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On the 150th anniversary of the breach of Porta Pia, the new lighting system of Piazzale di Porta Pia and the Monument to the Bersagliere, symbol of the unification of Italy and the declaration of Rome as its capital, was inaugurated in the city.
The event was held in the presence of the Mayor of Rome, Virginia Raggi, and was also attended by the Chief of Defense, General Enzo Vecciarelli and by Alberto Scarlatti, in charge of Public Lighting at Areti.
During the ceremony, the Italian flag was projected on the monument wall. The Band of the Bersaglieri of Rome and the duo formed by Vanessa Cremaschi and Emiliano Begni, performed for the occasion.
The artistic and functional lighting project involved the installation of 26 projectors and the use of innovative and sustainable technologies that, in addition to reducing energy consumption by 50%, add value to one of the most important monuments of Italian Renaissance, creating a new perspective of the entire piazza and increasing the perception of safety.
New lampposts with LED lights have been installed at the points where the roads access the Piazzale, and the bronze statue of the Bersagliere has been lit by four circular projectors whose specially selected light enhances the materials of monument.
The entire complex of Porta Pia, which hosts the Museum of the Bersaglieri, has been renovated with six next-generation LED elements that illuminate the bronze busts as well as the monument dedicated to Enrico Toti. Four more projectors illuminate the effigy of the Madonna at the top of the building.
“We shine new light on Porta Pia, one of the most symbolic places in Rome and in the history of our country, and celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Breach of Porta Pia, an episode that paved the way to the declaration of Rome as the capital of a unified Italy. Thanks to the new artistic lighting system, implemented in collaboration with Acea, Porta Pia and the Monument to the Bersagliere now can be admired also at night. This is a further step towards adding value to the city’s historic sites and bringing innovation while protecting our cultural and artistic heritage”, said the Mayor of Rome Virginia Raggi.
“This project – said Alberto Scarlatti, in charge of Public Lighting at Areti, the company part of the Acea Group that manages Rome’s electricity network – was carried out following innovative and sustainable criteria, ensuring lower energy consumption and bringing renovation, safety and livability to the local community. The artistic aspect has been combined with functionality to define a space in which light architecture has been used to add value to the city”.
The most recent projects carried out by Roma Capitale and the Acea Group include the artistic lighting system of Piazza del Popolo, the Arch of Constantine, the Pantheon, the Church of Santa Maria in Trastevere, the Old Town of Ostia Antica, the Basilicas of Saint John Lateran and Santa Maria Maggiore, the Dome of the Great Synagogue and Piazza del Campidoglio.

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