Résumé en anglais
During the sixteenth century, the new technical and constructive solutions to build the defense walls of the cities were an improvement in the contrast to the devastating effects of the increasingly powerful artillery adopted in the sieges and assaults. The defensive systems became very complex organisms, consisting of sophisticated masonry structures (walls, vaults, galleries) and embankments. In this paper, the characteristic aspects of these organisms and the ways of their conservation are discussed, on the basis of investigations of the oldest built parts, on the modifications of the defense walls over time and on their present condition. This work is based on project experiences and studies conducted by the author in relation to the restoration work carried out on the sixteenth-century defensive walls of Padua.