All Places

The Church of Santa Cristina is a church located on the southern bank of the Arno River, on the Lungarno Gambacorti, in Pisa, a few meters away from Palazzo Blu.   SHORT HISTORY The church is documented since the 8th century, but the external apsidal structures are attributed to the 10th century. The church was destroyed by a flood in 1115, and rebuilt in 1118. Between the 13th and 16th centuries, it was the property of the Canonici del Duomo. The Count Luigi Archinto, member of a prominent Milanese family, moved to Pisa in the late 18th century. In 1814, he acquired the Agnello Palace adjacent to the church. The Count Archinto commissioned the reconstruction of the church, which was in a very poor conservation. The church was restored in its current form in 1816 on a project by Francesco Riccetti, when the bell-tower was also built. In 1854, according to the project of Lanfranco Mei regarding the enlargement of the Lungarno Gambacorti, the position of the church was in a strong contrast with the harmony of the nearby buildings. Saved by the proposal of demolition, it was decided to rectify the rectory overlooking the river. The rectification also regularized Read more [...]

Palazzo del Consiglio dei Dodici is a palace in Pisa, located in Piazza dei Cavalieri, across the square from Palazzo della Carovana.   SHORT HISTORY The name of the palace changed over time, depending on the institution it hosted. At first, it was Palazzo dell’Archivio during the Middle Ages, then Palazzo dei Priori after the Florentine conquest of 1409, and finally Palazzo del Consiglio dei Dodici, when it passed into the hands of the Order of the Knights of Saint Stephen. The Council of the 12 Knights was, in fact, a decision-making body of the Order. At the end of the 16th century, the palace was renovated by the architect Pietro Francavilla, who also sculpted the statue of Cosimo I located in front of the nearby Palazzo dei Cavalieri. Francavilla brought the palace in line with the surrounding buildings, in terms of height, with a facade decorated in late Renaissance style. The works were completed in 1603, under the Grand Duchy of Ferdinando I de’ Medici, but the transition to the Order of the Knights of Saint Stephen was made only in 1691, when the priors moved to Palazzo Gambacorti.   ART AND ARCHITECTURE The facade of the palace is Read more [...]

Palazzo dell’Opera is a palace located on the northeastern area of Piazza dei Miracoli, in Pisa, to the east of Campo Santo and to the north of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. Until the first years of the 21st century, the palace housed the headquarters of Opera della Primaziale Pisana, which is the entity that manages the Cathedral of Pisa and the monumental complex of Piazza dei Miracoli. Currently, it only holds some offices for the technical staff and, since 2014, it hosts temporary art exhibitions.   SHORT HISTORY The main body of the building, which still maintains its original facade, dates back to 1309, while the expansions date back to the 18th century. The building was in fact the residence of various workers of the cathedral complex: the tailor, the gardener, the bell ringers, until the 19th century, when the administration offices of Opera della Primaziale were brought in the palace.   ART AND ARCHITECTURE The facade shows a Medici coat of arms and marble panels with the initials of Opera del Duomo, as well as an 18th-century plaque commemorating the stay of Charles VIII of France in 1494, and one Read more [...]

Palazzo Vecchio de’ Medici, formerly Palazzo Appiano, is a palace in Pisa, located on the Lungarno Mediceo, about 120 meters away from Palazzo Toscanelli. Today, Palazzo Vecchio de’ Medici is the seat of the Prefecture.   SHORT HISTORY The palace was built in the 13th century, on the site of a previous building dating back to the 11th century. The Appiani family, Lords of Pisa between 1392 and 1398, lived here until 1446, when the palace was bought by the Medici family. Lorenzo de’ Medici often stayed here, as he came to the Tuscan coast to cure his frail health. The King Charles VIII of France, guest of Piero di Lorenzo de’ Medici, also known as Piero the Unfortunate, resided in the palace in 1494, when Florence rebelled against Piero and he was exiled from the city. In 1539, the palace was the residence of Cosimo I de’ Medici. In 1574, Francesco I de’ Medici built a new Medici palace in Pisa, Palazzo Reale, and by 1784, the Medici Palace was sold to Jacopo Finocchietti. In 1871, the architect Ranieri Simonelli was comissioned by Vittoria Spinola, the morganatic daughter of Vittorio Emanuele II, to restore the palace. The architect transformed Read more [...]

After you pass the Peggy Guggenheim Museum, on the Grand Canal, coming from Ponte dell’Accademia, you have on your right a relatively small but very elegant palace, built in Gothic style with Renaissance elements, called Palazzo Dario or, closer to the Venetian language, Ca’ Dario.   SHORT HISTORY It is not known exactly when Palazzo Dario was built, but some say that it underwent a major reconstruction in 1487 and the architect Pietro Lombardo was the one who dealt with the project. The architect restored the palace for the Venetian Senator Giovanni Dario, an important man of those times, diplomat and trader alike. After the death of Giovanni Dario, in 1494, the palace was inherited by his illegitimate daughter, Marietta. Married to Vincenzo Barbaro, she has practically brought the palace to the Barbaro family, which already owned two palaces – one in the immediate vicinity (Palazzo Barbaro Wolkoff) and one on the other side of Canal Grande, closer to Ponte dell’Accademia, Palazzo Barbaro. Ca’ Dario will be in the possession of the Barbaro family until the middle of the 19th century. After that, it will change its owners several times until 2006, when it will be bought by some Americans Read more [...]

The Church of San Vito and San Ranieri, popularly known as the Church of San Vito, is a church located on Lungarno Ranieri Simonelli, in Pisa. According to tradition, Saint Rainerius, the patron saint of the city, died in the church in 1160.   SHORT HISTORY Documented since 1051, the church was surrounded by a Benedictine monastery in 1069. At the beginning of the 15th century, the whole complex passed to the nuns of Santa Chiara. A century later, the church was damaged during the Florentine siege of the city. In 1542, Cosimo I de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, to realize Giardino dei Semplici, now the Botanical Garden of Pisa, needed the area of the old Republican Arsenal and the adjacent territory. Subsequently, to build the new shipyard, he purchased the entire territory of the Convent of San Vito and had a large part of the building demolished. The ancient church was seriously damaged during the bombings of the Second World War. Therefore, after the war, it was rebuilt in similar forms to those of the 18th century.   ARCHITECTURE The church, crammed between two other buildings, has a simple plastered facade, with a portal surmounted by an arched Read more [...]

