60 Minutes Transcript: Restoring the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi

In 1997, two powerful earthquakes struck the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, causing extensive damage to the roof and art treasures. Friar Giulio Cesareo, a student at the time, witnessed the arch collapse and recalls being terrified by the earthquake. The damage shocked Italy and galvanized a desperate salvage operation to restore the damaged bodies of the saints.

Now, a team of art historians, software engineers, and Franciscan Friars are using digital wizardry and artificial intelligence to complete the restoration. Giovanni Borelli, the CTO of Haltadefinizione, a technology company specializing in ultra-high-definition gigapixel photography, is leading the project to create a digital twin of the basilica. Borelli uses a robotic camera to take super-high-definition images of the frescoes, capturing the smallest details of the paintings and brush strokes.

With hundreds of thousands of pictures stitched together, Borelli's team creates the most high-resolution 3D blueprint of a building ever made. This digital blueprint serves as a roadmap for rebuilding in case of future earthquakes. For Sergio Fusetti, a survivor of the 1997 quakes and chief restorer, the use of high-tech help is bittersweet, as he has gone as far as humanly possible in fitting the leftover fragments back into place.

Borelli plans to use AI to fit together the leftover pieces and tackle other issues, such as cracks, discoloration, and layers of paint lifting in the paintings.