Knowing is Saving: The Italian Architecture in Libya and the Case of Benghazi Cathedral

This paper presents the first results of research carried out under a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2021 by the University of Brescia and the Berenice University of Architecture and Urbanism of Benghazi that is focused on the conservation, reuse, and accessibility of Libya’s Italian building heritage. In Benghazi, this colonial heritage has become an integral part of the community. The analysis phase that has already been concluded concerned preliminary study of Benghazi Cathedral, currently in a poor state of preservation. The first part of the essay describes the characteristics of Italian colonial architecture in Libya in the early twentieth century, with particular emphasis on the works of architects to whom we owe the cathedral’s construction. The history of the building is studied, together with the design and construction techniques. The main building-related deterioration present in the cathedral is examined and the most probable causes hypothesized. The aim is to define guidelines for a future project for the building’s restoration and reuse, with an emphasis on accessibility. This first study should be used to promote the Italian architectural heritage in Benghazi, which, as a common cultural heritage, can encourage cooperation to preserve it and pass it on to future generations.