Palazzo Giuli Rosselmini Gualandi is a palace in Pisa, located on Lungarno Gambacorti, near the Church of Santa Cristina. The palace has recently become known as Palazzo Blu (Blue Palace), because of the restored color of its plasterwork.   SHORT HISTORY On November 14, 1356, Doge Giovanni Dell’Agnello, owner of some properties in the area, obtained permission to enlarge some of his buildings, thus raising the first nucleus of the palace, a structure composed of large pillars, with two or more modules, joined to form ogival arches, filled with bricks and decorated with single mullioned windows. During the first Florentine domination, between 1406 and 1494, the building underwent considerable changes, due to the decline of the Dell’Agnello family. Passed to the Municipality at the end of the 14th century, it became the property of the Republic of Florence, which used it as the headquarters for the five supervisors of the occupied city, until it was given back to Giovan Bernardino Dell’Agnello. Towards the end of the 16th century, the complex was transformed by the families of Sancasciano and Del Testa. It was precisely Emilio Del Testa, who in 1593 radically transformed the building to a sumptuous late-Renaissance palace, applying a Read more [...]

Torre Guelfa (Guelph Tower) is a tower in Pisa, located on Lungarno Ranieri Simonelli, near the Old Citadel (Cittadella Vecchia) and Ponte della Cittadella.   SHORT HISTORY On this area, during medieval times, it was the Republican Arsenal, where the ships of the Marine Republic of Pisa were built, ships that contributed to the city’s rise as a Mediterranean power. At the beginning of the 15th century, the shipyard was enlarged and transformed to what will be later known as the Old Citadel, in opposition to the New Citadel (Cittadella Nuova), built in 1440 on the other side of the city. Around the same time, Torre Guelfa was built. The name of the tower was chosen in contrast to the older Ghibelline Tower (Torre Ghibellina), erected in 1290 and later destroyed. The Guelph Tower, together with the Sant’Agnese Tower (Torre di Sant’Agnese), the Canto Tower (Torre del Canto) and the Ghibelline Tower, delimited the ancient area of Terzanaia, where republican galleys were built and repaired. In 1944, during the Second World War, the whole area was badly damaged by bombing, and the citadel along with the Guelph Tower were completely destroyed, with the exception of the Republican Arsenal. In 1956, Read more [...]

Palazzo Lanfreducci, also called Palazzo alla Giornata or Palazzo Upezzinghi, after the 19th century owners, is a Mannerist or early Baroque-style palace on the Lungarno Antonio Pacinotti, in Pisa. The building is now the seat of the Rectorate of the University of Pisa.   SHORT HISTORY Built at the behest of Francesco Lanfreducci, Knight of Malta and exponent of an important and ancient family of Pisa from the 13th century, the palace owes its present appearance to the Sienese architect Cosimo Pugliani, who suprevised the works between 1594 and the early 17th century. The Pisans called it Palazzo alla Giornata, inspired by the motto chosen by its owner, located on the architrave of the main portal. One of the many legends raised by the enigmatic motto alla Giornata (at the day) tells that, after a long imprisonment in Algiers, the Knight Lanfreducci placed that inscription above the door as a reflection on the precariousness of life. Behind the palace, there was a church called San Biagio delle Catene, owned by the Lanfreducci family. Torre dei Lanfreducci (Tower of Lanfreducci) is one of Pisa’s best preserved medieval towers, located in the internal courtyard of the palace. The tower, with a rectangular Read more [...]

Palazzo Toscanelli, known until the 19th century as Palazzo Lanfranchi, is a Renaissance-style palace located on Lungarno Mediceo, in Pisa, about 120 meters away of Palazzo Vecchio de’ Medici. Since 1913, the palace is the seat of the State Archive (Archivio di Stato di Pisa), which holds an impressive collection of documents from the archives of the Pisan Republic. Over time, the archive was enriched with documents from the Pisan monasteries or donations from private individuals belonging to noble Tuscan families.   SHORT HISTORY The palace was built in the first half of the 16th century by Bartolomeo Lanfranchi. Another palace commissioned later by Alessandro Lanfranchi stands across the Arno River. In 1576, the palace was refurbished after a design by Francesco Mosca. Lord Byron lived in the palace between 1821 and 1822. From here, the English poet left for Greece, where he died in 1824. The Toscanelli family bought the palace in 1827. The current appearance of the building dates back to the same 19th century, when Palazzo Toscanelli was renovated by the architect Alessandro Gherardesca. Giovan Battista Toscanelli and his wife, Angiola Cipriani, lived in the palace, gaining over time a large and prominent art collection. Among the Read more [...]

Palazzo Prini-Aulla, also known as Palazzo Mazzarosa, is a palace in Pisa, built in Neo-Renaissance style, located on Lungarno Antonio Pacinotti, at number 45.   SHORT HISTORY The palace was built around 1830 at the behest of the Prini-Aulla family, who kept the property until the beginning of the 20th century. The architect was Alessandro Gherardesca, who built the palace by merging some medieval houses and by closing an alley whose access corresponded with the entrance door of the current structure. Over time, famous people lived in the palace, such as the Italian philosopher and poet Giacomo Leopardi, the French writer Xavier de Maistre, or the French poet Alphonse de Lamartine.   ARCHITECTURE The facade of the palace, built in Neo-Renaissance style, has three levels. The ground floor has 10 rectangular windows and a massive portal, while the upper floors have 11 rectangular windows each. The portal is surmounted by a balcony, and the window on the main floor corresponding to the portal is decorated with the coat of arms of the Prini-Aulla family.   HOW TO GET THERE Palazzo Prini-Aulla is located about 1 kilometer away from the Pisa Centrale railway station. The closest bus stop is Pacinotti 1, Read more [...]

Palazzo Reale is a large palace in Pisa, located on the northern bank of the Arno River, on Lungarno Antonio Pacinotti, at number 46. Today, the palace hosts the National Museum of the Royal Palace (Museo Nazionale di Palazzo Reale).   SHORT HISTORY Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace) was built in 1583 by Bernardo Buontalenti for Francesco I de’ Medici, to replace the Medici Palace located near the Church of San Matteo. The palace was built by merging some medieval buildings dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries and partly still visible – that of the Counts Gaetani of Terriccio, Pomaya and d’Oriseo (the Tower of the Verga d’Oro and the Tower of the Canton), and was remodeled several times, during the 17th and 19th centuries. On an alley behind the palace, we can see the round arches of a medieval building, now lowered due to the rising of the floor, and in the courtyard, there is an ancient tower, with an arched portal, two small windows with a pentagonal architrave and a single-lancet window higher up. On the ground floor of the courtyard, we can also find the remains of a loggia, with two columns with capitals, partially abraded. Read more [...]

