapid strokes, mostly blacks, reds, yellows and grays and by its
evident sober colors and lines10 [15].
    From an iconographic point of view the image of the saint inside Rimini’s church is
characterized by delicate features and a simple design that give a particularly deep
expressiveness, resulting not only from the intense gaze, but also from the position of
the body. The loss of the paint layer makes it difficult to contextualize and so provide
indications about its identification. It is therefore natural to start from the analysis of the
attributes and the clothing she wears: a strange pear-shaped object in her hands and
a simple brown-coloured monk-like dress with a light veil fastened around her neck like
a scarf decorated with thin fringes that could be defined a scapular. Starting from the
analysis of the object in her hands, Rimondini proposes the theory according to which
the saint might be identified with Saint Brigid of Ireland. The latter is actually depicted
wearing the clothes of an abbess and a candle in her hands or a flame on her head
or, in referring to the miracle of the multiplication of the pats of butter, dressed as a


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                                                                                       peasant or busy distributing dairy products to the poor. As patron saint of Ireland along
                                                                                       with Saint Patrick, she was certainly among the saints venerated by the Templars in
                                                                                       Piacenza, as evidenced by a liturgical manuscript of the Order, currently owned by the
                                                                                       chapter library of Modena [14].
                                                                                          Another interesting hypothesis regarding the identification of the Rimini fresco
                                                                                       comes from Valdameri. He proposes the name of Saint Elisabeth of Hungary, Land-
                                                                                       gravine of Thuringia, who after the death of her husband, left for the Holy Land and
                                                                                       decided to retire in order to conduct a charitable life of asceticism and poverty accord-
                                                                                       ing to Franciscan teachings11. Representations of this saint often refer to the episode
                                                                                       when she fed the multitude that gathered around her and for this reason bread is a
                                                                                       recurrent characteristic. However, in this case, it is natural to ask oneself why a Fran-
                                                                                       ciscan saint is found in a Templar preceptory, also considering the very short time that
                                                                                       this assumption would leave between the spread of the cult subsequent to her death
                                                                                       and the realization of the fresco in Rimini.
                                                                                          Finally, a third thesis can be found in the studies of Rimondini and Giovanardi, based
                                                                                       on the assumption that the surviving fresco does not represent the image of a saint, but
A. Peroni, G. Lazzarini, A. Serrau - The Church of San Michelino in Foro in RiminI




                                                                                       a Virgin of the Annunciation. Rimondini hints at a twelfth-century Annunciation found in
                                                                                       Saint-Martin-de-Fenollar, where the Madonna has similar clothing, even though much
                                                                                       simpler than that of the Riminese saint: what strikes one the most is the object she holds
                                                                                       in her hands, a sort of white ball [14]. As Giovanardi reminds us, in representations of
                                                                                       the Annunciation, as a recurrent object, Mary usually has a spindle in her hands though
                                                                                       often red in colour; to mention a few examples there is that of the church of St. Sophia
                                                                                       in Kiev or that of Santa Maria dell’Ammiraglio in Palermo12. If, according to purely Byz-
                                                                                       antine settings there were traces of the Angel, in a mirrored position or at least in the
                                                                                       proximity of the Madonna, any uncertainty would be dispelled. It should be recalled
                                                                                       that the wall decoration was introduced into the existing context of a relatively small
                                                                                       structure, in which the Archangel would have been found in a more limited and atypi-
                                                                                       cal position. But in fact, to support the hypothesis of the Annunciation, reference to the
                                                                                       particular devotion of the Templars to the Virgin can be made, which is also confirmed
                                                                                       during the interrogation of Cesena. However, there are two reasons for the presence of
                                                                                       Byzantine influence, the first due to the contacts the Order had with the eastern world
                                                                                       and the second due to the continued spread of these styles in Italy, mentioned in any
                                                                                       discussion related to painting on the peninsula in the XIII - XIV centuries.

                                                                                          3.2. The history of the architectural structure through documentary sources
                                                                                          (Giulia Lazzarini)

                                                                                          What is left of the church that once looked onto the ancient Roman forum in Rimini
                                                                                       can still be seen between the present-day streets of “Via IV Novembre” and “Via San
                                                                                       Michelino in foro”; there is a substantial portion of the apse and part of the walls of the
                                                                                       transept. The apse, which is about ten meters high, is divided into two levels: the lower
                                                                                       one is semicircular and characterized by a series of blind arches that occupy its entire
                                                                                       height, while the upper one is pentagonal.
                                                                                          The following section tries to reconstruct the history of the architectural evolution
                                                                                       of the church, obtaining information from documentary sources and bibliographical
                                                                                       references.
                                                                                          The first change to the architectural structure probably occurred when, according
                                                                                       to Clementini, San Gaudenzio, the first bishop and patron saint of Rimini, decided to


                                                                                 160
turn, what was a pagan Pantheon, into a Christian church [2]. It is a common phenom-
enon of syncretism whose effects are unfortunately not described from an architectural
perspective. Similarly, the passage of the church at first under the jurisdiction of the
Templars and then the Knights Hospitaller would certainly have led to changes in the
architecture of the church, which, however, remain unknown to us.
    Later, documentary sources inform us that it was after 1475 the block with the clock
tower was built. This construction obstructed the view from the Church overlooking the
ancient Roman forum. Thus, towards the end of the fifteenth century the reason for the
church being called “in foro” was lost. Consequently, the view of the church changed
spatially and it lost its role in the design of the most ancient square of Rimini.
    In the nineteenth century, the French archaeologist and historian D’Agincourt docu-
mented the plan of the church of San Michelino. D’Agincourt supposed that the origin
of the church dated back to the fifth century [3]. The Riminese historian Turchini, on the
other hand, dates the construction of the church back to the sixth century [6]. However,
both agree, as Clementini does, in affirming that the church was not built ex novo, but
was built on the ruins of an earlier Roman construction.
    The analysis of documentary sources runs parallel to a careful ‘reading’ of the walls
of the building. The thesis of the conversion of an earlier Roman building into a church
is thus confirmed by means of an analysis carried out on the base of the apse. It was,
in fact, possible to see that the floor level suggested by the oldest foundation corre-
sponds to the floor level of the ancient Roman road, visible through the holes existing
on Via IV Novembre. Moreover, bricks of Roman origin used for secondary purposes
were used to build the lower part of the apse wall. This fact leads us to suppose the
existence of an earlier Roman building on which the church of San Michelino was built.
    Together with the drawing, D’Agincourt provides a description of the church. He
speaks of it as being one of the oldest examples where the form of the Latin cross has
been applied to a church.




