CARLO SCARPA
I MUSEO di CASTELVECCHIO
CASTELVECCHIO, VERONA At the age of 52 (1958) Scarpa was confronted with the restoration of the Museo di Castelvecchio in Verona. This was a 14th century fortress in the west side of the city in front of the Adige river. The complex had overgone series of rehabilitations over the years; initially as a medieval castle, then, mainly used for military purposes between the 18th and 19th centuries and as a museum in the biggening of the 20th century. Samia Rab distinguishes four major periods of construction of the Castelvecchio.8 The first construction trace included the Commune wall as part of a greater city wall for the established Republic of Verona bult in the 12th Century. In 1354 the site was converted by the Scaligary Family (Lords of Verona) to what is known as Castelvecchio; a medieval fort on the two sides of the Commune wall which now served as a barrier of the family. So the Commune wall which previously had been facing outwards, was now facing inwards and against the citizens. The castle had two compounds in each side of the Commune wall, with an inner courtyard on the east side, called the Reggia (Palace) and one with an outer courtyard towards the city serving military functions, open towards the river. Another element of the Reggia was the Torre Del Mastio, the highest of the watch towers and the Porta del Morbio, witch was a private entrance, leading to a bridge for the family that crossed the river. The next occupants were the Napoleon Troops in 1797 that constructed their barracks in an L-shape building of the Caserma, the so called Napoleon Wing. A grand military staircase against the Communy Wall was also added for fighting against the Austrians.In 1799 the French demolished five medieval towers as a penalty of the citizen’s uprising. The last phase was the conversion of the complex
8
Rab, S. 1998. pg444 15