Should Milan Reconstruct the Sala delle Cariatidi?

On August 15, 1943, 140 Lancaster bombers of the British Royal Air Force dropped over 500 tons of bombs on Milan, causing devastating fires. A firebroke struck the roof of Palazzo Reale, igniting the wooden trusses of the Sala delle Cariatidi, causing the ceiling to collapse and destroying Neoclassical decorations, including Francesco Hayez's 1838 fresco Apoteosi di Ferdinando I. The hall, designed by Giuseppe Piermarini between 1774 and 1778, measured 46 by 17 meters (782 sq m), larger than the Galerie des Glaces at Versailles. Despite parallels with the 2019 Notre-Dame fire, protective coverings were only installed in 1947. The hall's fate contrasts with Piermarini's other masterpiece, Teatro alla Scala, which was rebuilt after fires. Opponents of philological restoration cite the hall's association with the Savoy monarchy and fascism, while advocates point to successful reconstructions like Dresden's monuments and Berlin Castle (by Franco Stella). In 1953, Guernica was exhibited in the ruined hall. The article argues that with 80 years since destruction in 2023, the time may be right for reconstruction.