                                                                                                    CONSERVATION SCIENCE IN CULTURAL HERITAGE
    The researcher Bianchi [1] and Tonini say that this last hypothesis is doubtful and
that it is more likely the church was circular in shape and had a dome. In referring to the
church in the late seventeenth century, the fact that there was a dome is confirmed by
Marcheselli [15] and a dome is also mentioned in the architect Valadier’s report about
damage caused by the earthquake in 178613. Thus, it is certain that this dome was
there until 1786, when it probably collapsed during the earthquake (to be rebuilt later,
as can be read in Valadier’s report14).
    Beyond the various assumptions regarding the shape of the original church, from
the analyses carried out on the walls, despite the lack of documentary sources, it can
be hypothesized with reasonable confidence that the plan of the original church was in
the shape of a Latin cross with three apses.
    The moment the church ceased to be a religious building (1806) to become a pri-
vate one and used as a warehouse (1809), is certainly important in the history of the
architectural evolution of the building. Following the loss of its religious function, the
height of the church was divided into two parts with the construction of a new floor. The
construction of this new floor can be dated to the nineteenth century, a date confirmed
by analyzing the building techniques used to realize the timbrel vault15 typical of the
period (and limited temporally). The construction method was therefore used as a dat-
ing tool.
    No longer a church, the building was later subjected to a great many changes. In the
early twentieth century, an elevation was built on the walls of the apse. This led to the


                                                                                              161
                                                                                       total destruction of the dome of the church, which had probably been structured with
                                                                                       terracotta tubules16. After the Second World War, a further elevation was built above
                                                                                       the apse of the church.
                                                                                          In 1957 the building overlooking via IV Novembre next to the church of San Micheli-
                                                                                       no, was demolished and rebuilt. During excavation work the foundations of the apse
                                                                                       were brought to light, making it possible to see the various stages in the development
                                                                                       of the building. Later, because of the demolition and reconstruction of the building
                                                                                       adjacent to the church on the street, Via di San Michelino, in 1984 one of the arms
                                                                                       of the transept of the ancient church was demolished and incorporated into the new
                                                                                       building.
                                                                                          Of fundamental importance for the future of the building was the fortuitous discovery
                                                                                       made in 199317, under a layer of plaster, of a series of multiple overlapping cycles of
                                                                                       frescoes inside the apse of the church. The importance of this finding is due both to
                                                                                       the rarity of examples of painting in Rimini dating from the same era and also in having
                                                                                       drawn attention to the need for a project of restoration and valorization of the entire
                                                                                       building (Figure 2).
A. Peroni, G. Lazzarini, A. Serrau - The Church of San Michelino in Foro in RiminI




                                                                                                  Figure 2. Graphical study of changes to the building through history


                                                                                          3.3. Talking walls: the history of the architectural structure through strati-
                                                                                          graphic analysis (Giulia Lazzarini)

                                                                                          ‘It is not the amount of collected data that makes history, but the critical analysis of
                                                                                       the data relating to the problems under consideration.’ (Mannoni, 1995, [17])

                                                                                          Besides the study of documentary sources, a detailed observation and description
                                                                                       of the building under examination was made with the purpose of understanding how
                                                                                       the building is in fact made, the relationship between the various parts, why they were
                                                                                       built and especially in what chronological order.
                                                                                          Stratigraphic analysis - a tool borrowed from the world of archeology – was used to
                                                                                       identify the various phases of construction of the building and their chronological se-
                                                                                       quence. It was on the basis of the stratigraphic analysis18 and study of the methods of
                                                                                       construction19 of the walls that it was possible to understand the history of the building
                                                                                       from an architectural viewpoint.
                                                                                          The analysis was conducted primarily on the exterior masonry of the apse, since the


                                                                                 162
bricks are not hidden by layers of plaster (Figure 3). In order to analyze the masonry on
Via San Michelino, hidden by plaster, it was necessary to rely on photos dating back to
1943 deriving from a private archive20. In these photos in fact, it is still possible to view
the brickwork without plaster (Figure 4).
    The foundations of the oldest church are visible in the lower part of the apse (strati-
graphic units 101 and 102), on top of which there is a string-course marking the ancient
floor level and a portion of wall built contemporarily (stratigraphic units 103, 104, 114,
115, 116, 117) characterized by the presence of large blind arches (stratigraphic units
105-108 and stratigraphic units 118, 119, 129). At the top of the apse with blind arches
there is a dentil cornice made of brick, built at the same time (stratigraphic unit 140).
    The presence of river gravel aggregates of medium-large grain size (Ø minimum
2mm; maximum Ø 6mm) in the mortar of the lower and upper part of the apse, but not
in the band that ‘splits’ into two parts the large blind arches (stratigraphic unit 113), has
allowed us to establish the existence of different times in construction. The presence
(stratigraphic units 102 and 103) of ocher-colored fired bricks of secondary use was
also noted, which, owing to their size (larger dimension 30x15x7 cm), can be assumed
to be of Roman origin.
    The outer level of the soil must have gradually risen. This led to the need to create
new foundations (stratigraphic breaking units 109-112) and a new base (stratigraphic
unit 113) for the church. The blind arches were then broken into two parts and took on
the appearance seen today. The construction of the new base could also date back
to the eighteenth century after the earthquake of 1786, which, by compromising the
stability of the building, may have made it necessary to carry out some consolidation
work.
    The part of the wall with blind arches and the new base (stratigraphic unit 113) have
very similar sized bricks (prevailing size 26x14x5 for the blind arches; prevailing size
27x15x5 for the new base). It is the different gravel aggregate size of the two mortars




