The Aqueduct of Lanciano in Abruzzo, Italy: Reading and Interpretation as Means to Preserve an Unknown Landscape

Abstract

Among the elements that characterize the Italian landscape, the historical paths assume a significant interest for the testimonial value they represent. Since the end of 1800 they define the expression of the cultural politics of post-unitary Italy, attributing to the connections the potential of promoting economic and cultural exchanges between people with different history and traditions. To the word “connections” various nets are attributable, as well as infrastructures as aqueducts. In the literature, the theme of the aqueduct is quite examined, as evidenced by the great Romans heritage; this research rather considers the period from late 1800s to early 1900s, during which the projects for the hygienic improvement of Italian cities are included. A time where the technological evolution of hydraulic systems and their graphic representation becomes a means to support the development of Italian industrial society. The territory of the present research is Province of Chieti (Italy), which includes the most important water supply of Abruzzo Region: the Aqueduct of Lanciano. It was built in 1897 to supply the city of Lanciano with the sources of Verde River flowing from the Majella Mountain Range. According to the rules of the modern engineering, the pipeline is completely underground for about 26 km, defying a geologically rugged territory. Its characteristics of non-visibility and non-practicability are a challenge in terms of research and offer a new opportunity to preserve this territory. The aim of this paper/poster is reading and representing the landscape through unusual point of view; indeed they correspond to an underground water course, whose typological path gradually descends from internal sources toward the foothills, identifying specificity of historical and cultural permanence that no other instrument of information design can offer today.