€70M Project to Restore Bourbon Prison on Santo Stefano Island, Ventotene

A €70 million project to restore the former Bourbon prison on Santo Stefano island, near Ventotene, has been launched. Built in the late 18th century by the Bourbon monarchy to hold life-sentenced prisoners and political dissidents, the prison has been abandoned for 50 years. The restoration, part of the 'Un miliardo per la cultura' initiative started by the Renzi government in 2016 and continued by the Conte government under Ministers Franceschini and Provenzano, will transform the site into a cultural hub symbolizing European unity. The prison is historically significant as the nearby island of Ventotene was where Altiero Spinelli, Ernesto Rossi, and Eugenio Colorni wrote the Ventotene Manifesto in 1941, advocating for a federal Europe. The project includes restoring the Panopticon-shaped complex, creating a Mediterranean garden, and establishing a 'School of High Thoughts' for citizenship, education, and artistic creativity. Artists will be involved in residencies and interventions planned for 2022-2023. The prison also housed political prisoners like Luigi Settembrini, Silvio Spaventa, and future Italian presidents Sandro Pertini and Umberto Terracini. Commissioner Silvia Costa noted that 2021 marks the 80th anniversary of the Manifesto. The restoration faces environmental challenges as Santo Stefano is a nature reserve. Completion is expected by 2025, with an estimated 36,000 annual visitors, 500 resident scholars, and 5,400 attendees for events.