                                                                                                      CONSERVATION SCIENCE IN CULTURAL HERITAGE
that makes it possible to distinguish two different construction times.
    However, it is hard to determine the relative and absolute dating of the stratigraphic
units covering the apse. It is possible to assume that it is plaster dating from the nine-
teenth century, made with natural lime mortar. Instead, plaster made ​​with cement mor-
tar is found on the upper polygonal part, which would suggest a later dating.
    The fourth blind arch from the left has greater stratification. The creation of new
openings (stratigraphic units 136 and 138) almost certainly dates back to the nine-
teenth century. When the church lost its religious function and became a private ware-
house it was necessary, after the construction of an intermediate floor, to open windows
to illuminate the indoor spaces that had been divided. The creation of new openings
probably led to structural collapses that later required consolidation (stratigraphic units
130,131,133). The grating of these openings are made of iron rods using a method of
construction which allows us to date it to the nineteenth century21, probably at the same
time the openings themselves were made.
    The stratigraphic analysis of the existing portion of the church transept is extremely
interesting. Clearly discernible is the fact that one rounded arch had been filled with a
nonbearing wall (stratigraphic unit 146). This wall is evidently made of bricks of sec-
ondary use with a mortar bed of slaked lime and trimmed joint sealing realized in part
with a mixture of lime and cement mortar.




                                                                                                163
A. Peroni, G. Lazzarini, A. Serrau - The Church of San Michelino in Foro in RiminI




                                                                                                               Figure 3. Stratigraphic analysis of the apse.

                                                                                          On closer observation it can be seen that at the base of the left abutment and on
                                                                                       the left impost of the arch several portions of the wall are visible which would suggest
                                                                                       the start of a second apse with a vault. The negative stratigraphic unit 141 confirms
                                                                                       the hypothesis of the existence of a second apse on the transept: the masonry in fact,
                                                                                       has evident marks of a pickaxe used for the demolition of a portion of wall that leaned
                                                                                       against it. Assuming that the church had a symmetrical shape, we can say that the
                                                                                       church originally had a plan with three apses.
                                                                                          The analysis of the consistency of the masonry shows us that the bricks in the highest
                                                                                       part of the construction are clearly of a later period compared to those of the lower part.
                                                                                       The original covering of the old church was positioned above the cornice with dentils.
                                                                                          As regards the views visible from the Via San Michelino, from the analysis carried
                                                                                       out on a photo of 1943 a number of hypotheses can be made. In the picture, there
                                                                                       are some suspended arches and at the point they are interrupted, is a line of interface
                                                                                       between the two different stratigraphic units. To the right of the arches you can in fact
                                                                                       find a later stratigraphic unit, resting on the masonry with arches. From this it can be
                                                                                       assumed that the nave of the church ended where the arches end and that the view
                                                                                       giving onto Via San Michelino visible today is subsequent to it.
                                                                                          To conclude, the history of such a complex architectural structure can emerge only
                                                                                       from a combined reading of the documentary sources and the walls. Walls often speak
                                                                                       more than documents in archives. It is by learning to listen to the story that walls have
                                                                                       to tell us that we can come to understand the importance and complexity of the archi-
                                                                                       tectural heritage that surrounds us and which unfortunately is, more often than not,
                                                                                       ignored.



                                                                                 164
  Figure 4. Stratigraphic analysis on a photo of 1943; hypothetical plan of the original Church



   4. Technical-conservative aspects

   4.1. Evaluation of the state of conservation (Andrea Serrau)

    The church presents an extremely complex situation. In addressing the issue of
conservation and restoration it was deemed appropriate to consider only the apsidal
area of the church of San Michelino. This is because it is the most visible part that
remains and presents the largest area of deterioration - a difficult situation to deal with
from a conservative point of view.
    As a first consideration on the state of conservation, it is necessary to think of deg-
radation as the result of involuntary actions and that as regards its formation and de-




                                                                                                        CONSERVATION SCIENCE IN CULTURAL HERITAGE
velopment, is related to natural processes. Signs of degradation caused by human
actions may also be considered, on condition that they are realized in an indirect and
unintentional22 way. It is important however, to exclude actions which deliberately dis-
figure buildings as phenomena of degradation. These aspects will be included in the
following analysis in order to choose more precise restoration interventions, under the
wording of ‘inconsistent interventions’.
    The main aspect of deterioration in the church of San Michelino is the carbonic
deposit present on the entire surface of the apse and the masonry above it. The main
cause of degradation in the building is therefore of an extrinsic nature23, that is, de-
pendent on humans or rather on atmospheric pollution and above all, on the proxim-
ity of garages (this obviously entails constant contact with exhaust pipes). This is an
actual24 and continuous25 cause, which will continue to act on the structure even after
a restoration intervention. This means a scheduled upkeep is necessary. In addition,
it would be useful to create new parking places and to remove the garages directly in
front of the apse in order to reduce the progressive damage to the building. The above-
mentioned carbonic deposits are the source of black crusts in several parts where
there is poor runoff caused by projections and overhangs.
    Also due to human action is the presence of greasy oily superficial deposits of a yel-
low color, found in the immediate vicinity of the exhaust fan of a restaurant. In this case
too, the cause is extrinsic, actual and continuous: once the effects of degradation are
removed from the structure, it is essential to eliminate the agent, too.

