The New Astronomical Observatory of Rome. A Philological Reinterpretation of an Unfinished and Monumental Modern Complex

Abstract

The events related to the design and construction of the new Astronomical Observatory of Rome take place—in the first half of the twentieth century—in a climate of renewed scientific interest. The idea of the Observatory, articulated in a large building plan on the Tuscolani Hills, south-east of Rome, finds its reasons in a particular cultural and political context. Not only that, the celebratory program of the Fascist regime for the Universal Exposition of ‘42, the diplomatic relations and mutual “friendship” between Mussolini and Hitler, will produce significant effects on the realization of the astronomical complex, including those resulting from the World War II. The project starts in the late 1930s and supports the need to “finally give Rome a modern Observatory”. Moreover, during his second visit to Rome, Hitler promised to supply Zeiss telescopes for the Observatory. The execution of the project was entrusted to the engineers Alberto Cugini and Giovanni Sacchi. The complex included the construction of various secondary structures in addition to the main building, located in a predominant position. Through a rich design and administrative documentation, in addition to numerous archival sources, the contribution aims to retrace the articulated events that involved the intervention from the initial idea, to its partial realization, up to the current conformation. Focusing attention, also with virtual reconstructions of the multiple design variants as a result of the growing economic and logistical constraints that arose since the beginning of the affair.