The “Vatican to Green” Project is not only about energy and the environment. It also includes an important initiative to enhance the cultural heritage of the extraterritorial area of Santa Maria di Galeria, which preserves a rich archaeological and historical legacy spanning a broad period, from the Roman era to the seventeenth century.

The area is of particular interest due to the presence of significant evidence of its history, art and engineering, which has been preserved over time and helps illustrate the relationship between the territory and the different historical periods that have shaped it.

From the Via Clodia to the mansio of Careiae, from the remains of the Trajan-Paul Aqueduct to the casts of the frieze of Trajan’s Column, Santa Maria di Galeria preserves features of great historical and cultural value.

The enhancement of this heritage forms part of the Project’s broader vision, which brings together archaeology, culture, the environment and sustainability, linking the memory of the territory with the prospects for its future.

The area preserves the remains of the Trajan-Paul Aqueduct, one of the most impressive works of hydraulic engineering of ancient Rome. Rebuilt in the seventeenth century by Pope Paul V, the aqueduct crosses the Galeria stream along the section known as the Arcacci, which extends for approximately 400 meters and reaches a height of 15 meters.

The aqueduct still supplies approximately 200 litres of water per second, used primarily for the fountains in the Vatican gardens and courtyards.

The area’s artistic heritage also includes white concrete casts of the frieze of Trajan’s Column, one of the most extraordinary examples of monumental sculpture from antiquity. Restored with the support of The Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums New York Chapter, they depict the emperor Trajan’s military campaigns and victories.