Santa Restituta Museum. Alessandra Dal Verme: "This site holds something that concerns each of us."

During the public presentation of the restoration project for the Santa Restituta complex, Alessandra dal Verme, director of the State Property Agency, spoke with clarity and engagement, clearly conveying the profound meaning of an initiative that, beyond its architectural value, is a project of civic and cultural regeneration.

"Today," he said, "we are here not only as the State Property Agency, the implementing body for the project and the contracting authority on behalf of Commissioner Legnini, but as part of a true alliance. We stand alongside the Municipality of Lacco Ameno, the University of Milan, the Church, and the entire community. Because it is with the community and for the community that we are working. This site is a point of particular importance for the entire island of Ischia, a beacon of Mediterranean culture since its origins."
Dal Verme recognized the project's identity-building value, not only materially, but also as a powerful signal in the post-earthquake reconstruction effort. "We're working on multiple fronts with Commissioner Legnini. Here in Lacco Ameno, we're addressing the structural safety of the town hall and, together, we're restoring dignity to a symbolic place. It's a clear signal: enhancing what represents the island's deepest identity is an institutional duty, as well as a cultural mission."
In her speech, the director also provided an update on the fate of the former Pio Monte della Misericordia spa complex, overlooking the port of Casamicciola, which had been abandoned for over twenty years: "It's another incredibly important site for Ischia's identity, because it represented the idea of spas for everyone, for the community. Every time I return to Ischia, someone stops me to say, 'My mother was there, she lived there.' That's why it's crucial to revive it. Not only for its architectural and cultural value, but also for the social function it will once again fulfill. Commissioner Legnini has invested heavily in this project, including the location of schools. Because bringing children there means allowing them to grow in the light of their history. Education and culture must go hand in hand."
But it's the method that dal Verme placed the strongest emphasis on: "I want to thank the Mayor and the Commissioner for giving us this opportunity. Yes, because working in synergy across the territory is never a given. But today it's no longer an adventure: today it's the possible normality. The State, in its various branches, is present and cohesive. The State Property Agency manages over 44,000 public properties. But we can't just limit ourselves to management: we must return them to the community. Bring them to life. Make them recognizable as places where citizens can find themselves, trust them, and feel part of a story that is also theirs."

Dal Verme then recalled that a third of the state's heritage is subject to restrictions, and that this isn't an obstacle, but an honor: "'Restricted' isn't an unpleasant word. It means that the asset has special historical value. It speaks to the past, its roots, its civilization. And precisely for this reason, it deserves protection, special care. A care guided by experts, like the Superintendency, which is present here and whom I thank for the careful and rigorous work that has accompanied every phase of the project."
A heartfelt commentary was dedicated to the role of the Church and the memory of Don Pietro Monti, a key figure in the rediscovery of the hypogeum: "I thank the bishop, the Curia, and Don Mauro, who continues to watch over this place today. It is thanks to the commitment of a father, as the Mayor reminded us, that this heritage has been saved. Today, it is up to us to continue in the same spirit."
The director finally emphasized the two key words of the intervention: safety and accessibility. "This is an island repeatedly affected by earthquakes. The Commissioner's intervention stems from a specific need: to protect. But protecting is not enough. We also need to open up, enhance, and make this heritage accessible to all. Accessibility means that culture must become everyday life. It must become part of everyday life. It cannot remain the preserve of those studying archaeology or art history. Everyone must know that here, in this place, lies a piece of Mediterranean history. Indeed—let me tell you—it is the beginning of Europe."
The State Property Agency, he concluded, is already working on a specific communications project, in collaboration with the municipal administration: "We will ensure this site is known, recognized, and visited. Because something that concerns each of us is preserved here. And because—as this day teaches us—culture, when shared, truly becomes a generative force for the future."
Il Dispari