Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, presentation of “Hagia Polis Project” book

On Thursday, September 17, at Sapienza University of Rome, the first volume of “HAGIA POLIS PROJECT – Excavations at the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem: Project and Methodology” will be presented. The volume is edited by Francesca Romana Stasolla, full professor of Christian and Medieval Archaeology at Sapienza University of Rome and director of this important archaeological research project.

This is the first book of a monumental series devoted to the scientific study and conservation of Christianity’s most revered sanctuary. It presents the project and its methodology, tracing seventeen centuries of history embedded in the stones of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Combining stratigraphic excavation, 3D GIS, advanced diagnostics, and rigorous archival research, it reveals the site’s transformation from quarry and garden to imperial basilica and global pilgrimage centre.

Through an unprecedented collaboration among the Greek Orthodox, Catholic, and Armenian communities, and a multidisciplinary team of archaeologists, engineers, historians, and conservation scientists, coordinated by Sapienza Università di Roma, the book documents the comprehensive investigation of the church’s floor, substructures, and underground infrastructures.

Manens participated in this important project by designing the utility networks—including drinking water, fire protection, wastewater, electricity, and data transmission systems—necessary for the operation of the numerous spaces that constitute the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre. The volume features an article by R. Zecchin, P. Sette, G. Girardello, and A. Fornasiero, entitled “The Technical Subsystems of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,” which details Manens’ contribution to the project.

The full volume is available in digital version here.