A reuse proposal to the chapel of San Giovanni in Val di Lago, Viterbo, Italy

The Chapel of San Giovanni, situated on the shores of Lake Bolsena in Italy, stands as a venerable relic of the region's enduring historical narrative. Over the centuries, this church has experienced isolation in its semantic and practical relevance, resulting in its gradual descent into obscurity and physical deterioration. This article aims to conduct a comprehensive examination of the church's historical evaluation, and the factors that led to its present state of neglect to propose a reuse strategy that can bring a fresh vision to the chapel and the area. In that sense, the investigative trajectory of this dissertation starts from reading the historical evidence of the area to the building's structural integrity and the deleterious impacts on its stone fabric. This matter later continued with the research about the surrounding environment to obtain an accurate prospect for the reclamation of this esteemed architectural asset. However, the chapel's segregation of the nearby settlements and the lack of requisite infrastructural amenities complicate the reuse prospect. Nevertheless, a concerted effort is made in the final segment to propose a strategy grounded in historical provenance that aligns the chapel with the cultural capital inherent in the region and delineates a framework consonant with its indigenous identity. This proposal, anchored in the imperative of environmental conservation and the mitigation of excessive developmental interventions, constitutes a proactive intervention aimed at safeguarding the longevity of this venerable landmark.