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The Ara Pacis site in late September 2001 after construction of Meier's project stopped. Under the heavy tubular scaffolding is the box-like container built around Augustus' Altar of Peace. To the right is the only surviving exterior wall of the Morpurgo structure, bearing the inscription of Augustus' Res Gestae describing all the achievements of that emperor. Mussolini had this inscription displayed here because he saw himself as the new Augustus.
The Ara Pacis site in mid October 2001. The heavy protective scaffolding has been removed, but no other activity is taking place upon the site.
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Fall 2001: No Peace for the Ara Pacis
by Allan Ceen
When the city of Rome accepted Richard Meier's project for a new building to house the Ara Pacis a year and a half ago, there was much debate about it by both Romans and non-Romans. The altar of Peace, built by Augustus between 13 and 9 B.C. to celebrate the Pax Romana he had established over much of the Mediterranean world, has had a very checkered career after it disappeared in the early Middle Ages: the first fragments being excavated in the 15 th century, the last in 1937. Some pieces ended up in the Medici collection in Florence, while others were in the national museum of the Terme in Rome. The pieces were reassembled in the late 30's on a platform next to the mausoleum of Augustus, not the original location of the altar building. A modern building with large windows was then built around it by Morpurgo, one of Mussolini's favorite architects.
The Morpurgo building was demolished this year (May/June) in preparation for the construction of a new Meier project (see illustration of model). In the meantime a new rightist Berlusconi government was elected, replacing the Amato center-left government. Upon entering into office, Berlusconi's under-secretary for Beni Culturali (national cultural patrimony) immediately stopped all work on the Meier project and declared that a new design will be drawn up to substitute it. Referring to the Meier project, he is quoted as saying: "I have the obligation to stop this horror. (The new design) will be a light enclosing structure which will evoke the memory of Morpurgo's pavilion."
The Meier design would have covered part of the site of the vanished 18 th century river port, Port di Ripetta, which was covered over around the year 1900 during the building of the river walls and river road (Lungotevere). It seems fairly clear that much of this exceptional 18 th century urban landmark is still buried there under the Lungotevere and could be recovered. |
