The castrum Turricula example of study and research of a possible coexistence between ancient structures and a modern garden.

This paper is a brief summary of a part of the material produced for the degree thesis on “Architecture and Restoration”, concerning the castrum Turricula discussed at the Faculty of Architecture Valle Giulia, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, a.y. 2007/2008, supervisor professor Giovanni Carbonara, co-examiners prof. Daniela Esposito, prof. Michele Curuni, prof. Beatrice Vivio, who are thanked for further advice and availability. Special thanks to the generosity and willingness of Prince Carlo Caracciolo who made it possible to know and study this cultural heritage of great historical-artistic and landscape interest. The castrum Turricula is a fortified settlement of medieval origin, probably remains of an ancient Roman settlement and it is part of a large estate called Torrecchia Vecchia. Torrecchia, found in medieval documents as “Turricula” or “castrum Turriculae”, is essentially unknown to popular and scientific literature. This is largely due to the nature of the settlement, almost invisible to the great ancient ways of communication. By searching among the ancient documents kept at: State Archives, the Archives of the dioceses, the private Archives and historical maps, we have gone back to the ancient boundaries of the castrum and to several changes of ownership. Through direct analysis of masonry techniques of architectural remains of castrum, we have gone back to its functions: originally it had a defensive role and control of the territory, then predominantly housing and finally agricultural. In the twentieth century the castrum Turricula was purchased by the Caracciolo family, and a part of it was restored, in particular the farmhouse, for residential functions and a modern garden has been designed within the walls. The landscape architect Dan Pearson planning the garden has kept in mind Ninfa, historical and natural site a few miles away, but it was the surrounding nature the unavoidable point of reference, the nature has been invited to come inside the castrum. The walls, that demarcate the boundaries of castrum, and the various architectural ruins - the castle, the donjon, the towers, the cistern, the church, the palace, the mill - are embraced by different types of climbers which express themselves with great exuberance, almost to demonstrate the strenght of nature. This has led to an imbalance between the ancient architectural ruins and the nature for the benefit of the latter. The research was directed at finding a possible coexistence between the vegetation and the ruins, among the need of living and the conservation of the monument, even through the use of innovative instruments in the field of architectural surveys, such as GPS, total station TPS and the laser scanner HDS.