Lazzaretto | Ancona Vanvitelli Stately Building

Since remote times people coming and going, the trade of resources and materials produced in every country have unfortunately determined the risk of diseases’ infection spread.

The risk obviously was higher in seaside towns, where the port was one of the most important places of exchange and communication; therefore, also in Ancona was built the so called “Lazzaretto” (lazaret).

The Lazzaretto was a closed place where goods and people originating from countries holding potential contagion risk had to stay for a period long 40 days. (by that the name quarantine).
During its papacy Clemente XII  – that was a very important figure so as to receive the honour of a square with its name as well as a statue remembering him – in 1733 charged Luigi Vanvitelli of the creation of what today is the magnificent pentagonal building “Lazzaretto” called also as “Mole Vanvitelliana” (Vanvitelli Stately Building), due to its projector and creator.

The Lazzaretto, besides constituting recover for ills, has been projected as military fortress too, as so to have in walling the ravelin (a kind of independent fortification, generally placed as protection of a door of a larger fortification) with loopholes for cannons and the patrol path limited on the angles by sentry-box that gave possibility to defend and combat on every side of the building.

Its capacity was of 2,000 people about, ten thousand cubic metres of household goods and hundred thousand litres of water.

For its peculiar characteristics, in 1860 it became a military fort; then, in 1884 a refinery for sugar, until 1947, when it became the place for tobaccos manufacturing of Ancona.

The 20.000 sqmts building, placed in the inner side of the port, is connected to the land by three bridges and it stands on a little artificial island that is separated from the land by a channel called “Mandracchio”.

In 1990, Ancona municipality became the owner of the building and started together with Architectural Real Estate Superintendence a very meticulous work in order to get its full restoration transforming it in the actual cultural place of great prestige by arranging temporary exhibitions, shows and festivals.

Visiting it is as to plunge yourselves back into the past and live strong emotions that only those walls can transmit you.

For the events timetables and tickets prices please contact:
Culture Service
28 Giovanni da Chio Dock – Port Area • 60121, Ancona
Tel: +39 071.222.50.39
E-mail: museidascoprire@libero.it