1 July. The participants of the International Stone Conservation Course took part in a three-day study tour to Florence and Rome.

During their visit in Florence the group met with Mauro Matteini, Conservation Scientist/Chemist, at the Piazza della Signoria to look at the conservation project of the Renaissance sculpture of the 'Ratto delle Sabine'.  The following day the participants visited the stone conservation laboratory and museum of the Opificio delle Pietre Dure with Chiara Martinelli, conservator-restorer.

During their stay in Rome, the group visited ICCROM where they met with the Director-General, Mounir Bouchenaki.  Following a tour of the Library, they were given a presentation on the activities of the Sites Unit by Joe King, Sites Unit Director and the activities of the Collections Unit by Katriina Simila, Project Manager.

The participants also visited the stone conservation laboratory of the Vatican Museum with Guy Devreux, conservator-restorer responsible of the laboratory, and the conservator-restorers Michela Gottardo and Stefano Spada. The group was able to visit and discuss the ongoing conservation project in Bernini’s colonnade, in Saint Peter’s square.

A final stop was made at the Terme di Caracalla to look at the ongoing conservation project for the control of the pavement surfaces within the maintenance programme of monumental archaeological areas with Cinzia Conti, technical director and coordinator of the Archaeological Superintendency of Rome and Carlo Chinellato, restorer responsible of the firm executing the works.

updated on: 13 April, 2010