Fortress Restoration Advances Amid Challenges in Nago Historical Site
In the hall of fame at the entrance, words like “beautiful” and “Wunderbar” are abundant. Architect Feltre can be satisfied with this.
For “his” Fortress, numerous approvals are pouring in for a restoration that appears, on the surface, to be straightforward. The same can be said for the administrators, past and present, who initially acquired and later restored that 19th-century fortification.
And this is just the beginning. Few have visited it yet, but everyone can already admire it at night from below, when the headlights highlight its shapes.
On the other hand, the Austrian Fortress of Nago has not officially reopened yet. However, over 400 middle school students have already been able to see it, guided by operators from Ecostudio.
Moreover, a chance for a peek was offered during some exhibitions set up in August (the Torbole Jazz exhibition is still open for visitors), and frankly, these take a backseat compared to the austere beauty of the Fortress.
Restoration Projects and Challenges
“There’s a risk that interest in the structure exceeds interest in its content,” says Culture Councillor Pompermaier.
It is almost finished; only a few details remain. And these are not minor, in any case. Firstly, the lighting, explains the architect: movable spotlights on steel cables will illuminate the vaulted brick ceilings of the first floor, which will host exhibition and cultural spaces in general.
All these works are part of the initial project. Then attention will turn to the exterior, for which another 130 million euros have been allocated.
Indeed, the ancient connecting staircase to the lower Fortress needs to be restored. After years of neglect, it is now buried and filled with debris.
And it has been noticed that the outside paving leading to the entrance door needs protection from bikers (always omnipresent). Black scuffs left by brakes on the yellow stones have already been observed.
Of course, issues related to management and the better use of the rooms still need to be resolved. However, clear ideas seem to be taking shape for both aspects as well.