                                                                                                  165
                                                                                          Additional phenomena of deterioration are due to meteoric water26, which, not be-
                                                                                       ing adequately channeled, causes runoff and penetrates the masonry: this causes the
                                                                                       mortar to disintegrate and the plaster to become detached from its support. Once the
                                                                                       damage caused by the rainwater has been removed, since it is impossible to eliminate
                                                                                       the source completely (extrinsic, actual, continuous), it will be necessary to limit its
                                                                                       action by creating  an adequate system of collection and removal of the water and to
                                                                                       replace the missing elements made of brick in the dentil cornice. In the polygonal part
                                                                                       above the apse, there are widespread phenomena of erosion in the mortar joints. This
                                                                                       erosion can jeopardize the resistance of the masonry owing to the infiltration of water
                                                                                       and is caused by the action of atmospheric agents, in particular by alternate cycles of
                                                                                       imbibition and desiccation and the crystallization of dissolved salts which are then re-
                                                                                       deposited in the meteoric water.
                                                                                          Among other phenomena of degradation27 are also included invasive plants and
                                                                                       biological patinas, even though limited. The presence of a greenish layer of biological
                                                                                       origin is localized in the exposed north-eastern part of the masonry and is generally
                                                                                       caused by the total lack of sunshine during the day.
A. Peroni, G. Lazzarini, A. Serrau - The Church of San Michelino in Foro in RiminI




                                                                                          In some parts of the masonry, phenomena of pulverization of the bricks can be
                                                                                       noted and are mainly due to intrinsic causes; that is to say, a poor firing of the brick or
                                                                                       the presence of nodules of calcite in a number of them. Pulverization affects the bricks
                                                                                       at different depths, which entails carrying out different kinds of intervention.
                                                                                          The realization of new openings in the fourth blind arch from the left caused the col-
                                                                                       lapse of parts of the wall: as a result, there are quite extensive areas in the masonry,
                                                                                       where the bricks are missing.
                                                                                          The few visible cracks on the surface of the structure, probably due to past earth-
                                                                                       quakes, appear to be confined to following the direction of the joints of the bricks that
                                                                                       make up the walls.

                                                                                          4.2. On the possibility of restoration (Andrea Serrau)

                                                                                           The restoration project is not only a series of initial and sterile surveys that is an end
                                                                                       in itself, it becomes an integral part of the architectural planning, directly linked with the
                                                                                       difficult task of saving the existing structure. A good restoration project has to conform
                                                                                       to the following concepts: minimal intervention, reversibility, compatibility, durability,
                                                                                       authenticity, upkeep [18].
                                                                                           The first question is related to when to intervene on the materials and the phenom-
                                                                                       ena of degradation visible on them. As restoration is always traumatic, it is important
                                                                                       to operate only when the conditions of the asset are so poor that its durability over
                                                                                       time is threatened. The principle of minimal conservative intervention is therefore the
                                                                                       fundamental element to properly proceed in the restoration of an ancient building [18].
                                                                                       Any part of it able to withstand the test of time deserves to be consolidated and con-
                                                                                       served. The minimal intervention principle, when carried out following a set timetable
                                                                                       is, socially and economically, the most convenient. The minimal intervention logic is,
                                                                                       however, extremely vast and should not induce one to do as little as possible only to
                                                                                       force the concept in a paroxysmal form, keeping for example, historical stratifications
                                                                                       which are or may be harmful for the structure28.
                                                                                           Cesare Brandi in his 1963 Theory of restoration [19]  states that “the essential aim
                                                                                       of restoration is not only to ensure the existence of the building in the present, but also
                                                                                       to ensure its transmission into the future. Since no-one can be sure the structure will


                                                                                 166
need further interventions, even simple conservative ones, they have to facilitate and
not preclude further interventions”. Thus emerges the tough concept of reversibility:
the restoration intervention should be reversible in order to subsequently better oper-
ate using methods and materials which are physiological and best suited to the asset.
    On this point, Carbonara suggests “at least potential reversibility of expected or ef-
fected works, on which to work by means of adding is better than working by removing,
seeing as an addition, as a rule, is removable, while removal is permanent”.
    Compatibility means not only chemical-physical compatibility with pre-existing ma-
terials or mechanical compatibility between old and new materials, but also compat-
ibility of a critical order. Compatibility may also refer to decisions about the legitimacy
of reutilizing a historical building and to what extent it should be allowed.
    In order to be consistent with the concept of durability, it is fundamental that each
restoration or substitution intervention is carried out using elements that are as lasting
as the original parts. The concept of durability can be considered as a further specifica-
tion in the above-mentioned concept of compatibility: whether for restoration or substi-
tution, it is important to choose materials that have similar characteristics to the original
ones over time. It is however necessary to recognize any integrations effected, in order
to distinguish the original parts from the inserted ones (concept of authenticity).

   4.3. Restoration hypothesis for the masonry of the apsidal area (Andrea Serrau)

   After thorough analysis of the degradation phenomena, a hypothesis of intervention
can be made by listing the processes in order of execution (Figure 5). The different in-
terventions are divided into operations of removal (Rm), protection (Pr), cleaning (Cl),
consolidation (Co), analysis (An) and restoration (Re).
   REMOVAL OF VEGETATION (Rm 1) set by disinfestation treatment with a low-
toxicity weed killer.




