Ponte Rotto, The Broken Bridge

Have you every heard of the Ponte Rotto, originally known as the Pons Aemilius? It’s a famous broken bridge in Rome Italy and a historical landmark in stone masonry. Check out this blog post, shared from our company site PetrilloStone.com:

Originally named the Pons Aemilius, it was built in 179 B.C. and is one of the only remaining examples of Roman Republican architecture. It was constructed to connect the cattle farm on the eastern bank with Trastevere on the western bank. However, no one has been able to cross it since Christmas Eve 1598, when floods carried the eastern part away.

Ancient Stone Masonry in the Ponte Rotto

What was really remarkable, though, was that it was one of the first stone Roman bridges. At the time, bridges were wooden and entirely supported on timber piles. Instead, the Pons Aemilius was constructed of a wooden roadbed, supported by five stone pillars.

The stone used was locally quarrified volcanic tufa, a form of volcanic ash. The stone was laid in ashlar masonry style, or an interlocking style of horizontal and vertical slabs set in parallel courses.

Thanks for reading this excerpt! For the full blog post, be sure to visit PetrilloStone.com.

 

Altar Restoration at Fordham University

When Petrillo Stone Corporation arrived at Fordham University’s Loyola Hall, the white marble altar was badly stained. Our team was able to clean and restore the altar to its former magnificence. See pictures of the project below.

One of my Favorite Stone Landmarks: Edinburgh Castle

One of my Favorite Stone Landmarks: Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle on a beautiful clear, crisp fall day.Probably most professionals working in stone masonry and architecture have iconic landmarks that inspire them, and Ralph Petrillo is no exception. While whittling down to a single piece of architecture is difficult, I can say with confidence that Edinburgh Castle places fairly high on my list of favorites.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, Edinburgh Castle is nestled on the historic Castle Rock in Scotland and is one of the capital’s main attractions, welcoming over one million visitors each year. Castle Rock was formed over 340 million years after a volcano eruption. For centuries, the rock was used as a military base and housing for royals. The castle itself was built in the 12th century by David I, the son of Saint Margaret of Scotland.

Over the years, Edinburgh Castle has been the site  of many political battles between English and Scottish monarchies. During the Wars of Independence, the castle went back and forth as property of each country. It also saw some serious damage over this time and was rebuilt by David II in 1356. In 1573, English forces took over Edinburgh in what’s known as the Lang Siege in an attempt to capture the Queen. This siege once again caused damage to the castle and David’s tower was destroyed in the process.

For most of the 19th and 20th centuries, Edinburgh Castle was restored. Today, it’s a wonderful, iconic spot for tourists to visit. Along with the crown jewels and Honours of Scotland, the castle houses the Stone of Destiny, a holy relic that has been captured and recaptured by Scots and Brits for over 700 years. For more about the history of Edinburgh Castle, visit the official website.

Petrillo Stone Corp Receives Award for Excellence

awardWe’re proud to announce that Petrillo Stone was recently the recipient of an award from the US Trade & Commerce Institute. The press release below details the specifics of this honor.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Petrillo Stone Corporation receives 2013 New York Excellence Award

May 19th 2014 –  Petrillo Stone Corporation has been selected for the 2013 New York Excellence Award amongst all its peers and competitors by the US Trade & Commerce Institute (USTCI).

Each year the USTCI conducts business surveys and industry research to identify companies that have achieved demonstrable success in their local business environment and industry category. They are recognized as having enhanced the commitment and contribution of small businesses through service to their customers and community. Small businesses of this caliber enhance the consumer driven stature that New York is renowned for.

Petrillo Stone Corporation has consistently demonstrated a high regard for upholding business ethics and company values. This recognition by USTCI marks a significant achievement as an emerging leader within various competitors and is setting benchmarks that the industry should follow.

As part of the industry research and business surveys, various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the selected companies in each category. This research is part of an exhaustive process that encapsulates a year long immersion in the business climate of New York.

About USTCI

The USTCI is a leading authority on researching, evaluating and recognizing companies across a wide spectrum of industries that meet its stringent standards of excellence. It has spearheaded the idea of independent enterprise and entrepreneurial growth allowing businesses of all sizes to be recognized locally and encouraged globally.

Particular emphasis is given to meeting and exceeding industry benchmarks for customer service, product quality and ethical practices. Industry leading standards and practices have been developed and implementation of the same has been pioneered by the dedicated efforts of the business community and commerce leadership.

More information on USTCI can be found at www.USTCI.org

Stonework at 330 Madison Avenue

The following images are from a project Petrillo Stone Corporation completed at 330 Madison Avenue in New York City.

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