The course aims to provide the students with the tools necessary to deal, in a critical way, with the problems concerning the “structural reading” and the “structural analysis” of the historical masonry buildings, taking into account the problems of stability and safety. After the general discussion about the issues relating to the constructive principles, the rules, the techniques and the materials which characterize the historical architectural heritage, during the course some specific aspects are discussed by analyzing the behaviour of the most common historical constructive systems, with particular reference to the matters regarding the equilibrium and limit analysis of structural systems made with overlapping blocks, arches, vaults and domes of masonry.