The Palazzo Ducale,  in the central Italian beautiful town of Urbino,  is now hosting a series of moving projections created by the electronic designer Paolo Buroni, who has worked on similar projects around the world. In this way one of Italy's loveliest 15^th century complex is going hi – tech, taking a quick step into the future, adding a series of ''electronic frescoes'' to its extensive art collection.

Four will be the rooms in the Renaissance buildings, which are being converted into blank canvasses for the large-scale screening of photographs, reconstructions and artworks, all accompanied by music and soundtracks of daily life.

The curious idea by Paolo Buroni is to carry visitors back to six centuries in time, treating them to a realistic experience of the palace, when it was home to renowned Renaissance rulers. The Palace was built in the middle of the 15th century by Federico II da Montefeltro, who was also a huge architecture enthusiast and it swallowed the Palace of the Jole,  that stood on the site previously. It is considered one of the finest buildings of the Renaissance and plays host to the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche, home to some magnificent paintings.
 It is also famous as the setting of a series of conversations that supposedly took place there in 1507, which appeared in the ''Book of the Courtier'' by renowned Renaissance author and courtier, Baldassare Castiglione.
Among all the painting, Piero della Francesca's “Flagellation of Christ”, Paolo Uccello's “Profanation of the Host” and a portrait of Federico II  da Montefeltro by Spanish artist Pedro Berruguete are the most famous in the world.

The innovative project electronically ''transports'' surviving artworks back to the space they once occupied on the palace walls, while a particularly ambitious plan brings the famous library back to life: this one  was originally commissioned by the palace's first owner, Urbino's ruler, the famous soldier and commander Federico II da Montefeltro. The wonderful three-dimensional digital reconstruction is the result of years of experimentation and research and rivalled that this library  was the largest in Italy after that one of the Vatican, which absorbed its contents three centuries ago.

As of spring 2008, the Hall of Frescoes will also host an electronic re-creation of a series of lost wall paintings entitled ''Uomini d'Arme'' (Men of Arms), painted in the 15th century by Giovanni Boccati: this project is the final stage in ten years of investments aimed at renovating and preserving the palace's architecture and improving its exhibition spaces.

The high spot of most visits to Urbino, the Palazzo Ducale is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site (www.comune.urbino.ps.it)

(by Loredana Grandi)

Urbino, National Gallery of Marche – P.za Duca Federico, 107

Tel. 0722-2760 / 0722-322625