Ponte di Mezzo, commonly known as Ponte Conte Ugolino, is a bridge over the Arno River, in Pisa. The bridge connects Piazza Garibaldi, belonging to Tramontana, the northern part of the city, to Piazza XX Settembre, located south of the river, in Mezzogiorno. Every year, on the last Saturday of June, a historical reenactment event takes place on Ponte di Mezzo, known as the Battle of the Bridge (Gioco del Ponte).   SHORT HISTORY Until the 12th century, Pisa had only one bridge, made initially of wood, which connected the two banks of the Arno River in the position where the Church of Santa Cristina currently stands. In 1035, the year of the victory of Lipari, the wooden bridge was rebuilt in stone and moved further east, on the current site of Ponte di Mezzo. The bridge was restored by the order of Pietro Gambacorta in 1388, owner of the homonymous palace. In 1635, the bridge, known at the time as Ponte Vecchio, collapsed due to a flood of the Arno. The reconstruction work took about thirty years, and the bridge was completed in 1660. In the early decades of the 20th century, Pisa’s tram network went into service, with Read more [...]

Palazzo Agostini, commonly known as Palazzo dell’Ussero or Palazzo Rosso (Red Palace), is one of the most beautiful palaces in Pisa, and one of the main examples of Gothic architecture in Tuscany. The palace, belonging to the noble family Agostini Fantini Venerosi della Seta Gaetani Bocca Grassi, is home to the Caffè dell’Ussero starting with 1775, and houses the Cinema Lumière since 1899.   SHORT HISTORY In the first half of the 14th century, the Astajo family built the palace by merging two older buildings. In 1447, the heirs of Jacopo and Filippo Astajo ceded the palace to Antonio Primi. Later, the palace passed to the Florentine family Visdomini who, on January 25, 1465, ceded it to the brothers Antonio and Pietro, Pisan goldsmiths. In 1496, the palace was bought by Mariano and Pietro Agostini, belonging to a family of mercantile origin, specialized in the silk trade. The palace was restored in 1895 on a project by the architect Angelo Giannini. On May 12, 1895, the roof was added by Luigi Corona, on a design by the architect Luigi Del Moro.   ARCHITECTURE The facade, covered in terracotta tiles with a characteristic reddish color, from which the palace draws its Read more [...]

Palazzo Roncioni is a palace located on the northern bank of the Arno River, in Pisa, adjacent to the Palazzo Toscanelli and about 100 meters away from Palazzo Vecchio de’ Medici.   SHORT HISTORY The palace was built in the first half of the 17th century, by merging several medieval buildings. In 1662, the original owners, the Navarette family, sold it to the Roncioni family. In 1789, Angiolo Roncioni, passionate about art, hired the painter Giovanni Battista Tempesti to paint frescoes on the walls and the vaulted ceilings of the palace, and J.B. Desmarais to paint family portraits. In 1794, Angiolo Roncioni and Andrea Agostini created the Roncioni Academy, a cultural circle where famous artists were invited, and where the most advanced theatrical texts of the period were presented. In 1795, the owner comissioned the architect Alessandro Gherardesca to build a small theater in the palace. The Count Vittorio Alfieri, the founder of the Italian tragedy, stayed there in the same year, when he was invited to recite his work Saul during the period of Luminara di San Ranieri. In 1816, the writer Madame de Staël lived in the palace, and later Louis Bonaparte – the brother of Napoleon, and Read more [...]

Palazzo della Canonica is a 16th-century palace in Pisa, located in Piazza dei Cavalieri, near the Church of Santo Stefano dei Cavalieri, across the square from Palazzo della Carovana.   SHORT HISTORY In 1567, Cosimo I de’ Medici donated the medieval buildings standing between Via Ulisse Dini and Via San Frediano, to provide quarters for the important and influential division of the priests of the Order of the Knights of Saint Stephen. Giorgio Vasari was comissioned to design the palace, along with the whole new layout of the square, and David Fortini was the architect to built it. The works on the building lasted over forty years, because most of the funds available were directed to the construction of the Church of Santo Stefano dei Cavalieri. The interventions continued until the 17th century. Between 1604 and 1607, the rooms on the top floor were built, which were renovated between 1690 and 1692, with further additions around the middle of the 19th century.   ARCHITECTURE The long facade of the palace closely resembles that of Palazzo della Carovana. Three rows of windows define its facade as a whole, masking the differences between the medieval buildings joined together to make the new Read more [...]

Palazzo del Collegio Puteano is a palace in Pisa, located in Piazza dei Cavalieri, adjacent to the Church of San Rocco, between Palazzo dell’Orologio and Palazzo del Consiglio dei Dodici.   SHORT HISTORY Palazzo del Collegio Puteano was built in its current form between 1594 and 1598, by merging a group of ancient buildings. In 1605, the palace was granted to the Order of the Knights of Saint Stephen, to host Piedmontese students of the University of Pisa, according to a wish of Archbishop Carlo Antonio Dal Pozzo. The facade of the palace was decorated with allegorical frescoes between 1608 and 1609 by Giovanni Stefano Marucelli. After the suppression of the Order, the college remained open until 1925. In 1930, only five years later, Scuola Normale di Pisa reopened it as the Student House of the prestigious University, which had its headquarters in the nearby Palazzo della Carovana. In 2001, the palace became the seat of the Ennio De Giorgi Center for Mathematical Research.   HOW TO GET THERE Palazzo del Collegio Puteano is located about 1.4 kilometers away from the Pisa Centrale railway station. The closest bus stop is Corsica, located about 100 meters away, on the bus Line Read more [...]

The Church of San Francesco is a 13th-century church, located in Piazza San Francesco, in Pisa.   SHORT HISTORY Mentioned for the first time in a document from 1233, the church was rebuilt starting with 1261 at the behest of the archbishop Federico Visconti. Between 1265 and 1270, the works were directed by Giovanni di Simone. During this time, the slender bell-tower was also built. The new church included many private chapels belonging to noble Pisan families. The chapels, which preserve ancient tombs, were built and adorned by the Pisan families, who exercised the right of patronage on the church, while the Franciscan monks only limited themselves to the administration of the religious building. Two new cloisters and the San Bernardino Chapel were added in the 15th century. The marble facade dates back to 1603, and the interior was renovated in the same 17th century. In 1863, following a law of December 1861, the church and convent were deconsecrated and converted to military barracks. All the objects, paintings and ornaments were therefore withdrawn by the families, who exercised their patronage rights. On July 7, 1866, the church was transformed into a warehouse. On May 22, 1893, the Ministry of Education Read more [...]

