After the disastrous flooding last week in the Italian region of Emilia Romagna, the damage count has begun for the regional historical and cultural heritage. More than forty warnings from parks, museums, theatres, and archives in Bologna and in the provinces of Romagna, with Faenza, Ravenna and Cesena among the most damaged cities. 

Damage at Chiesa di San Francesco in Faenza

In Bologna, at the Giardini di Villa Spada, the effects of a landslide have been registered, while in the Medieval Museum, with the flooded basement, are currently ongoing operations for water aspiration. On the Apennine, parks and historical gardens are the most damaged by the emergency, with landslides, displacements, and floods. 

As already mentioned, the most critical situation has been registered for Faenza (Ravenna) and its ceramic district: the Museo Guerrino Tramonti has suffered serious damage due to the complete flooding of the basement, containing 1.800 ceramics and canvases. The Museo Internazionale della Ceramica in Faenza has given hospitality to the damaged ceramic heritage. Also, the Museo Zauli was damaged by the flooding, together with the Biblioteca di Manfredonia and the Chiesa di San Francesco. 

In Lugo (Ravenna) the Archivio Fotografico has been under water for several days, with partial damage to its photographic assets; water has also reached the Teatro Rossini, with consistent damage that still has to be ascertained.

The situation in Cesena is also warring, where water infiltrations have been registered in the Malatestiana Library (UNESCO Heritage), while the conditions at the Abbazia di Santa Maria del Monte arouses apprehension due to a severe collapse of a wall.

The Museo Classis Ravenna has «actively» hosted the evacuated people, with guided and didactical laboratories

In Ravenna, the archaeological museum Classis has become a hospitality hub for about 800-1.000 people every day. A complicated operation in an emergency situation, that was however capable to bound the museum and the inhabitants in a unique way. Yesterday the museum opened again to the public. 

Yesterday, the Ministry of Culture announced an increase in tickets price for the museum to finance the rescue of damaged artworks. We will have to wait until the end of the first emergency phase to have back a definitive verification of damages and the necessary funds to remedy them.