Diagnosis for the conservation of the lion at the Church Addolorata of Santa Severina (KR)

The Church of the Santa Severina is one of the few structures certainly dated from the Byzantine. They exercised for a long time their influence on the territory and the village became one of metropolitanates of the Eastern Empire. The historians they date the construction of the basilica from 1036 but the constant reconstructions occurred in later periods, especially during the Baroque period, have led to a church that draws only partially the ancient form. The Cathedral until the last century, has been richly decorated to respond to new ecclesiastical requirements and the entire facade was supposed to be colored in bright colors, as evidenced by numerous traces observed. Special attention was given at the entrance of the courtyard, barred by an iron gate supported by four pillars. The two lateral pillars are embellished at the top by two pyramids, while those central by two figures of lions one of which crashed to the ground in 1930 ca. The objective of this study is to perform a diagnostic work to determine the cause of the loss, in order to preserve the lion still intact.