                                                                                                      CONSERVATION SCIENCE IN CULTURAL HERITAGE
   REMOVAL OF CEMENT MORTAR INTEGRATIONS (Rm 2) through the use of mi-
cro sand-blasting equipment and tools with a chemical-abrasive action, being careful
not to damage the integrity of the masonry.
   STUCCOING OPERATION TO SAVE EDGES (Co 1) on the partially detached plas-
ter parts. The stuccoing must be done using a mortar made with hydraulic lime, being
careful to leave small holes in the lower part of the stucco to allow for successive injec-
tions to strengthen the plaster.
   WATERCLEANING/HYDROBLASTING (Cl 1) over the entire masonry surface us-
ing water at low pressure and a sorghum brush.
   REMOVAL OF BIOLOGICAL PATINA (Cl 2) with a soft-bristled brush and disinfec-
tion of the surface using chemical compounds with biocide action, based on the differ-
ent biological species and to be assessed through direct testing.
   DIFFUSE CLEANING WITH NEBULIZED WATER (Cl 3) with possible addition of
resins and ionic exchange and not hot. Cleaning will be done by means of brushing
with a sorghum brush.
   REMOVAL OF BLACK CRUSTS (Cl 4) through mechanical intervention with high-
precision micro sand-blasting tools or through precise application of clay (attapulgite)
and distilled water compresses.
   REMOVAL OF WHITISH FORMATIONS (Cl 5) caused by an excess of soluble
mineral salts on the surface, through precise application of clay and de-ionized water
compresses. The operation of positioning and removal of the clay compresses (5-10


                                                                                                167
                                                                                       mm thick) may be repeated several times until the whitish patina is fully eliminated.
                                                                                           REMOVAL OF DEPOSITS OF GREASY AND OILY SUBSTANCES (Cl 6) through
                                                                                       compresses made with alkaline solutions of ammonia, butylamine, dimethylformamide
                                                                                       and amyl acetate. Application time should be established and calibrated by carrying
                                                                                       out tests on portions of the surface.
                                                                                           STRATIGRAPHIC ASSAY OF THE PLASTER (An 1) in order to understand the dif-
                                                                                       ferent characteristics of the layers of colors and the type of adhesion the plaster has
                                                                                       to its support.
                                                                                           CONSOLIDATION OF THE PARTIALLY DETACHED PLASTER (Co 2) initially pro-
                                                                                       ceeding with the elimination of dust and earth by means of suction tools, from the
                                                                                       cavity formed between the layer of plaster and its support. The cavity will then be
                                                                                       washed using injections of water and alcohol. After damping the surface of the plaster,
                                                                                       a mixture of natural hydraulic mortar with added acrylic resins will be injected. The final
                                                                                       stage involves using manual pressure on the plaster in order to make it adhere better
                                                                                       to the support masonry.
                                                                                           ETHYL SILICATE TREATMENT (Pr 1) of the mortar joints that are no deeper than
A. Peroni, G. Lazzarini, A. Serrau - The Church of San Michelino in Foro in RiminI




                                                                                       2 cm.; their erosion should not be greatly advanced in order not to compromise the
                                                                                       integrity and water tightness of the masonry.
                                                                                           REINTEGRATION OF JOINTS (Re 1) thicker than 2 cm using mortar made with
                                                                                       slaked lime, with similar characteristics to that of the original in composition, particle-
                                                                                       size and aggregate coloring. The joint will be made by re-pointing using the maximum
                                                                                       indentation possible and being careful to ensure the masonry is protected from water
                                                                                       infiltration. Two different types of mortar will be realized for the integration: one for
                                                                                       the oldest part of the masonry and the other for the part constructed in the early XX
                                                                                       century.
                                                                                           PROTECTIVE TREATMENT OF PULVERIZED BRICKS (Pr 2) to a depth of not
                                                                                       more than 3-4 cm through imbibition with ethyl silicate.
                                                                                           PROTECTIVE TREATMENT OF THE REMAINING LAYER (Pr 3) by brushing over
                                                                                       with ethyl silicate.
                                                                                           REINTEGRATION OF PULVERIZED BRICKS (Re 2) to a depth greater than 3-4
                                                                                       cm. Reintegration will be performed substituting the old bricks with hand-made bricks
                                                                                       of the same size and color as the original ones laid in the undercut.
                                                                                           REINTEGRATION OF INCONSISTENT INTERVENTIONS (Re 3) to be removed.
                                                                                       Reintegration will be performed substituting the old bricks with hand-made bricks of the
                                                                                       same size and color as those laid in the undercut of the original masonry.
                                                                                           REINTEGRATION OF THE MISSING BRICK ELEMENTS (Re 4) whose presence
                                                                                       is fundamental also from a structural point of view. The procedure consists in disman-
                                                                                       tling the joints, then raising the structural subsidence with jacks to subsequently rein-
                                                                                       tegrate the joints by inserting fiberglass hinges. Reintegration will be performed using
                                                                                       a stitch-unstitch technique with hand-made bricks of the same size and color as the
                                                                                       original ones laid in the undercut. As regards the joints, the previously given instruc-
                                                                                       tions for reintegration of joints are to be followed.
                                                                                           COMPENSATION OF THE FRACTURES (Co 3) created in points subjected to par-
                                                                                       ticular mechanical stress along the weakest lines of the masonry. Since the damage
                                                                                       to the masonry is confined to the direction of the joints without compromising the in-
                                                                                       tegrity of the bricks, only compensation of the fracture will be executed. In the case
                                                                                       of a deeper fracture being found, such as to have damaged some of the bricks, the
                                                                                       damaged parts will be substituted.


                                                                                 168
   APPLICATION OF A THIN COATING (Pr 4) to protect the masonry and the remain-
ing original plaster. The coating will be done using natural lime water.
   RECONSTITUTION OF THE THIN LAYER OF PLASTER (Pr 5) with whitewash,
realized with whitewash, to protect the masonry.
   RECONSTITUTION OF THE PLASTER (Pr 6) with natural lime mortar using appro-
priate measures according to particle-size and composition, regulating the dose and
tone of the aggregates in order to avoid further coloring phases.
   SUBSTITUTION OF MISSING ELEMENTS (Pr 7) in the cornice and realization of a
protective container in ‘cocciopesto’ (flooring material made of a compound based on
hydraulic lime and crushed bricks).




