The baraccato anti-seismic constructive system: development and preservation of the existing heritage in southern Italy

The baraccato constructive system represents one of the most emblematic examples of historical earthquake-resistant timber-framed constructions, widely diffused in all those territories with high seismic risk. It was defined by the Bourbon government through a specific anti-seismic code issued one year later the catastrophic earthquake that struck Ca-labria Ultra in southern Italy in 1783. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the baracca-to system represented the earthquake-resistant model in the post-seismic reconstruction plans for several Italian cities until the advent of reinforced concrete constructions in the early 20th century. To date, most of the baraccato houses identified are lost or they are in a state of ruin. In addition, many others have been badly reused and modified not respect-ing the original technique. Recent surveys conducted in some Calabrian centres have allowed us to identify several surviving examples that, put together all with other ones indicated in previous researches (Allegra, 2008; Bianco, 2010; Bianco, 2017; Valtieri, 2008), provide a general overview of the extension and the state of conservation of the baraccato heritage. In this work a first effort to evaluate the baraccato heritage presence in Calabria is conducted. The issues about preservation and enhancement of this heritage are also discussed. The emblematic case of Palazzo Vescovile in Mileto (VV) is presented in detail.