Palazzo Barbarigo is a palace in Venice, located in the Dorsoduro district (sestiere), between Palazzo Da Mula Morosini and Campo San Vio. The palace has one of the most characteristic facades overlooking the Grand Canal.   SHORT HISTORY Palazzo Barbarigo was built in the 16th century, in the middle of the Renaissance. Near the end of the 19th century, the palace became the headquarters of Compagnia Venezia Murano, producer of glass and mosaics. The company renovated the building and had the facade covered with mosaics designed by the painter Giulio Carlini and applied in 1886 by Fratelli Testolini (Testolini Brothers), owners of the Fratelli Testolini company, specialized in the production of sculpted artistic furniture, glassware, mosaics, textiles and furnishing accessories.   ARCHITECTURE Palazzo Barbarigo is a typical 16th-century building, of beautiful proportions, with simple arched windows, juxtaposed at the center of the upper floors and linked horizontally by marble bands. The frieze between the upper floors shows thirty-five cherubs pursuing various arts, including painting, drawing, sculpture and architecture. The two murals commemorate the 16th century royal visits in Venice of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, speaking to Titian (Tiziano Vecellio) on the scaffolding of St. Mark’s Basilica, and of Read more [...]

The Loggia and Odeo Cornaro are two Renaissance buildings in Padua, located in the eastern part of the historical center of the city, not far from the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua. The structures were part of a larger complex of buildings and gardens built by Alvise Cornaro in the first half of the 16th century, in the vast park of his residence. Of the original complex, only a rectangular courtyard of about 32 by 18 meters remains. The Loggia occupies the entire short side, while the Odeo stands in the center of the long side.   SHORT HISTORY OF THE LOGGIA AND ODEO CORNARO The Loggia was desired by Alvise Cornaro as a physical expression of the idea of a humanist theater. The structure, designed by the architect and painter Giovanni Maria Falconetto from Verona, was built starting with 1524. The Odeo was built ten years after the Loggia, and it was the space intended for music and poetic recitations. Starting with 1540, the Odeo became the seat of the Academy of the Burning Ones (Accademia degli Infiammati), a philosophical and literary academy in Padua.   ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF THE LOGGIA AND ODEO CORNARO The Loggia is Read more [...]

Loggia Amulea is a neo-Gothic style palace in Padua, located on the western side of the beautiful square of Prato della Valle.   SHORT HISTORY The Loggia takes its name from the cardinal Marco Antonio da Mula, known also as Amulio, who founded in Padua the Collegio Amulio and the Compagnia del Gran Nome di Dio, dedicated to the assistance of orphans. He owned a palace in Prato della Valle, which was destroyed by a fire in 1822. The Municipality of Padua then decided to built a new palace. Initially, the building was supposed to be divided into cafes, dance halls, game rooms, theaters, but later it was preferred to be used for military purpose. Around 1860, among the various competing projects, it was chosen the one presented by the architect Eugenio Maestri. The palace was the seat of the Padua fire brigade between 1906 and 1989. It currently houses some municipal offices.   ART AND ARCHITECTURE The front of the building is characterized by an elegant loggia, a two-storey neo-Gothic structure which recovers medieval elements, especially in the use of architectural decorations in terracotta (architraves, tiles, pilasters). Between the lower arches of the loggia, there are the statues of Read more [...]

Torre dell’Orologio is a medieval clock tower in Padua, located between Palazzo del Capitanio and Palazzo dei Camerlenghi, in Piazza dei Signori.   SHORT HISTORY The tower was built in the first half of the 14th century, as a fortified entrance to the Carrarese Royal Palace, owned by the noble family of da Carrara, Lords of Padua. However, its current appearance is due to the works began 1426 at the behest of the Captain Bartolomeo Morosini, concluded with the inauguration of the clock on the Feast of Saint Anthony from 1437. The astronomical clock that dominates the square is the oldest mechanism of its kind in the world. It is actually a reconstruction from 1436 of the clock built by Jacopo Dondi in 1344, and placed on the tower of the southern gate of the Carrarese Palace. The clock is the work of Matteo Novello and Giovanni and Gian Pietro delle Caldiere. In 1531, the nobleman Vitale Lando comissioned the large triumphal arch located at the base of the tower to the architect Giovanni Maria Falconetto. In June 2010, the monument undergone a careful restoration work that affected both the architectural structure of the tower and the mechanisms of the Read more [...]

Porta Liviana, also known as Porta di Pontecorvo, is a city gate in Padua, located in Piazzale Pontecorvo. Part of the 16th century walls (Mura Cinquecentesche), the gate now appears detached, and therefore presents itself as an isolated monument. Originally, the walls were linked to the sides of the gate, where today two semicircular niches can be seen.   SHORT HISTORY OF PORTA LIVIANA The walls, also known as the Venetian Walls (Mura Veneziane), were built by the Venetian Republic during the first decades of the 16th century, as a project of the captain Bartolomeo d’Alviano. The walls were protected on its west flank by a canal known as Fossa Bastioni. The construction of Porta Liviana was begun immediately after the Siege of Padua from 1509, in the context of the War of the League of Cambrai. It was the first gate to be completed in 1517, and was probably based on a design by the Lugano architect Sebastiano Mariani. The gate was dedicated to Bartolomeo d’Alviano, who died on October 7, 1515.   ARCHITECTURE OF PORTA LIVIANA The gate is actually a cube of 16 meters on each side, with the arches of the passage underlined, on the two Read more [...]

The Church of San Clemente is a medieval Catholic church in Piazza dei Signori, one of the central historic squares of Padua. It faces the Clock Tower and stands a short distance from Palazzo della Ragione, Piazza della Frutta, and Piazza delle Erbe, in the city’s old market district. The church is dedicated to Pope Clement I, traditionally considered one of the earliest bishops of Rome. Although tradition gives the building a very ancient origin, its first secure documentary mention dates to 1190. Today, it is a rectory dependent on Padua Cathedral, not an independent parish. The Church of San Clemente is not a large monument, but it is important because of its location, medieval origin, Mannerist façade, guild connections, and interior artworks. The building is enclosed by residential and commercial structures, so only the façade clearly defines its exterior presence in Piazza dei Signori. The interior preserves works attributed or linked to important artists active in Padua and northern Italy. These include Jacopo Bellini, Pietro Damini, Luca Ferrari da Reggio, Giovan Battista Bissoni, Giulio Cirello, Francesco Zanella, and Giacomo Manzoni, covering several centuries of religious art.     Short History of the Church of San Clemente Early Tradition and Read more [...]

