Perspectives on knowledge, conservation and assessment of patrimonial zones in Durres (Venetian Tower)

The presence of seismically prone areas, like Durres City, always demands greater measures to protect the most important building heritage. During the last few years, since the earthquake occurred in Albania on November 26, 2019, considerable attention and assessment have been given to the recovery of historical, cultural, modern, educational, and environmental buildings. One of the largest cultural heritage programmes funded by the European Union is EU4Culture, implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in close partnership with the Ministry of Culture of Albania, counting 24 Sites and 8 Municipalities targeted by the program. This research presents an overview of the damages in patrimonial zones in Durres, taken as a strategic value to support the local development and promote new forms of cultural and environmental tourism that allow to reconstruct and recover areas in a harmonious and balanced way, as illustrates the case of the Venetian Tower in Durrës, which was rebuilt in the XV century on Byzantine tower ruins. The restoration and consolidation allow the preservation of this fortification and its safe opening to the public. The renovation works focused on preserving the original features of the building and restoring key components, while fitting into contemporary standards. Question like: Is the intervention plan realised has reinterpreted the values of the patrimonial zones? follow the study analysis through making a detailed technical qualitative e.g., which were the solving structural problems, which were interventions on the dome highlighted by the simplicity of the volumes and materials, why removing the modern cement layers, why removing inadequate structures, and various other details produced from architectural and constructive components. The urban relationship between the tower and the modern surrounding context remains important; the fortress appears clearly detached but also closely linked with it. The methodology of the study is that of evidential, analytical and comparative description, focuses on and highlights its features and presents further current activities, including returning the Venetian Tower to the first Cultural Heritage Interpretation Centre in Albania. Through the study of the architectural and constructive characteristics of this tower, we want to highlight the signs of permanence and change over time and contribute to generating processes of conservation and revitalization of assets.