Il restauro delle mura di Ninfa. Il delicato rapporto fra le rovine e il giardino

Ninfa is a unique site of multiple historical, naturalistic and landscape values where coexist the ancient city in the state of ruin, with its outer walls (XI-XIII c.), and the first XXth century ‘english garden’. During the VIII c. the first inhabited centre developed thanks to the abandon of the route along the via Appia, but the maximum extension of the territories controlled by Ninfa date back to the end of the thirteenth century. In 1381 Ninfa was destroyed and neglected. Since that moment started an irreversible degradation. At the beginning of the XX century started a work of study, excavation and restoration of the ruins and the first plantations for the future gardens. The aim of the restoration project and work (2002-2006 and 2011- ongoing) is to preserve the ancient city walls respecting the image of the ‘english garden’, balancing between visibility of ruins and respect for nature. The integration of the studies on the biological problems, on the material aspect and his