The Oldest Map of Europe Found Carved into Stone

From time to time I like to feature unique stories about stone and masonry. Before pen and paper, our ancestors had to use the resources available to best record information. The most common way was carving important information into stone and stone walls. Recently, a slab of stone with engraved intricate lines and motifs dating as far back to the Bronze Age has been revealed to be Europe’s oldest map, researchers say. As reported by CNN, researchers used high-resolution 3D surveys and photogrammetry to examine the Saint-Belec Slab – an engraved and partly broken piece of stone that was discovered…

Construction on a 50-Story Office Tower in New York City

The team at Petrillo Stone was excited to recently be awarded a multimillion-dollar contract for our most recent project with the CommonWealth Partners’ property in the lobby of their 50-story office at 787 Seventh Avenue in New York City. This building houses an athletic club, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, two restaurants, a parking garage, and offers direct access to transportation. Our contract consists of removing and salvaging stone benches, planters, and lighting, known as Flanagan Sculpture. Our team is drafting, supplying, and installing over 20,000 square feet of Avorio Limestone, Calacatta Marble, Absolute Black Granite, Porcelain, Ceramic Tile, and Silestone….

The Restoration of Notre Dame De Paris

On April 15, 2019, Notre-Dame de Paris suffered extensive damage. It’s spire, lead roof, and oak frame were destroyed from a fire at the iconic cathedral. Thankfully, the main structure of the building was unharmed. It was apparent that the fire started from an electrical short. Following protocol, the firefighters knew to keep the water pressure low and avoid spraying the stained glass windows so the cold water wouldn’t shatter the hot glass. They were able to save the buttresses, towers, facade, walls, and stained glass windows. Restoring of an 850-Year-Old Cathedral President Emmanuel Macron said the cathedral would be…

Creating 14 Limestone Carvings Depicting Ignatius Loyola

The team at Petrillo Stone recently used Indiana limestone to create these 14 carvings depicting the life of Ignatius Loyola. We did this using the original molds from the 1950s. Ralph Petrillo is pictured next to one of the carvings. Ignatius Loyola was a Spanish priest who co-founded the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). He was born in 1491 to a family of minor nobility. He was one of 13 children. When he was 30 years old, he was injured during a battle with the French. While recuperating from his injury, Ignatius began reading about Jesus and the Saints which…

6 Types of Stone We Commonly Use for Our Projects

As you might guess, not all stone is created equal. Certain varieties of stone are not as useful for building materials. At Petrillo Stone, we commonly use these 6 materials in our projects: Basalt: This stone is usually between medium and fine grain. It’s commonly used to build roads, bridge piers, dams, and river walls. Granite: Granite has a crystalline structure, and the grain can be anywhere from fine to coarse. This stone is mostly made up of quartz and feldspar, with a little bit of mica and amphibole. Sandstone: When combined with silica cement, this material is used to…

Working on an Exterior Wall at Fordham University

Ralph Petrillo and the rest of the Petrillo Stone team enjoyed working on the exterior of Fordham University’s Lincoln Center. Built in the 1950s, this beautiful masonry building is home to the Metropolitan Opera and the New York City Ballet. It’s located a block east of Broadway, also near Central Park, in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen.

14 Stone Carvings at Fordham University

Petrillo Stone has been contracted for work on 14 stone carvings at Fordham University. So far, we’ve finished the first carving, with the second following close behind. The carvings depict the life of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. Check out these photos of Ralph Petrillo and carver Michael Orekunrin: The final 14 carvings will be put in a new building to be constructed this year at the Rose Hill Campus.

Recent Project at An Office Building in Times Square

We enjoyed this recent project, maintenance work on an office building in Times Square. New York is home to so many interesting places, and nothing is more iconic than Times Square! We were so excited to restore the beautiful floor and columns in this lobby. Besides the exquisite stone work, we appreciate this beautiful space, especially its natural light and interesting art sculpture on the ceiling.

Ralph Petrillo Celebrates 40 Years in the Family Business, Continuing a 111 Year Legacy

Ralph Petrillo, the co-owner of Petrillo Stone, recently celebrated 40 years in business, while his business is celebrating year 111. Petrillo’s grandfather, Antonio T. Petrillo, founded the company in 1907 after emigrating to Mount Vernon, NY from Italy. With him, he brought knowledge of traditional masonry techniques–the type of time-honored methods that set the craft apart. Even as masonry evolves, many of its aspects remain, some withstanding for longer than a century. Ralph Petrillo describes his business as “a glue that binds three generations and their technologies, workmanship, and ideologies.” After founding the company, Antonio Petrillo passed his knowledge onto…

Another Favorite Stone Landmark: Machu Picchu

It’s impossible to study masonry without falling in love with some of the ancient stone landmarks. These breath-taking, iconic structures withstand the test of time, many are hundreds of years old. Not too long ago, I wrote about one of my favorite stone buildings, Edinburgh Castle. Another of my favorites is Machu Picchu, located in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru. An Ancient Incan Artifact From Quechuan, an ancient indigenous language, Machu Picchu translates to “old peak.” Historians believe it was built between 1450 and 1460, during the rule of two Inca rulers, Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui and Túpac Inca Yupanqui.  Most archaeologists agree that Pachacutec ordered…

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