CHIRICHIA: THE METHAPHYSICAL DISTRICT

Entirely envisioned as De Chirico's Metaphysical City, from which it takes its name, Chirichia has been, since its foundation, an area where architecture reigns supreme. In fact, here the Kings and Governors of Cismarina implemented an idea rather than a set of constructions: Chirichia, in the original plans, was to be the neighborhood of perfect forms, with 90-degree angles (except for the sphere positioned at the center of the area) and modern, rough, brutal but ideally perfect structures.

The creation of Chirichia was an artistic statement by the Government of Cismarina, declaring that art, in any form, is welcome in the City.

The Government Residence of Chirichia

The Government Residence of Chirichia was the first major work built in the Neighborhood. With its six rooms, it is a modest house, and the predominant choice of glass (especially on the upper floor) allows the use of natural light during daylight hours. Even today, for stylistic reasons, the house does not have an artificial lighting system inside. For the first time, a lava room for the destruction of artifacts was installed in this house. It was also the first official residence to have an office on the first floor adorned with a library and a desk, still intact today as per the original design. The Residence was also, for the first few years after the foundation of Chirichia, a railway terminus for the route that departed from the Historic Center, then seemingly distant due to the dense vegetation that persisted in the area at the time. The underwater railway tunnel (the first built in the City's history) was only one cubit wide and was entirely made of glass from the beginning, allowing passengers to comfortably view the riverbed while seated on the carriage. Today, after several years of disuse, what was the terminus of the route has been transformed into a Rotating Railway Interchange that intersects the Gold Line - Bank with the Beige Line - Drop. The underwater railway tunnel has also been widened and adapted for the new use.

Houses of Chirichia

The residences of Chirichia are spartan, cubic, and designed for quick reproduction and minimal use of building materials: the natural light filtering through the glass roofs allows practical use during daylight hours and prevents monsters from appearing. The houses were not originally planned in the Neighborhood's design, but were added after the Government of Cismarina decided to apply a multiplier to the allocation of seats in Parliament to Neighborhoods with more inhabitants. However, the architectural choice of the houses built in Chirichia was still in line with the founders' original artistic idea, and the residences appealed to the inhabitants, making it a preferred destination within the city limits. Each house has four beds, a furnace, a chest, and a work table, for practicality and stylistic equality.

The Bell Tower

The Bell Tower of Chirichia was built to provide a central point to the new Village: the base is squared like the rest of the houses, but the projection in height and the architectural style, slightly less modern than the surrounding structures, stand above every house in the area and serve as a reference point for the inhabitants of Chirichia.

The Torre Rotta (Broken Tower)

The Broken Tower is one of the oldest buildings in the City and one of the first four oldest in the Neighborhood. Built in the year 2012 or 2013 to commemorate the Emilian earthquake of 2012, it is composed of two different materials to appear actually broken: nevertheless, it is solid and remains one of the tallest towers in the City.

The Sphere

The Sphere was, for a long time, the central building of Chirichia: imposing, it has four access stairs and was used from its inauguration as a water tank for the entire area. After the excavation of the Rabbit Hill in the Historic Center, the Sphere was assigned a much more important task: today, it houses the Magic Book and the related collection of books.