Basilica of Santa Giustina, dedicated to Saint Justina of Padua, is an important Catholic church in Padua, located in the square of Prato della Valle.   SHORT HISTORY In the 6th century, the praetorian prefect Venanzio Opilione built a basilica on the site of the tomb of Saint Justina of Padua, martyred in 304. The basilica, which in the meantime was flanked by an important Benedictine monastery, collapsed due to the earthquake of 1117. The church was rebuilt in the following years, reusing what remained of the previous construction. Between the 14th and the 16th centuries, the choir, the sacristy and the Chapel of San Luca were built. In this period, the adjacent monastery was also rebuilt. Starting with 1501, a new construction was begun on the project of Girolamo da Brescia. After abandoning the da Brescia project, the monks entrusted the work to Sebastiano da Lugano and then to Andrea Briosco. After the death of the latter, the direction of the work passed to Andrea Moroni and then to Andrea da Valle. The huge construction site lasted for more than a century. The basilica was solemnly consecrated on March 14, 1606. Following the Napoleonic ecclesiastical laws, the abbey was Read more [...]

Palazzo Zacco al Prà is a beautiful palace in Padua, located on the western side of the square of Prato della Valle.   SHORT HISTORY The construction of the building was begun on December 19, 1555, commissioned by Marco, an exponent of the Zacco family of Padua. The building was designed by Andrea Moroni, and probably incorporated some pre-existing buildings. The construction was completed in less than two years and, by 1557, the palace was already occupied by its owners. The Zacco family resided in the palace until the early 1800s. One of the last major events that took place in the palace was the stay of the Austrian Emperor Francis II of Habsburg and his wife, Carolina Augusta of Bavaria. On June 27, 1839, the last descendants of the historic owners sold the building to the Armenian Mekhitarist Congregation. Four years later, the palace became the Collegio Morat. Later, the property was taken over by the municipality of Padua, which in 1904 ceded it to the Italian state. Palazzo Zacco was declared a building of artistic interest on April 24, 1925. Occupied by various Military Commands, Palazzo Zacco became the Padua headquarters of the Officer’s Club of the Italian Read more [...]

Piazza dei Signori or Piazza della Signoria is a beautiful square in the historic center of Padua, with the famous Clock Tower on one side and the Church of San Clemente on the other. Its name comes from Palazzo della Signoria, residence of the Lords of Padua between 1318 and 1405, a building that does not exist anymore.   SHORT HISTORY Piazza dei Signori appeared in the 14th century on the place of an ancient district, as the result of an urban reorganization promoted by Ubertino da Carrara, Lord of Padua. The war between the Carraresi and the Visconti at the end of the 14th century damaged the square and left it in ruins until the ‘20s of the 15th century, when the Venetians started a work of recovery. At first, the square was paved with terracotta tiles, arranged in a herringbone pattern, gradually replaced starting from the 18th century by tiles of Euganean trachyte. Following a speech by Father Alessandro Gavazzi, on May 9, 1848, the square became Piazza Pio IX, the heart of the anti-Austrian popular movement. Then, it became Piazza Unità d’Italia, to return to its original name during the Fascist era. Now, the square hosts part Read more [...]

Piazza delle Erbe, also known in the past as Piazza delle Biade (Corn Square), Piazza del Vino (Wine Square) or Piazza della Giustizia (Justice Square), is a beautiful square in Padua, located in the historical center of the city. The square is dominated by the magnificent Palazzo della Ragione.   SHORT HISTORY The area dates back to pre-Roman times, as evidenced by the numerous archaeological finds. Although the place was destined for trade since the imperial age, its current conformation dates back to a period between the 9th and the 11th centuries. After the construction of the Palazzo della Ragione at the beginning of the 13th century, the various shops were reorganized – under the portico of the palace, the sellers of fabrics and fur were installed, the sellers of wrought iron in the east of the square, the sellers of wine in the west, while the stalls with grains and leather were installed in the center of the square. The goldsmiths were located under the portico of the Palazzo del Podestà, built also in the 13th century in the eastern side of the square. In the 18th century, the arcades of the medieval houses located to the south of Read more [...]

Piazza della Frutta (Fruit Square), once called Piazza del Peronio, is a beautiful square in Padua, dominated by the imposing Palazzo della Ragione. Together with the nearby Piazza delle Erbe, Piazza della Frutta was, for centuries, the commercial center of the city.   SHORT HISTORY The area was inhabited since pre-Roman times, as evidenced by numerous archaeological finds. According to some, it was a site of trade already during the Roman age, but owes its current conformation to a period between the 10th and 11th centuries. The square was occupied by numerous shops and stalls, selling all kinds of goods, especially vegetables and fruits. With the construction of the Palazzo della Ragione at the beginning of the 13th century, an attempt was made to arrange the various points of sale – under the hall, the sellers of fabrics and fur were installed, the vendors of poultry and game to the east, the sellers of fruits and vegetables to the west, while the removable stalls with leather were placed in the center of the square. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the medieval houses enclosing the square were renovated, with the rectification of the arcades. In the first half of the Read more [...]

Only a few meters away from the Rialto Bridge, in the San Polo district (sestiere), there is a church considered to be the oldest in Venice, the Church of San Giacomo di Rialto, popularly known as San Giacométo.   SHORT HISTORY According to tradition, the church was consacrated on March 25, 421, but the studies have shown that it was built much later. In a document of 1097, the place is mentioned, but without the church, and the first reliable information dates back to 1152. It seems that the church was consecrated only in 1177 by the Doge Sebastiano Ziani. In 1513, the church escaped the serious fire that devastated the nearby Rialto Market. In 1531, it underwent a restoration, and again in 1601, after an order of the Doge Marino Grimani, with the floor being raised to face the high water. Currently, the Church of San Giacomo is a rectorial church, dependent on the parish of San Silvestro.   ARCHITECTURE Interesting are the exterior with the bell-gable, the large clock and the Gothic porch, one of the last examples of this kind left in the city. The clock, added to the church in 1410, was restored in 1749, and Read more [...]

Castelvecchio, formerly known as Castello della Torlonga, is a fortification in Padua, located in the southern part of the historical center of the city. The castle assumed the name of Castelvecchio (Old Castle) when the construction of Castelnuovo (New Castle) began in 1513. It was also called Castello di Ezzelino, due to the sinister charm evoked by Ezzelino III da Romano, tyrant of Padua in the 13th century. Today, in reference to the lordship of the House of Carrara, it is frequently referred to as Castello Carrarese.   SHORT HISTORY OF CASTELVECCHIO The Long Tower (Torlonga) was built in the 9th century in a strategic area, where the Bacchiglione River is dividing into Tronco Maestro and Naviglio. Between the 10th and 11th centuries, the tower was surrounded by a short wall that protected it. In 1237, Ezzelino III da Romano, tyrant of Padua, began building a castle around Torlonga and added another tower. Starting with 1241, Ezzelino planned the repression of the Guelph opposition and thus began to segregate the prisoners in the basement of the new castle and in the towers. In 1256, the Crusaders entered Padua at the behest of Pope Alexander IV and occupied the city. The Read more [...]

