The Restoration of Palazzo De Caro in Cetraro

The building in question is located at the entrance of the historical center of Cetraro (CS), a village facing the Tyrrhenian sea in a privileged position on the Calabrian coast. Built in 1860 by order of don Ludovico De Caro the palace occupies lands that were bought for “ducati 1300” by the rich nobleman, and appears today to have absorbed the marks of time. Entering the ancient gates, history shows the particular oxymoron typical of the nineteenth-century buildings. The lower floors, typically rural with the old olive-press, and the upper floors, noble and rigidly divided by the servants’ rooms are connected in a path that highlights the lounges and living rooms with their sculptures, curtains and family portraits which narrate histories and legends. In this context, my choice as a restorer has been not to distort the spirit of time and places and their historical authenticity but to respect the ancient mansion as it unveils itself to the habitual visitor. This operation doesn’t only aim to rehabilitate an ancient mansion, but, through it, to retrain an entire historical centre, nowadays as abandoned as rich of history, art, architecture and beauty. The restoration of the buildings intents to be the beginning of a more structured project for a “Scattered Hotel”, whose benefits and responsibilities are shared by all the citizenry. The proposal for the project therefore considers the centrality of the functions inside Palazzo De Caro (restaurant, hall, reception) to be at service of a wide network of scattered guest houses in the historical centre connected by paths though squares, alleys and picturesque views. Architecture works along with economy in order for territory to regain its value so full of history, culture and imagination; and this is what my thesis wants to demonstrate.