Several generations of Cagliari residents learned to read, played, or found refuge in the San Vincenzo de' Paoli Institute, which housed the Sisters of Charity but, above all, was a place of study and education.

The restoration project, spearheaded by the Fondazione Istituti Riuniti di Rifugio Minore (Foundation for the Reunited Youth Shelter), which has owned the property since 1936, will begin in the next few days.

"Reactivating a complex of nearly 10,000 square meters in the heart of the city, surrounded by nearly two hectares of greenery," says President Francesco Manca , "is a challenging mission due to the positive impact it can have on the cultural and social fabric. With this work, the Foundation intends to demonstrate that even a modest initial investment can trigger a virtuous process, capable of attracting new resources, new partners, and renewed trust, gradually restoring the complex to the city and the people of Cagliari."

The initial restoration plan will focus on a strategic portion of the structure. The heart of this first phase will be the chapel, which holds great historical and artistic value, enhanced by the presence of the works of Aurelio Galleppini (aka Galep, the legendary graphic designer of Tex Willer).

To carry out the project, the Foundation has partnered with the University's Department of Civil, Environmental Engineering, and Architecture. The estimated budget for this first phase is €80,000.

Next to the church, the small internal theater, the same space where the school's children once performed, will be restored . Finally, three adjacent rooms, once renovated, will house part of the institute's historical archive. The chapel and the renovated spaces of the Vincentian Institute, thanks to the collaboration with the Imago Mundi association, will be open to the public during the next edition of Cagliari Monumenti Aperti.

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