Loggia del Consiglio is a beautiful Late Renaissance palace in Padua, located in the southwestern corner of Piazza dei Signori. Beginning with 1240, when the large hall of Palazzo della Ragione was destroyed in a fire, the city’s council met in the Loggia del Consiglio, hence the name of the building. The palace is also known as the Loggia della Gran Guardia, because it was used as a military commandment during the Austrian domination.   SHORT HISTORY The elegant Mannerist building was designed by Annibale Maggi from Bassano, and built starting with the year 1496. The works proceeded slowly and were often interrupted by long pauses, of which the longest was after the Siege of Padua by the Roman Emperor Maximilian I, in 1509, during the War of the League of Cambrai. The work resumed in 1516 under the guidance of Biagio del Bigio from Ferrara, and later, starting with 1530, continued under the direction of the architect Giovanni Maria Falconetto. Faconetto, due also to his work on the Torre dell’Orologio, played an important role in the new configuration of the square. In 1866, the Loggia del Consiglio became part of the municipal patrimony, and was subsequently used for cultural Read more [...]

Palazzo del Monte di Pietà is a medieval palace in Padua, located near the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, on the northern side of Piazza Duomo.   SHORT HISTORY The palace was built between the 13th and 14th centuries, and it belonged to the famous moneylender Rinaldo Scrovegni. At the beginning of the 14th century, it was destroyed by a fire and subsequently abandoned. The palace was taken over by the noble family of da Carrara, and with the annexation of Padua by the Republic of Venice at the beginning of the 15th century, the building became the property of the Venetian government. A fire damaged much of the building in the first half of the 16th century. Doge Andrea Gritti, at the request of the bishop Pietro Barozzi, sold the palace for 10,000 ducats to the Monte di Pietà institution, founded by the Franciscans a few decades earlier to combat usury. The renovation of the facade was entrusted to the Veronese architect Giovanni Maria Falconetto, who redesigned the building on the basis of the six-arched loggia and the perimeter walls that survived the fire. The headquarters of the Monte di Pietà was inaugurated in 1533, while in the following Read more [...]

The Church of San Barnaba is a beautiful church in Venice, located in the district (sestiere) of Dorsoduro, in Campo San Barnaba. The church has a facade inspired by a Greek temple, and is famous for being featured in a few scenes of the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.   SHORT HISTORY The church was founded in 936, on the place of a previous church, San Lorenzo, which was probably built at the beginning of the 9th century. Because of the numerous fires, the Church of San Barnaba underwent several reconstructions, until it was finally consecrated on December 6, 1350. The current appearance dates back to 1779, when it was completed the renovation work began in 1749, on a project by the architect Lorenzo Boschetti. In 1810, in full Napoleonic domination, the parish was suppressed and the church was deconsecrated. It was later converted into a permanent exhibition space dedicated to the machines of Leonardo da Vinci.   ARCHITECTURE The facade of the church, designed by Lorenzo Boschetti, was built in 1749 in a Classical style, with Corinthian style columns. The interior has a single nave, with six side altars, three on the right and three on the Read more [...]

The Church of San Rocco is one of the four plague churches in Venice, along with San Giobbe, San Sebastiano and the Salute. The church was built for the Confraternity of San Rocco, founded in the plague year 1478, with the mission to help the poor and the sick, particularly the people suffering from the disease. San Rocco is the only Venetian church designed as a sacrarium for the remains of its titular saint, St. Roch, whose body is preserved within the high altar.   SHORT HISTORY A church was standing on this place before 1485. The new church was built after a design by the architect Pietro Bon, starting with 1489. In March, 1490, the left side-chapel of the presbytery was finished and ready to receive the remains of St. Roch, which were to be brought from San Silvestro. A competition for the construction of the high altar was won in 1517 by Venturino Fantoni, who designed a reliquary-altar, developed in Venice by the sculptor-architects Pietro and Tullio Lombardo. After 1680, the church was almost entirely demolished and rebuilt between 1726 and 1733 by the architect Giovanni Scalfarotto, who kept only the fifteenth century chancel and the ground-plan of Read more [...]

Palazzo Michiel dalle Colonne is a palace in Venice, located about 250 meters from the Rialto Bridge, overlooking the Grand Canal near Palazzo Michiel del Brusà. The palace is known for the architectural structure of its ground floor, with a portico along the whole facade, divided by very tall columns.   SHORT HISTORY OF PALAZZO MICHIEL DALLE COLONNE The palace was built in the 13th century by the Grimani family, whose coat of arms is carved on an old well in the courtyard. Originally, it probably followed the Venetian-Byzantine style typical of that period. Starting with 1661, the palace was attested as the property of the Zen family, and was named dalle Colonne (of the Columns). To the Zen family, we owe the partial rebuilding to a design by Antonio Gaspari, completed in 1697. In 1702, the palace was given to Ferdinando Carlo di Gonzaga-Nevers, the last duke of Mantua and Monferrato. He lived there starting with 1706, after he was exiled by the Austrians who emerged victorious in the War of the Spanish Succession. In 1712, the palace was bought by the Conigli family, nobles of Verona. It seems they have never used it, and in 1714 they sold Read more [...]

The Church of San Stae stands on the right bank of the Grand Canal, as you come from Piazzale Roma, heading to Piazza San Marco, between Palazzo Vendramin Calergi and Ca d’Oro, at an equal distance. Its external facade, characterized by rich decorations, faces the Canal Grande, and you can not pass beside it on a vaporetto without at least one admirative look.   SHORT STORY The church is said to have been built in 966 and dedicated to Sant’Eustacchio (San Stae, in the Venetian dialect). St. Eustacchio was the commander of Trajan’s army, who would have seen a crucifix between the antlers of a deer, while hunting. The first reference is in a document from 1127, where the church is remembered as a filial parish of San Pietro. This original church, rebuilt in the 12th century following a fire, was demolished in 1678. The current church was built by Giovanni Grassi, who realigned it to face the Grand Canal.   ART AND ARCHITECTURE The facade, which has the form of a temple, with an imposing triangular pediment, supported by columns resting on high pedestals, was built by Domenico Rossi in 1709, whose design was the winner of a competition. Read more [...]

