Il mercato delle colonne di Palermo in età Moderna

Abstract

The opening of compact limestone quarries, known as Grigio di Billiemi, in the mountains west of Palermo in the late 16th century, which were capable of producing monoliths for column production, sparked the growth of a lucrative domestic market. The large size and durability of the extracted blocks led to a significant shift in the city's architecture. Over the following two centuries, many monumental structures were built using this material. Abundant documentation, indirect sources, and new iconography related to the "columns construction site" have enabled a thorough investi- gation and evaluation of norms, exceptions, continuity, and chang- es. This study, focusing on significant applications in Palermo's column architecture, aims to examine production and processing phases (quarry locations, extraction, processing times, and quality testing), transportation (routes between rural areas and the city, lift- ing), and trade (costs, land, and sea exports). It explores technologi- cal advancements and the development of operational knowledge, highlighting both successes and failures, as well as missed oppor- tunities.