Cisternone (Gran Conserva)

The Cisternone, or Gran Conserva, is a monumental reservoir designed by Pasquale Poccianti as the urban terminus of Livorno's Colognole aqueduct. Its neoclassical architecture gives civic prominence to a work of water infrastructure.

Why it matters

The reservoir belongs to an aqueduct project that brought water from the Colognole hills to Livorno. Poccianti's design turns the practical function of storage and distribution into a carefully composed architectural statement, with a portico and a coffered half-dome.

What to notice

The façade, redesigned in 1832, is framed by Tuscan columns and a large semicircular opening. Above it, a coffered half-dome creates a monumental profile. Inside, five aisles separated by Tuscan piers carry sail vaults over the reservoir space. The building remains part of Livorno's water infrastructure.

Context and history

Construction began in 1829. The dome was completed by 1833, and the reservoir became operational in 1842. Poccianti's design was part of a wider system that included the Cisternino di Pian di Rota and the Cisternino di città. The Colognole aqueduct itself had begun in 1793, and water reached Livorno in 1816.