Palazzo Grimani is a historic palace in Padua, located on Prato della Valle, one of the city’s most important monumental spaces. The building stands near Basilica of Santa Giustina, Orto Botanico di Padova, and Basilica of Saint Anthony, in the southern part of the historic center. The palace is also known as Palazzo Verson, formerly Grimani, a name connected with later ownership. The complex is historically important, but it is private property, so visitors normally see it only from the outside. Palazzo Grimani was built over medieval structures and transformed by the Grimani dai Servi family from 1561. The earlier Gothic buildings were reorganized into a noble residence, then completed in a more monumental form between 1621 and 1630, during the seventeenth-century development of Prato della Valle. The palace is linked with Giovanni Antonio Rusconi, Francesco Contin, and Mattia de Rossi. De Rossi, a Roman Baroque architect connected with Bernini’s circle, designed an ambitious enlargement in 1671, but the project was never completed. His plan remains central to the palace’s architectural history.     Short History of Palazzo Grimani Medieval Origins and the Grimani Family The site of Palazzo Grimani was already occupied in the late fourteenth century by several Read more [...]

The Chapel of Madonnina del Mare is a small religious shrine located along Via San Francesco da Paola in the coastal town of Scilla, in the southern Italian region of Calabria. Built inside a natural-looking cavity carved into the rock, the chapel overlooks the waters of the Strait of Messina, one of the most important maritime passages in the Mediterranean. The chapel houses a bronze statue of the Virgin Mary holding the Child Jesus, positioned on a marble altar inside the grotto. Due to its strategic location near the entrance to the Port of Scilla, the sanctuary is commonly known as Madonnina del Porto.   Short History of the Chapel of Madonnina del Mare The cave that houses the chapel is closely connected to the events of the Second World War. During the conflict, German military forces operating in the area excavated a shelter within the rocky coastline. After the end of the war, the tunnel-like cavity remained part of the coastal landscape. The modern development of the chapel began during the early post-war decades. Around the middle of the twentieth century, the coastal road known as Via San Francesco da Paola was constructed, improving access to the area and Read more [...]

Fontana Storica della Sirena (Historic Mermaid Fountain) is a small but distinctive monument located in the historic district of Chianalea, the oldest and most characteristic quarter of Scilla. Situated along Via Grotte, approximately 100 meters from the Port of Scilla, the fountain is one of the many landmarks that contribute to the unique atmosphere of this famous Calabrian fishing village. Although it is not an ancient monument, the fountain has become an integral part of the urban landscape of Chianalea. Its location within a small open space between traditional buildings allows visitors to encounter it naturally while exploring the narrow streets that run alongside the sea. The monument celebrates one of the themes most closely associated with Scilla: the relationship between the town and the legendary figure of Scylla. For centuries, local traditions, literature, and historical interpretations have linked the settlement to the famous mythological creature associated with the Strait of Messina. The fountain reflects the identity of a village that has always lived in close connection with the sea. Fishing, navigation, and maritime traditions have shaped the history of Scilla for centuries, and the monument serves as a visual reminder of that enduring relationship.   Powered by GetYourGuide   Read more [...]

Ca’ Vendramin Calergi, also known as Palazzo Loredan Vendramin Calergi, is an imposing palace on the Grand Canal, in Venice, where the composer Richard Wagner died in 1883. Since 1950, Palazzo Vendramin Calergi il also known for hosting the oldest casino in the world, Casino di Venezia, established in 1638.   SHORT HISTORY OF CA’ VENDRAMIN CALERGI The palace was commissioned in the late 15th century by the Loredan family to the famous architect Mauro Codussi. The building was his last work, completed in 1509, five years after his death. In 1581, the palace was sold to the Duke of Brunswick and, after some legal troubles, in 1589, it was bought by a rich nobleman, Vettor Calergi, for his wedding with Isabetta Gritti. Vettor Calergi had only one daughter, Marina, who was married in 1608 to Vincenzo Grimani. The palace passed, by inheritance, to the sons of Marina with the obligation to take also the surname Calergi. The three sons of Marina remained famous for their ferocity – after the cruel murder of Francesco Querini Stampalia, they were banned from the Republic and deprived of the property, but after a donation to the Senate for war expenses, they were reinstated in Read more [...]

The Church of San Geremia and Santa Lucia is a church in Venice, located on the left bank of the Grand Canal, as you are heading to Piazza San Marco, right before its confluence with Canale di Cannaregio.   SHORT HISTORY The Church of San Geremia was founded in the 11th century by Mauro Tosello, who used it to house the arm of Saint Bartholomew brought from Apulia in 1043. The church was dedicated to the prophet Jeremiah, an old testament figure. The church was rebuilt in 1174 by the Doge Sebastiano Ziani, and reconsecrated only in 1292. Later, the church was demolished, and rebuilt again in 1753, by Carlo Corbellini, a Brescian priest and architect. The first mass was celebrated on April 27th, 1760, during the final works of reconstruction. Following the damage made by the Austrian bombardment of 1849, two new facades were built in the second half of the 18th century, one facing Campo San Geremia (Saint Jeremiah Square), and the other one oriented towards the Cannaregio Canal. A chapel built in 1863 contains the relics of the Sicilian Santa Lucia, stolen by Enrico Dandolo during the Sack of Constantinople, which, in 1204, marked the end of Read more [...]

Palazzo Flangini is, practically, the first truly monumental building that you meet on the Grand Canal, in Venice, when you are traveling with the vaporetto from the railway station, heading to the Rialto Bridge. Located near Scuola dei Morti, the Flangini Palace consists of two-thirds of an unfinished building, probably designed by Giuseppe Sardi in the second half of the 17th century.   SHORT HISTORY It is said that the palace remained unfinished because one of the two brothers who inherited it, in spite of the other, had one of the wings destroyed, cutting the palace in half. The reality, much simpler and more prosaic, is that the old owner lacked the funds and was unable to buy the nearby area necessary for the completion of the building. The building was built between 1664 and 1682 and is attributed to the architect Giuseppe Sardi by the art historian of the 18th century Tommaso Temanza, but some think it could be the project of Baldassarre Longhena. Currently, the building is divided into several private properties. Following an important restoration, the entrance hall and the portego of the building have been taken over by the Valorizzazioni Culturali society, with the aim of Read more [...]