                                                                                                 CONSERVATION SCIENCE IN CULTURAL HERITAGE




              Figura 5. Restoration hypothesis on masonry of the apsidal area

  4.4. Conservation state of mural paintings (Giulia Lazzarini)

   The paintings29 are found in the apse of the old church. The room in which the paint-
ings are located, which is privately owned at present, is used as a storage space and
has no heating system or adequate lighting. In the left part of the apse, close to the
portion of painting portraying the Saint, there is an opening with an old wooden frame
which is poorly sealed and gives rise to widespread phenomena of moisture infiltra-
tion. These infiltrations can lead to different processes of alteration, among which the

                                                                                           169
                                                                                       most important are the disintegration of the plaster and superficial deposits, due to the
                                                                                       migration and recrystallization of soluble salts, and the possible chromatic alteration of
                                                                                       the pigments of the wall painting. The opening also has dangerous structural damage
                                                                                       and is supported by a temporary wood prop. As the owners have repeatedly expressed
                                                                                       their willingness to proceed with the detachment of the more readable portion of wall
                                                                                       painting (the Saint), improvement of temperature and humidity conditions in situ have
                                                                                       never been given any consideration.
                                                                                          In the portion of mural painting brought to light several successive phases of reali-
                                                                                       zation are detectable. In addition to the phase of the Saint (dated around 1270), there
                                                                                       are in fact at least two other phases, dated to later periods. The fact that the painting
                                                                                       of the Saint was followed by later pictorial phases may be the reason why there are
                                                                                       widespread small gaps in the plaster (subject to reintegration in the case of pictorial
                                                                                       restoration) caused by treating the surface with marteline in preparation for the spread-
                                                                                       ing of a new layer of plaster without resorting to the intermediate layer of arriccio (spic-
                                                                                       chettature) 30.
                                                                                          In addition to these small gaps, whole portions in the layer of plaster and arriccio are
A. Peroni, G. Lazzarini, A. Serrau - The Church of San Michelino in Foro in RiminI




                                                                                       missing, which it is believed will be difficult to reintegrate in the event of any restoration
                                                                                       work.

                                                                                           5. Conclusions: guidelines for a project of valorization and restoration

                                                                                           Considering the degraded condition of the building and having hypothesized resto-
                                                                                       ration interventions on the masonry, it is essential to focus on developing a project for
                                                                                       its restoration and valorization.
                                                                                           As previously analyzed, the ancient church of San Michelino has completely lost its
                                                                                       original spatiality. In addition, the construction of a vault floor in the nineteenth-century
                                                                                       divides the church into two non-communicating parts. Besides this, the building’s frag-
                                                                                       mentation into several properties makes the reading of the architecture more difficult.
                                                                                           With an architectural restoration project, it is hoped that the continuity and read-
                                                                                       ability of the church spaces are restored as much as possible, since the vault floors
                                                                                       are considered valuable due to their historical stratification. The main objective should
                                                                                       therefore be to reinstate communication between all the rooms in the church. The crea-
                                                                                       tion of an adequate entrance system is necessary, which may give back the recogniz-
                                                                                       able exterior it once had at the front of the building and which today is absent; today,
                                                                                       the remains of an old church can be identified only in the apsidal part, visible from the
                                                                                       Via IV Novembre.
                                                                                           With the aim of better redefining the original spatiality of a Latin cross with a single
                                                                                       nave, it is indispensable to eliminate the partitions present at basement level in order to
                                                                                       create a uniform space, a valuable space where visitors have the possibility of admir-
                                                                                       ing one of the most ancient buildings in Rimini.


                                                                                       Notes
                                                                                       1
                                                                                           Archivio Vescovile di Rimini, perg. n. 275, copy of the original made ​​in the fifteenth
                                                                                           century.
                                                                                       2
                                                                                           Archivio di Stato di Rimini (ARSn), ex Fondo Principale 93 Regesto Nardi.
                                                                                       3
                                                                                           All three documents are kept in ASRn, Fondo Diplomatico, D.I.4, Miscellanea quad-


                                                                                 170
     erno delle pensioni dell’Ospedale di S. Lazzaro del Terzo. As regards the payment
     of tithes, see A., Nasalli Rocca E., Sella P. (edited by), 1933, Rationes decimarum
     Italiae nei secoli XIII e XIV, Aemilia, pp. 64, 72, 83, 91, 101, 105.
4
     Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, Ms. lat. 2573, 92 (2), original cited by [11] p. 300.
5
     Archivio Storico Abbaziale di Nonantola, Serie registri, 5, Protocollo Notaio Ber-
     tolino Speciari, carte VIIv-XVIv; Tiraboschi G., 1784-1785, Storia dell’augusta Badia
     di San Silvestro di Nonantola, Società Tipografica, Modena, II, p. 409; Fantuzzi M.,
     1801-1806, Monumenti ravennati dei secoli di mezzo, per la maggior parte inediti,
     Venezia, VI, pp. 124-125.
6
     Garampi G., Schede, Biblioteca Gambalunga Rimini, Sc-Ms 200, n. 1063.
7
     ASRn, Archivio storico comunale, vol. AP 756,c. 57. See Delucca O., 1997, Artisti a
     Rimini fra gotico e rinascimento: rassegna di fonti archivistiche, Patacconi, Rimini,
     p. 478.
8
     Most of this documentation is kept in ASRn, the Royal Malta Library and Archivio del
     Gran Priorato dell’Ordine di Malta in Venice.
9
     Refer to Pasini P.G., Turchini A. 1975, La cattedrale riminese di santa Colomba,
     Cesena, p. 92; Pasini P. G., 1998, Medioevo fantastico e cortese: arte a Rimini tra
     Comune e Signoria, Musei Comunali, Rimini, p. 49; Valagussa G., 1995, Prima di
     Giotto, in Il Trecento riminese. Maestri e botteghe tra Romagna e Marche, Electa,
     Milano, pp. 72 ss.
10
     For the history and frescoes of the Church of San Bevignate in Perugia see Roncetti
     M., Scarpellini P., Tommasi F. (edited by), 1987, Templari e Ospitalieri in Italia. La
     chiesa di San Bevignate a Perugia, Electa, Milano.
11
     Online Archive by Carlo Valdameri dedicated to medieval iconography: http://
     spazioinwind.libero.it/iconografia/Michelinoabside.htm [accessed on 19/08/2012].
12
     The skein of purple wool for the veil destined for the Temple. �������������������
                                                                         Giovanardi A., Zuc-
     cari A., 2008, Un filo rosso tra le dita. L’annunciazione nell’oriente cristiano, Terra




