Introduction

This site was inaugurated in conjunction with the restoration project for the Cloister of our Monastery. When, in 1998, we noted that the Cloister had reached a critical state of material degradation we decided, in view of our limited financial resources, to seek actively to raise monies necessary for its restoration. Supported in our resolve by His Eminence, Roger Cardinal Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles and Titular Cardinal of the Basilica of Santi Quattro Coronati, we commissioned a group of scientific experts and professionals to prepare grant proposals which could be submitted to foundations and private sponsors. The J. Paul Getty Grant Program of Los Angeles and Sparaco Spartaco S.p.a. of Rome offered the necessary funds for the preparation of a conservation and restoration plan for the Cloister.

Recognition of the historical and artistic merits of the Cloister and of the urgency of conservation and restoration was enhanced when the World Monuments Watch, a program of the World Monuments Fund included the Cloister among its most recent listing of the 100 Most Endangered Sites (AD 2000).

Work on this project began officially on 1 October 1999. The information provided here offers a synthesis of the preliminary results from the studies which have been conducted to date. In conjunction with the preparation of a conservation and restoration plan, a course in architectural conservation has been organized on-site in collaboration with the University of Rome School of Specialization in the Restoration of Monuments. The course is coordinated by Prof. Giovanni Carbonara and Daniela Esposito.

With the conclusion of the planning phase, we hope to begin actual restoration work by the end of 2000. Funding for this phase is urgently required and a bank account has been opened specifically for this purpose with the title "Progetto di restauro del chiostro del monastero dei Ss. Quattro Coronati" with the Bank of Rome, Agency # 209, c/c 651390/31, ABI 3002, CAB 5018.

The project staff supervised by Prof. Giovanni Carbonara, Director of the School of specialization in Restoration of monuments at the University of Rome "La Sapienza" are composed of:

Lia Barelli - architect
Carolina De Camillis - architect
Mara Falconi - architect
Elisabetta Giorgi - architect
Leonardo Lombardi - geologist
Francesca Matera - restorer
Monica Morbidelli - architect
Laura Morgante - architect
Prof. Francesco Piccarreta - engineer
Raffaele Pugliese - archeologist

and supported by a group of collaborators who have assisted with specific professional tasks:

Luisa D'Apote, bibliographic research
Riccardo Fibbi, architect
Federica Gargano, archive research
Maria Laura Santarelli, chemist
Luca Della Santa
Maria Cristina Fabbri
Luca Giuggiolini
Roberta Loreti
Christopher Mc Dowall, translation
Marcella Orrù, restorer
Corinna Ranzi, restorer
Stefania Sirolli

The tecnical support of :

Altair 4 multimedia
Artelab Srl of Lidia Barcellona, chemist and Domenico Poggi, geologist
Solema Costruzioni Generali S.r.l.
Tibercopia di Claudio Castellano

We also extend our gratitude to the following for their kind help and advice:

Ernesto Borrelli, diagnostic expert
Paola Di Manzano, Soprintendenza Archeologica di Roma
Andreina Draghi, Soprintendenza ai Beni Ambientali ed Architettonici di Roma
Father Robert Dodaro, OSA
Giuseppina Filippi, Soprintendenza ai Beni Ambientali ed Architettonici di Roma
Prof. Federico Guidobaldi, archeologist
Ms. Alexandria Lustgarten
Prof. Giovanni Massari, engineer
Laura Mora, international expert on wall paintings and decorated surfaces
Beatrice Moreno, restorer
Roberto Nardi, archeologist
Prof. Giorgio Torraca, chemist