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Santa Croce church and archeological area
Ravenna
The Church of Santa Croce (5th century) and the surrounding archaeological site are situated in the city centre of Ravenna, inscribed as UNESCO cultural property in 1996. The archaeological site, characterised by the presence of floor mosaics is exposed to outdoor climatic threats and the whole area suffers from the subsidence phenomena (level 1 to 1.5 m. below the original one), characteristic of the entire subsoil of the city.
The complex is characterized by a church of the 5th Century AD and the remains of some Roman domus, of which a rich mosaic is preserved. Now a separate building, the Church of Santa Croce was once connected to the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, contiguous to Basilica of San Vitale, both Unesco World Heritage sites.
This, together with the basin conformation, favours a constant presence of water and damp, currently avoided by an obsolete and ineffective pumping system. Increase in floods frequency and the continuous exposure to environmental factors, such as the increase in precipitation patterns and marine ingression, can weaken the material, increasing the risk of loss in case of extreme weather events. It is also in an earthquake prone area.