                                                                                                       CONSERVATION SCIENCE IN CULTURAL HERITAGE
     Ferma, Vicenza.
13
     Archivio di Stato di Rimini, perizia dei danni del terremoto del 24/12/1786, AP 619,
     c.97
14
     Archivio Documenti Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici e Paesaggistici di
     Ravenna, busta 42 fascicolo 336, 9 Febbraio 1995; also Tonini also speaks of an
     inscription that should have been on the outside of the Church door. The inscription
     referred to the restoration work carried out after the earthquake and completed in
     1788. [16].
15
     Corresponding to the Italian ‘volte in foglio’ , it refers to a vault made with bricks
     which are laid using the smallest size of the brick in the thickness of the vault (bricks
     are laid lengthwise).
16
     The assumption that the dome had been built with terracotta tubules derives from
     the fact that some of these tubules were reused to build the upper part of the wall of
     the apse.
17
     Architect Andrea Ugolini found the paintings while working on moving the sewage
     pipe in one of the upper floor apartments.
18
     All constructions and demolitions in the building overlap each other. Stratigraph-
     ic analysis consists in the study of these different moments of construction and
     demolition(stratification). Stratigraphic units (u.s.or US, which stands for ‘unità
     stratigrafica’ in Italian) are the basic elements of stratigraphic analysis.
     There are different types of u.s.: positive u.s., the result of one intentional con-


                                                                                                 171
                                                                                            structive action (given using one identification number); coating u.s., that is posi-
                                                                                            tive (given using a circled identification number); negative u.s., when there are evi-
                                                                                            dent marks of intentional removal of material which occurred unitarily (given with a
                                                                                            squared number). Two different u.s. can appear in relation to anteriority, posteriority
                                                                                            or contemporaneity with respect to each other. Different forms of dating can result:
                                                                                            relative dating which place stratigraphic units temporally in relation to each other;
                                                                                            absolute dating which give real dates; direct dating (through information deriving
                                                                                            from the building); indirect dating(from documentary sources external to the arti-
                                                                                            fact).
                                                                                            Conventional symbology is used to refer to the different u.s.:
                                                                                            The arrow ( ▼ ) indicates the posteriority of the u.s. which contains the arrow itself
                                                                                            with respect to the one towards which the arrow tip is directed;
                                                                                            The symbol ( ~ ) between two adjacent u.s., indicates contemporaneity;
                                                                                            The symbol ( м ) shows the presence of a breaking line between two u.s.
                                                                                       19
                                                                                            Analysis of the construction materials which make up the building. Through the indi-
                                                                                            viduation of the method of construction and of the material it is possible to date the
A. Peroni, G. Lazzarini, A. Serrau - The Church of San Michelino in Foro in RiminI




                                                                                            building to a specific historical period (absolute dating) or to determine the relation-
                                                                                            ship between different moments of construction (relative dating).
                                                                                       20
                                                                                            We thank Mr Zavatta for the photos of 1943.
                                                                                       21
                                                                                            The method for constructing this type of iron bar was gradually lost in the twentieth
                                                                                            century, because of the difficulty of execution.
                                                                                       22
                                                                                            For example, phenomena of weathering or others connected with fire or similar
                                                                                            events.
                                                                                       23
                                                                                            Alteration and degradation mechanisms can be originated by causes external to
                                                                                            the building, that is extrinsic causes, which are always present in some measure
                                                                                            and sometimes depend on weaknesses in the building itself, in other words intrinsic
                                                                                            causes.
                                                                                       24
                                                                                            “Actual cause” is an active cause present at the moment of the analysis.
                                                                                       25
                                                                                            In speaking of continuous, isolated or cyclic causes, a distinction is made based on
                                                                                            the frequency of their action. The recognition of a cyclic cause is essential, because
                                                                                            its action will recur, while an isolated cause happens only once.
                                                                                       26
                                                                                            The main extrinsic and natural cause of degradation is water, able to act both at a
                                                                                            chemical and physical level. Water is the origin of phenomena of poor freeze resis-
                                                                                            tance and salt crystallization; it is a natural solvent and as such may lead to chemi-
                                                                                            cal degradation and phenomena of salt depositing. It allows the growth of biological
                                                                                            organisms and may be present in building in the form of dampness. Water may also
                                                                                            be a mechanical cause of degradation in the form of pouring rain that brings about
                                                                                            the erosion of certain materials or in the form of snow that accumulates and puts
                                                                                            pressure on the structure below.
                                                                                       27
                                                                                            Reference is to biological degradation. The word ‘biological’ is used to indicate
                                                                                            those mechanisms, physical or chemical, connected with the action of organic
                                                                                            agents (microorganism or plants). This refers to degradation mechanisms, frequent
                                                                                            in low polluted environments and characterized by high levels of dampness and
                                                                                            temperature, poor ventilation, presence of light source and organic materials. Physi-
                                                                                            cal degradation is mainly influenced by the mineralogical composition, the grain and
                                                                                            the weave of the materials. Mechanical actions of the atmospheric agents (wear),
                                                                                            phenomena connected to internal tension or changes in state, such as evaporation
                                                                                            or condensation.


