A new entrance to the underground levels of San Clemente basilica in Rome. A proposal to facilitate and regulate access of many visitors to an archeological monument

San Clemente is one of the most significant archeological complexes in Rome. Here one can visit and see the many different construction phases of an important monument. There is a constant stream of visitors from all over the world who come to visit the basilica and descend to its underground levels. This large number of visitors makes it necessary to improve the system of access and to provide a route through the various levels; first of all to make the visit easier and safer, while at the same time ensuring the preservation of the monument. The provision of a new entrance is also needed in order to give back to the medieval church its proper dignity and not allow it to be simply a passage way to the excavations underneath. Moreover the present arrangement where people have complete freedom to wander through the underground area, gives rise to a sense of disorientation, making it difficult for the visitor to understand the spatial and architectural qualities of the monument. In the last ten years the possibility of creating a new access to the underground levels and of establishing a route to be followed by the visitor to the complex has been widely studied. In addition looking at a particular architectural solution, the project described here pays special attention to meeting general requirements of safety and economy of management, which are essential for the preservation and proper appreciation of this important part of our cultural heritage. Alongside the actual proposed work to be carried out, the project involves the implementation of an organizational plan and an extensive set of teaching aids, creating an integrated management scheme for the monument.