Urban Furniture Restoration in Piazza San Rocco and Alleys by Easter

The work schedule in the city center aims to complete urban furniture in Piazza San Rocco and the three alleys—Lucertola, Faggio, and Usignolo—that lead into it by Easter. The design for the square is signed by Winkler, while the rest is the responsibility of the technical office.

The administration has decided to award all the work through a single contract to save time. The paving is identical to that of Piazza Benacense. The particularity involves the old Church of San Rocco, damaged by a cannon shot fired by Italians during the First World War and subsequently restored and adapted when Giancarlo Maroni redesigned the ancient southern access of the city through the burnt gate.

Only the presbytery and the dome remain of the church. Winkler plans to mark on the square’s pavement the foundation of the temple as it was originally, using the granite slabs that today outline the octagon between private buildings, the municipality, and the war memorial chapel.

Those slabs are themselves a piece of civic history: until the early 20th century, they were laid in continuous rows across the main streets (Fiume, Mazzini, Diaz, Disciplini, Florida, Maffei) to facilitate smoother transit for loaded carts. Removed, they were reused for the octagon.

After being removed a second time, they will mark the perimeter of the bombed church. The rest, including the square and alleys, will be finished with first-choice porphyry cobblestones, larger than usual, matching the entire city center.