The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Volume XLII-5/W1, 2017 GEOMATICS & RESTORATION – Conservation of Cultural Heritage in the Digital Era, 22–24 May 2017, Florence, Italy THE SEAPLANE BASE IVO MONTI AT S. NICOLA VARANO (FG): A MONUMENT OF MILITARY ARCHEOLOGY, BETWEEN HISTORY AND PROTECTION F. Mariano a *, M. Saracco b **, L. Petetta a *** a Dept. Dicea, Marche Polytechnic University, Via Brecce Bianche 12, Ancona, Italy -
[email protected],
[email protected] b Dept. Sfbct, University of Macerata, P.le Luigi Bertelli 1, Macerata, Italy -
[email protected] KEY WORDS: restoration, conservation, reuse, ruins, military archeology ABSTRACT: Built in the years between 1915 and 1918, and located on the west bank of the “Varano” Lake, a bay running along the village of “Cagnano Varano”, the “Ivo Monti” seaplane base was erected on a pre-existing medieval settlement which belonged to the Benedictine Monks from the town of “San Nicola Imbuti”. During WWI, this seaplane base was turned, from a simple water airport, into a strategic military base for floatplanes. As a matter of fact, the large lagoon could be used as landing spot for the planes sent off to patrol the dalmatic coast, one of the historical regions of Croatia, then controlled by the Austrians. After WWI, after the seaplane became an outdated technology, the “Ivo Monti” base was progressively dismantled and then totally abandoned at the beginning of the 1950s. In 2014, considering the historical relevance of this site and the unmistakable architectural value of its elements, a research framework agreement was signed between the “DICEA” Department of Marche Polytechnic University and the city council of the town hosting the site, aimed at the development of shared scientific research projects revolving around the study, the valorisation, and the restoration of the military complex in question, which had been in a complete state of decay and neglect for too long.