From the Region the mark certifying the historical-artistic character of Modena's cemetery. Contributions for a multimedia visit itinerary are also on the way
Recognition of the 'monumental' value and a contribution of 7,600 euro for the creation of a special audio guide. These are the two objectives achieved by the Municipality of Modena for the San Cataldo cemetery through participation in the regional call for bids dedicated to the enhancement of historical and monumental cemeteries in Emilia-Romagna.
Aimed at cemeteries with historical-artistic characteristics and fruition activities already underway, the call, in its second edition, offered the possibility of requesting recognition as a "monumental" site and therefore, once obtained, also a contribution to support a valorisation action to be implemented within the year. Full results for the municipality, which at its first participation not only obtained recognition, but also first place in the ranking of financed projects (score of 85/100 out of 23 participating organisations).
The title of the project, which is reminiscent of the one developed by the architects Rossi-Braghieri, is 'The city of the living and the city of the dead: a headset itinerary in the cemetery of Modena' and concerns the creation of an audio guide that can be activated on smartphones via QR-code. Accompanied by an interactive digital map, visitors will be able to locate the stations of the itinerary where they can activate individual audio files, read a descriptive card and view archive documentation. Guiding them for over an hour, through monologues recorded by actors, will be the illustrious and common voices of the cemetery's 'inhabitants', i.e. the women and men buried there, witnesses of the city's great and everyday history.
'The City Council's commitment to protecting and enhancing the San Cataldo cemetery continues,' said Culture Councillor Andrea Bortolamasi, 'which represents a unique architectural heritage. Using different cultural languages, exploiting elements of a technological nature, the project is also part of the Unesco creative city for media-arts, combining memories, history and innovation'.
In particular, personalities such as Enzo Ferrari, the actress Virginia Reiter or the Olympic gymnast Alberto Braglia will narrate the historical part of the cemetery built by Cesare Costa in the mid-19th century, while the stories of ordinary citizens will intersect with the visionary and constructive ones of the modern part of the site designed by Aldo Rossi and Gianni Braghieri between the 1970s and 1980s. Particular attention will be paid to the sound aspects of the audio guide, for which original music will be composed to accompany the itinerary.
Planned by the City Council's Culture sector, as part of the Modena Unesco Creative City for Media Arts programme, the project aims to promote and further encourage the use of a place with a high historical and artistic density by combining traditional knowledge and multimedia languages. The total cost of the project is 9,500 Euro, of which 7,600 Euro financed by regional contributions and 1,900 Euro by resources of the Municipality.
The San Cataldo cemetery thus officially enters among the 31 monumental and historical cemeteries recognised by the Emilia-Romagna Region, of which nine in the 2024 edition and 22 in the first edition of the special call for entries, developed within the framework of the regional law promoting the recognition, valorisation and support of these sites. The award ceremony for the entities is scheduled to take place at the end of September, while by the end of the year the new audio-guide is scheduled to be presented to the public, with special guided tours and theatre and dance incursions.
