Armonizzare l’Antico Spazio al Nuovo Tempo: la Cittadella di Ancona, un patrimonio (in)visibile da riscoprire e rivitalizzare

The Cittadella of Ancona is a relevant case for investigating the challenges and opportunities of enhancing abandoned military heritage. This research highlights the importance of preserving forgotten sites of high historical and cultural value, not only as a collective duty but also as a vital element for sustainable development and urban regeneration. It employs various qualitative and quantitative methods, including scientific and grey literature review, archival research, interviews, site inspections, mapping, photographic surveys, data analysis, and project evaluation. Among the earliest examples of Italian style, the imposing fortress was designed by the renowned architect Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. Built in the 16th century atop Colle Astagno, it strategically controlled the city and has shaped its cultural identity. It gradually lost importance in the late 19th century, until it was abandoned after the earthquake in 1972. In 2003, the Marche Region acquired the complex, sparking renewed interest in rehabilitating its damaged structures. The recovery works are currently underway, although they are limited to the conservation of the site without fully exploiting its potential to play an active and central role in the contemporary context. The challenge is to reinterpret the history and role of the Cittadella to meet current needs and restore it to a dynamic function. Safeguarding cultural heritage today requires a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and problem-solving approach, prioritising the global vision of assets, long-term strategies and participation. How can a military building, forgotten for fifty years, overcome this injustice of time, triggering a new architectural life, and even more ambitiously, regain that lost primary role that it played for centuries?