Caput Mundi: Conservative restoration and enhancement of the Aurelian Walls section Piazza S.Giovanni - Piazza di Santa Croce in Gerusalemme

Caput Mundi Next Generation EU for touristic great events (Mission 1, Component 3, Investment 4.3)

Italy’s Recovery and Resilience Plan increases the number of accessible tourist sites in Rome, creating valid and qualified tourist and cultural alternatives with respect to the crowded central areas, as well as increasing the use of digital technologies, enhance green areas and the sustainability of tourism. The investment envisages six lines of interventions:
1. “Roman Cultural Heritage for EU-Next Generation”, covering the regeneration and restoration of cultural and urban heritage and complexes of high historical-architectural value of the city of Rome;
2. “Jubilee paths” (from pagan to Christian Rome), targeted to the enhancement, safety, anti-seismic consolidation, restoration of places and buildings of historical interest and archaeological pathways;
3. #LaCittàCondivisa, covering the redevelopment of sites in peripheral areas;
4. #Mitingodiverde, covering interventions on parks, historical gardens, villas and fountains;
5. #Roma 4.0, covering the digitalization of cultural services and the development of apps for tourists;
6. #Amanotesa, aimed at increasing the supply of cultural offer to peripheries for social integration.

The investment is financed by the Recovery and Resilience Facility by EUR 500 million and includes this project.
The Aurelian Walls restoration from San Giovanni to Santa Croce aims to preserve historical integrity and enhance visitor experience. This includes improving accessibility with new paving, lighting, and opening previously closed walkways like Via Carlo Felice, ensuring safer access to areas like Porta Asinaria. This project is financed by the Recovery and Resilience Facility with EUR 8625000. The restoration of the Aurelian Walls, in the section stretching from the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano to Piazza di Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, represents a significant step forward in the enhancement of Rome’s historical and cultural heritage. The intervention not only aims to preserve the historical integrity of the walls, but will also improve accessibility and the visitor experience along the walking paths toward Porta Asinaria, which are made of gravel. The accessible outdoor areas will be expanded, with the creation of a garden area. Furthermore, the walkway along Via Carlo Felice, which has so far been closed to the public, will be safely opened. The new paving will be made of cocciopesto (building material used in ancient Rome), laid over an aluminum fiber sheet and prepared for a floating installation. This non-invasive dry system allows for the organization of utility lines beneath the floor, ensuring easy maintenance while concealing connections. Additional works are planned to improve access to the towers and internal areas of Porta Asinaria, including lighting installations—both standard and emergency—and handrails. The goal is to offer a richer visitor experience while respecting the site's historical integrity and ensuring the safety and sustainability of the new structures.