Cultural heritage through history and nature: conservation and re-use. The Scicli case study

Abstract

The research originates from a relationship between a local body of illustrious traditions and a research facility of the University of Palermo – the Interdepartmental Research Centre on Historical Centres (hereafter C.I.R.CE.S.), that has the aim of providing consultancy and scientific support to the initiatives of territorial bodies concerning policies and urban and territorial redevelopment plans and the redevelopment of historical centres. Scicli is one of the most important towns belonging to the province of Ragusa. 
The urban centre, in addition to being able to boast a special identity deriving from the peculiar impact of the dazzling baroque architectures on the surrounding landscape, often characterized by a very uneven altimetry, feature on the whole urban spaces and building heritage in fairly good conditions, bespeaking good urban management and a methodical focus on maintenance activities. The municipal territory is characterized by a landscape of great beauty where the steep clefts of the “cave”, dotted by cave dwellings entrances and rupestrian vegetation, coexist with the hilly ridges that sometimes feature naturalistic configurations, highlighted by white rocky landscapes coloured in parts by the green of the Mediterranean maquis and sometimes featuring cascades of constructions clinging to the ground in the most daring ways. To conclude, in this specific case, the territorial capital is considerable and also in fairly good condition. Efforts should continue to be channelled towards conservation and re-use, but, first and foremost, we should attract human resources with planning capabilities of business and management; i.e., increase the social capital capable of managing the territorial capital with profit.