Modern restoration work

Over the years the temple has undergone a complex series of preservation work – aimed both at learning more about its historical stratification and at solving problems concerning its preservation – begun in the mid nineteenth century and promoted by the Austrian Central Commission and followed in the field by G. Valentinis. These works included the design of the new access to the Temple from the river Natisone, which is still in use.  The work to repair the floors, particularly in the presbytery, were accompanied by the first archaeological investigations of the foundations, carried out in the early twentieth century (excavation phases: 1917-18, excavations in the main body by the Isonzo Army; 1918.1919, 1928, investigations in the presbytery; Sixties, excavations by Belluno in the sacristy and by Hjalmar Torp in the presbytery). Restoration work was also done on the masonry structure, starting from the work directed by Ferdinando Forlati (1925 and 1926) up to the work after the earthquake in 1976, directed by Ernesto Degani: the little building was consolidated with tie rods and a reinforced concrete string course as an antiseismic measure. In addition, to prevent possible problems of instability of the temple, geostatic works were carried out between 2005 and 2006 in the gorge of the river Natisone which flows in front of the building. When the medieval frescoes were detached, in the Fifties and Sixties of the twentieth century, maintenance was carried out on the frescoes of the Longobard period and on the stucco work. The present situation is the result of the last work in 1976. In the last ten years further maintenance work has been done, as well as a series of researches concerning the characterisation of the materials. We refer in particular to investigations carried out in 1996 on the stucco parts of the arch in the west wall to identify its composition and technique of execution, and to investigations of the frescoes in 2003.

In 2008 the external east side of the Temple was better insulated to prevent the penetration of rainwater, while a diagnostic campaign has been in progress since 2010 to learn more about the decorations and architecture of the Temple.

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