Scuola dei Morti (School of the Dead) is a small and charming building from the 17th century, overlooking the Grand Canal, in Venice, placed between Palazzo Flangini and the apse of the Church of San Geremia.   SHORT HISTORY The building belonged to the Congregazione della Santissima Madonna del Suffragio dei Morti, known also as the School of the Dead, a religious congregation that, in 1624, has joined the homonymous Confraternity of Rome. A few years earlier, in 1615, the congregation held meetings in the Church of San Geremia, until the parish priest gave them a piece of land in the ancient cemetery, to erect a chapel for the meetings, permission approved by the Venetian Senate in 1659. At the expense of the Savorgnan family, the school was built, but was then destroyed during an Austrian bombing in 1849. Today, after an integral reconstruction, the building is used by the parish of San Geremia.   ARCHITECTURE The facade of the one-storey building is simple and has a skull in the center, between two large windows, with an inscription below reminding about the congregation of Scuola dei Morti.   HOW TO GET THERE The best place to admire the Scuola dei Read more [...]

Palazzo Malipiero is a palace located on the eastern bank of the Canal Grande, just 100 meters away from Ponte dell’Accademia. The palace is very close to Palazzo Grassi, separated only by the small San Samuele Square. The palace is famous, first of all, as the residence of Giacomo Casanova for a few years, when he was still a teenager. In the chambers of this palace, it seems, the Venetian lover learned the art of love that he will practice so tenaciously later.   SHORT HISTORY The palace, also known as Ca’ Grande di San Samuele, was built in the 11th century by the Soranzo family. At the beginning of the 15th century, the palace was in the possession of a powerful Venetian family – the Cappello family, following a marriage. By the mid-sixteenth century, the Cappello family comisioned the widening of the palace and the construction of the facade facing the Canal Grande, which still exists today. Also in the 16th century, through another union, the palace passes from the possession of the Cappello family to that of the Malipiero family. Like the other owners, the Malipiero family took care of the palace, being responsible for a series of Read more [...]

Palazzo Gussoni Grimani Dalla Vida is a palace in Venice, located in the Cannaeregio district (sestiere), overlooking the Grand Canal between Casa Velluti and Palazzetto Da Lezze.   SHORT HISTORY OF PALAZZO GUSSONI GRIMANI DALLA VIDA The palace was designed by the architect Michele Sanmicheli, and built between 1548 and 1556 for the Gussoni family. Between 1614 and 1618, Palazzo Gussoni Grimani Dalla Vida was the residence of the English diplomat Sir Henry Wotton, the Doge’s counselor at that time, and also the author of a limited number of poems and translations. During the 17th century, the edifice served as the headquarters for the Accademia Delfica, founded in 1647 by Francesco Gussoni. In 1736, after the death of the last member of the Gussoni family, the palace was transfered to the next of kin, the Minio family. In 1978, the building was sold to the Grimani family, and starting with 1814 it was owned by the Dalla Vida family, recognized as the last owners. Today, the palace is the property of the Italian state.   ARCHITECTURE OF PALAZZO GUSSONI GRIMANI DALLA VIDA The main facade overlooking the Grand Canal is characterized by a horizontal and vertical tripartition. At the center Read more [...]

Also known as the Duomo di Murano, the Church of Santa Maria e San Donato is one of the oldest buildings in the Venetian lagoon. Of byzantine conception, the church preserves the relics of Saint Donatus of Arezzo, martyred in the 4th century after Christ, during the reign of the Roman Emperor Flavius Claudius Iulianus.   SHORT HISTORY A document from the year 999 shows that the church had been built in the 7th century, when many refugees from the continent arrived on the Murano Island. Initially, it was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and later, in 1125, when the relics of St. Donatus were brought from Cephalonia, it received a second patronage. The church, apparently, has been rebuilt at that time, in a Byzantine style, in the form that resisted, to a large extent, until today. The mosaic inside is marked with the year 1141, when these reconstruction works were completed. In the 18th century, the church was redecorated in Baroque style and later, between 1858 and 1873, a return to its original style was attempted. This development of the building was condemned by several voices, because the result was a hybrid between the 12th century style and the Read more [...]

Most of the tourists who visit the island of Giudecca are attracted by Il Redentore, the famous creation of Andrea Palladio, and only a few know that the island hosts another church attributed to the great architect, the Church of Santa Maria della Presentazione, popularly known as Le Zitelle.   SHORT HISTORY Le Zitelle is part of an ecclesiastical complex set up by the Jesuit Benedetto Palmi, to provide shelter to beautiful young girls (zitelle) from poor families, who otherwise would become prostitutes. Poor virgins were taken in and trained in lace and music making. They were protected until the age of 18, when they could choose between marriage or becoming nuns. If they chose marriage, a husband was found and a dowry was provided. The church was built between 1581 and 1588 by the architect Jacopo Bozzetto, after a project belonging to Andrea Palladio, which was initially intended for another location. The assignment of the church to Andrea Palladio is somehow controversial. Centro Internazionale di Studi di Architettura Andrea Palladio argues that in the absence of the documents that would link Palladio to this creation and because Palladian style is not very clear in this structure, the project could Read more [...]

There are many churches in Venice, and many are beautiful, but few impress like the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore. It may be the place, because not many churches have their own island, or it may be the bell-tower, probably second in height after the one in the Saint Mark’s Square, but we can easily believe that, among all, the inspiration of Andrea Palladio matters probably the most.   SHORT HISTORY In 982, the Doge Tribuno Memmo donated the island of San Giorgio Maggiore to a benedictine monk, who will establish here a monastery. The church, built five years later, from brick and wood, will last until 1223, when it will be severely damaged by an earthquake. The Doge Pietro Ziani will fix it, only to retreat to the island a few years later. In 1109, the relics of St. Stephen will be brought here from Constantinople, and the annual celebration held on 26 December, on the saint’s day, will become one of the most popular Christian holidays in the Venetian calendar. The church we see today was begun by Andrea Palladio in 1565 and completed after his death, in 1610. The one who finished the project was, apparently, Vincenzo Read more [...]

The Basilica of San Domenico is a Gothic church in Arezzo, located in the homonymous square, in the northern part of the historical center of the city.   SHORT HISTORY The church was built in Romanesque style starting with 1275, and completed in the 14th century. Important changes inside the church were made in the second part of the 16th century, when new altars were added and the frescoed walls were painted white. In 1782, after the reform of religious orders in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, the church was abandoned until the beginning of the 20th century. During the restoration works from the 1920s, the altars added in the 16th century were removed, and the frescoes of the 13th and 14th centuries were recovered. The construction of the porch in front of the entrance was completed in 1936 on a project by Giuseppe Castellucci. The porch was built to protect the fresco in the lunette above the entrance door.   ARCHITECTURE The asymmetrical facade, in masonry, includes a bell-gable with two bells. The interior of the church, with a single nave and a trussed roof, takes light from 12 single-light windows. As you approach the apse, the distance between Read more [...]