Conservation of Catholic churches after the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council

Abstract

Since the use of built heritage is a requisite for its conservation, this article discusses the adaptation of Catholic churches, conceived for the liturgy supported by the Council of Trent (1545-1563), to that of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), which presuppose a symbolically and functionally different spatial layout. Issues concerning this process are presented which sometimes led to the loss of cultural assets, frequently in favor of less pertinent interventions. It presents the architectural program for celebrating the reformed liturgy in Tridentine churches, as expressed by official documents in articulation with the principles of intervention in cultural assets and illustrative examples.