                                                                                 172
28
      For example, the above-mentioned ‘inconsistent intervention’.
29
      It should be noted that owing to the difficulty in accessing the apse, which is private
      property, it was not possible to perform a detailed analysis of the wall paintings.
      Analyses and considerations were therefore elaborated on the basis of documen-
      tary sources found in the Archivio documenti della Soprintendenza ai Beni architet-
      tonici e paesaggistici of Ravenna and on photographic documentation.
30
      The ‘arriccio’ is the second of the three consecutive layers typical of the traditional
      technique of the fresco or of the plaster finishing on brick walls. The purpose of ‘ar-
      riccio’ is to facilitate the cohesion of the last layer of plaster. Realizing a plasterwork
      on an existing plaster, in order to avoid ‘arriccio’, the procedure of ‘spicchettature’
      may sometimes be used and consists in treating the existing surface with a pick
      called ‘martellina’.


      References

[1]      BIANCHI G., 1751, Raccolta di dissertazioni intorno l’inscrizione del Panteo Sa-
         gro d’Arimino
[2]      CLEMENTINI C., 1969 (facsimile reproduction of the edition 1617-1627), Rac-
         colto istorico della fondazione di Rimino e dell’origine e vite de’ Malatesti, I, Forni,
         Bologna
[3]      D’AGINCOURT J. S., 1828, Storia dell’arte dimostrata coi monumenti dalla sua
         decadenza nel IV secolo fino al suo rinnovamento nel XVI, V, Fratelli Giacchetti,
         Prato
[4]      RIMONDINI G., 2007, San Michelino in Foro 2: la chiesa dei Templari, in Ari-
         minum: periodico bimestrale del Rotary Club Rimini, 2007.2, pp. 14-15, Rotary
         Club Rimini, Rimini
[5]      TONINI L., 1971 (facsimile reproduction of the edition 1856), Rimini dal principio




                                                                                                          CONSERVATION SCIENCE IN CULTURAL HERITAGE
         dell’era volgare al MCC, con appendice di monumenti, Ghigi, Rimini
[6]      TURCHINI A., 1992, Rimini medievale. Contributi per la storia della città, Ghigi,
         Rimini
[7]      GOBBI G., Sica P., 1982, Le città nella storia d’Italia, Rimini, Laterza, Bari
[8]      DELUCCA O., 2006, L’abitazione riminese del Quattrocento. La casa cittadina,
         Patacconi, Rimini
[9]      BATTAGLINI F. G., 1789, Memorie istoriche di Rimino e de’ suoi signori artata-
         mente scritte ad illustrare la zecca e la moneta riminese, Stamperia di Lelio dalla
         Volpe, Bologna
[10]     MARIANI M., 1994, Gli Ordini Ospitalieri in Romagna, in Pellegrini, crociati e
         Templari, pp. 177-253, Moderna, Castrocaro
[11]     TOMMASI F. (edited by), 1996, Acri 1291: la fine della presenza degli ordini mili-
         tari in Terra Santa e i nuovi ordinamenti nel XIV secolo, Quattroemme, Perugia
[12]     MARIANI M., 1995, Il fenomeno dei pellegrinaggi nel medioevo, in Templari,
         miniere e pittori nella storia antica di Sant’Agata. Atti del convegno di studi storici,
         pp. 41-55, Il Ponte, Rimini
[13]     ADIMARI R., 1616, Sito riminese, Tipografia di G.B. e A. Bozzoli, Brescia
[14]     RIMONDINI G., 2007, San Michelino in Foro 3: nell’abside una rarissima testi-
         monianza della pittura del Duecento a Rimini, in Ariminum: periodico bimestrale
         del Rotary Club Rimini, n.3, pp. 20 – 21, Rotary Club Rimini, Rimini
[15]     CURZI G., 2002, La pittura dei Templari, Silvana Editoriale, Cinisello Balsamo

                                                                                                    173
                                                                                       [16] MARCHESELLI C.F., 1754, Pitture delle chiese di Rimini, Alfa, Bologna
                                                                                       [17] TONINI L., 1975, Rimini dopo il Mille ovvero illustrazione della pianta di questa
                                                                                            città quale fu specialmente fra il secolo 13 e 14, Ghigi, Rimini
                                                                                       [18] MUSSO S.F., 2004, Recupero e restauro degli edifici storici: guida pratica al
                                                                                            rilievo e alla diagnostica, EPC libri, Roma
                                                                                       [19] CARBONARA G., 2004, Atlante del restauro, Utet, Torino
                                                                                       [20] BRANDI C., 1977, Teoria del restauro, Einaudi, Torino


                                                                                          Biographical notes

                                                                                           Alessandra Peroni, palaeographer, graduated cum laude in 2010 at the Faculty of
                                                                                       Preservation of Cultural Heritage with a thesis entitled Templars in Romagna. In the
                                                                                       following two years she attended the School of Archival, Paleographic and Diplomatic
                                                                                       Studies at the State Archive of Modena and obtained her diploma in 2012. At present
                                                                                       she works as a historian for the company AdArte in Rimini dealing with archival re-
A. Peroni, G. Lazzarini, A. Serrau - The Church of San Michelino in Foro in RiminI




                                                                                       search with particular reference to the XV-XVI centuries.

                                                                                          Giulia Lazzarini, architect, graduated cum laude at the Faculty of Architecture at
                                                                                       the University of Bologna with a dissertation entitled Art and architecture: the restora-
                                                                                       tion and enhancement of the mural paintings in Rimini between 13th and 14th century.
                                                                                       At the same time she attended the Conservatory and graduated in viola and violin. She
                                                                                       is now a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Bologna and at EHESS in Paris with an
                                                                                       interdisciplinary dissertation on music and architecture entitled Luigi Nono: space and
                                                                                       composition.

                                                                                          Andrea Serrau, graduated cum laude in architecture at the Faculty of Architecture
                                                                                       at Cesena with a thesis on Restoration. He is a PhD candidate at the University of Bo-
                                                                                       logna and the École Pratique des Hautes Études of Paris with a thesis entitled: Stile.
                                                                                       Teoria e pratica nell’opera di Viollet-le-Duc. He currently performs professional work in
                                                                                       the field of architecture as well as working as a tutor at the Laboratory of Architectural
                                                                                       Restoration of the Master of Science in Architecture of Cesena.




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