This article discusses seismic analysis of a historical building to predict the state of damage in case of earthquakes. A temporary array is first used to have a first glance at the dynamic properties of the building. Then a permanent array is installed and several events are recorded. The experimental results are compared with those obtained by means of a simplified finite element model that reproduces the complex nature of the building. The results obtained are very useful to predict where stresses could be concentrated and where cracks or damage could start under seismic actions. Such an analysis is very important both to identify areas in the structure particularly vulnerable to earthquakes and to plan an effective building retrofit program to resist seismic actions. © SAGE Publications 2007.

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