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Oltre il visibile, Eni's expertise for Saint Peter's Basilica

Together with La Fabbrica, we are delivering an innovative structural monitoring and subsurface analysis project for a unique architectural asset.

3D digital reconstruction, interior of St. Peter's Basilica, Papal Altar

Beneath the marble surface of the floors and the majesty of the naves, Saint Peter’s Basilica holds a thousand-year history where engineering challenges and silent memories lie in layers. From this interweaving, "Oltre il visibile" comes to life, a new chapter in the collaboration between Eni and The Fabbrica di San Pietro, the institution that has administered and safeguarded the monument for six centuries.

In the heart of the building

Through the use of cutting-edge technologies and by making available the wealth of expertise held by its people, Eni has directly analysed the foundations and invisible balance of the Basilica with millimetre precision, bringing to light the design solutions that, century after century, have shaped the architectural masterpiece we admire today.

This is not merely a snapshot of the present or a journey into the past, but above all a compass for the future. The processing of archaeological, geological and structural data carried out by Eni has generated an integrated information model of unprecedented precision and enabled The Fabbrica di San Pietro to plan targeted interventions with newfound awareness, to ensure the monument's conservation in the years to come.

Central nave of St. Peter's Basilica, technicians conducting surveys

Topographic surveying operations inside the central nave.

Technician working on an external rooftop in the Vatican with St. Peter’s Dome in the background

Technician carrying out surveys outside Saint Peter's Basilica, Rome.

Technician performing a laser scan inside the Basilica

3D laser scanner survey performed by a technician.

An operator on an aerial platform working near the columns of Bernini's Baldacchino

Close-range monitoring of Bernini’s Baldacchino using an aerial work platform.

A close-up shot of technicians laying down cables and installing high-precision sensors on the marble floor of the Basilica

Installation of precision sensors on the Basilica floor.

A technician operates a robotic vehicle across the marble flooring of St. Peter's Basilica

Use of a robotic vehicle inside Saint Peter's Basilica.

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    The story of the project

    Between history, art and innovation

    Oltre il visibile

    Jacopo Veneziani takes us on a journey to discover Eni's collaboration with The Fabbrica di San Pietro for a work of the highest cultural value.

Eni's expertise for Saint Peter’s Basilica

Archival research

In the Fabbrica’s Archive, which preserves the Basilica's historical documentation from 1506 to the present day, Eni's technical archivists retrieved fundamental information on the monument's history, starting with the ancient annotations of masters such as Giovanni Poleni and Luigi Vanvitelli. Decoding this historical data served to guide modern diagnostic technologies and understand the building's evolution.

Topographic analysis and digitisation

After carrying out a complete topographic survey of the site, Eni integrated the use of Laser Scanner technology, achieving a 360-degree digitisation of the building. This processing generated the Digital Twin: a three-dimensional point cloud essential for revealing invisible details.

Advanced structural monitoring

To monitor the structural behaviour of the dome, innovative sensors pointing towards the stars were installed on the drum, the cylindrical ring that supports it. These instruments, using the sky as a fixed and absolute reference point, detect rotations and seasonal or thermal micro-displacements, monitoring the dome's condition in real time with millimetre accuracy.

Geophysical Analysis

Through the use of ground-penetrating radar and the generation of acoustic waves via small hammers, Eni probed the Basilica's subsurface while preserving the integrity of the marble. Geophones — sensors capable of detecting waves propagating through the ground — captured echoes from deep rock formations, revealing how the varying nature of the ground influences the balance of the monument's various sections.

Eni's expertise for Saint Peter’s Basilica

Archival research

Archival research

In the Fabbrica’s Archive, which preserves the Basilica's historical documentation from 1506 to the present day, Eni's technical archivists retrieved fundamental information on the monument's history, starting with the ancient annotations of masters such as Giovanni Poleni and Luigi Vanvitelli. Decoding this historical data served to guide modern diagnostic technologies and understand the building's evolution.

Topographic analysis and digitisation

Topographic analysis and digitisation

After carrying out a complete topographic survey of the site, Eni integrated the use of Laser Scanner technology, achieving a 360-degree digitisation of the building. This processing generated the Digital Twin: a three-dimensional point cloud essential for revealing invisible details.

Advanced structural monitoring

Advanced structural monitoring

To monitor the structural behaviour of the dome, innovative sensors pointing towards the stars were installed on the drum, the cylindrical ring that supports it. These instruments, using the sky as a fixed and absolute reference point, detect rotations and seasonal or thermal micro-displacements, monitoring the dome's condition in real time with millimetre accuracy.

Geophysical Analysis

Geophysical Analysis

Through the use of ground-penetrating radar and the generation of acoustic waves via small hammers, Eni probed the Basilica's subsurface while preserving the integrity of the marble. Geophones — sensors capable of detecting waves propagating through the ground — captured echoes from deep rock formations, revealing how the varying nature of the ground influences the balance of the monument's various sections.

Download a detailed overview of the different phases of the project.

Art and technology: a concrete commitment

With the “Oltre il visibile” project, Eni is once again making its expertise and technology available to the art world, reopening the dialogue with La Fabbrica that began in 2000 with the restoration of the facade for the Jubilee. We were also involved in the restoration of Milan Cathedral in 2013, the Basilica of Collemaggio in L’Aquila, which was returned to the community after the earthquake, and the complex reconstruction of St. Benedict’s Basilica in Norcia.

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