The Airship Hangar of Augusta

The Airship Hangar of Augusta stands as a remarkable example of early 20th-century military architecture and engineering. Constructed between 1917 and 1920 during World War I, the hangar was designed by engineer Antonio Garboli, a pioneer in the use of reinforced concrete in Italy . Its primary purpose was to house airships tasked with patrolling the Mediterranean Sea for enemy submarines.

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The hangar's dimensions are impressive: it measures 105.5 meters in length, 45.2 meters in width, and 37 meters in height. The structure comprises 15 reinforced concrete frames, creating a vast internal space capable of accommodating airships up to 12,000 cubic meters in volume.

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In 1925, the facility was repurposed into a seaplane base by the Regia Aeronautica (Royal Italian Air Force), adapting the hangar and adding two metal hangars nearby. This base played a significant role during World War II, serving as a strategic point for military operations.

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After the war, the hangar continued to serve various military functions until it was decommissioned in 1991. Recognizing its historical and architectural significance, the Sicilian Regional Department of Cultural Heritage declared the hangar a monument of high historical and monumental interest in 1987.

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Despite its protected status, the hangar has faced challenges, including structural deterioration due to environmental factors and lack of maintenance. Efforts have been made to preserve the structure, including restoration work funded by earthquake relief funds between 2007 and 2009. However, as of 2016, the site has been closed to the public for safety reasons.

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Today, the Airship Hangar of Augusta remains a unique testament to early aviation history and military engineering, standing as the only remaining example of a reinforced concrete airship hangar in the world.