What is it about?
This study explores how scientists and engineers have used gentle, non-invasive techniques to monitor and protect a historic church in L’Aquila, Italy—Santa Maria della Croce—for over 35 years. By using tools that don’t damage the artworks, they’ve tracked changes in their structure, especially after earthquakes, and guided careful restoration efforts. The research shows how long-term testing can help preserve cultural heritage while respecting its original materials and design.
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Why is it important?
This research is unique because it treats Santa Maria della Croce not just as a historic monument, but as a living laboratory. Over 35 years, researchers have applied and refined non-destructive testing methods directly on-site, allowing them to observe how the monument responds to restoration, environmental stress, aging, and seismic events in real time. This long-term, in-situ approach offers rare insights into the dynamic behavior of heritage structures—something that short-term studies or lab simulations can’t replicate. As threats to works of art increase, this work shows how science can actively support their resilience and preservation.
Perspectives
This project has been more than research—it’s been a lifelong journey. For most of my career, I’ve worked alongside Santa Maria della Croce, watching it face earthquakes, aging, and restoration. Treating the church as a living lab meant I could follow its story over time, using science not just to study it, but to help protect it. This publication brings together years of learning and care, and I hope it encourages others to see historic buildings as living witnesses to our shared past.
Prof. Dario Ambrosini
Universita degli Studi dell'Aquila
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Thirty-Five Years of Non-Destructive Testing in Santa Maria Della Croce di Roio Church, L’Aquila, Italy (A.D. 1625): Assessing the Impact of Restoration and Seismic Events, Heritage, October 2025, MDPI AG,
DOI: 10.3390/heritage8110446.
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