LET'S DISCOVER ASOLO

"The city of the hundred horizons", one of the most beautiful Italian towns
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The Italian poet and writer Giosuè Carducci called it "the city of a hundred horizons" for the breathtaking hills that surround it.


A fortified town rich in art and history that attracts many international tourists with its gorgeous landscape.

Asolo map

  1. Castle of queen Cornaro

  2. The Museum

  3. Santa Maria Assunta Duomo 

  4. The Fortress of Asolo

THE FORTRESS 

Symbol of the City of Asolo, it appears on the top of Mount Ricco (316 m) as a solid military fortress. Built in the twelfth century, it served as a garrison and necropolis of his city. It is possible to admire a vast landscape that goes from the Dolomites to Venice.

HISTORY

Before the Fortress

Church and Mosaic

Many centuries before the construction of the Medieval Fortress, on Monte Ricco was an early medieval sacellum, dating from the sixth and ninth centuries after Christ, probably dedicated to the Savior. The excavations of 1988 have made it possible to identify the aspect of this small hall of worship of rectangular plan (4.5 m x 9/10 m). The building has traces on a decorative level from the walls of the apse and from the flooring.     

The surviving mosaic floor, dating from the second half of the seventh century, has a decoration with stylized plant elements, two panels depicting a fish and a cross motif between lily flowers.

Necropolis

Mount Ricco was occupied in the early Middle Ages by a large cemetery area of which 31 tombs have been recognized for a total of 61 individuals both male and female, adults and children.        Inside the space of the Rock there are 8 of the 31 tombs found.

The village before the fortress

In the southern and eastern area of Mount Ricco were found wall structures relating to a residential and productive settlement. Within the system have been recognized simple hearths of domestic use and the remains of two crucibles for melting metals. The settlement can be dated with good approximation between the X and XII centuries after Christ.

After the construction of the Fortress

In 1223 the fortress passed to the control of the Bishop of Treviso, who received it from the Municipality of Treviso even if in 1320 the city of Asolo surrendered to Venice. Thus began to reverse the hegemonic relationship that the fortress had had on the underlying Asolo. The fortress then passed to the da Romano, the municipality of Treviso and the Serenissima that in 1339 built a Podesta in Asolo and finally became definitively part of the Venetian Republic in 1388.

After the defeat of the Da Carrara, the Serenissima realized the strategic importance of Asolo for the control of the mainland, and completed the walls that made the Rocca Braida and Asolo united.

The fortress was involved in its last war episode in 1510 and in the following century, with the arrival of the black plague, the fortress became a leper hospital. In 1650 the fortification was laid up and Venice even tried to sell it to private individuals.

DESCRIPTION

The irregular ennagon structure of the fortress has an average height of 15 meters, a width of 2.5 meters for the north and west sides and 3.5 meters for the other sides.   

The fortress has no loopholes or windows but only an entrance door, connected to the lower castle giving access to the upper stronghold of the city's defensive system. 

Inside it has a real well with a Venetian-style cistern below.                                                                      The last restoration dates back to 1994.                                                       

CASTLE OF

CATERINA CORNARO

castello_regina_cornaro_asolo_fortezza
The Castle, together with the Rocca, is a symbol of the Asolo landscape. A real fortress located in the center of the homonymous village of Asolo, in the highest part of the inhabited area from which it dominates a large part of the territory below, as well as home to illustrious personalities such as the queen of Cyprus Caterina Cornaro and the humanist Pietro Bembo.

The castle, as well as the village of medieval origin, is located on top of a hill that has a particular elongated shape on which dominates Monte Ricco: this unusual shape has probably given its name to the village, which derives from the Latin Acelum, or "sharp place" This area, thanks to the view that dominates the whole area below, offers visitors a spectacular view.

Of the castle remain the Clock Tower from which you can enjoy a panoramic view that goes from the Treviso plain to the Alps, the audience hall now home to the Duse Museum, the garden, some remains of the walls that connected the Castle to the Rocca and the Torre Mozza also called Reata.

HISTORY

There are no certain data on its construction or that shed light on the first settlement episodes in the area but the name of the fortress itself indicates that it probably dates back to Roman times.

The documents during the '200 and' 300 allow you to retrace the events of the history of Asolo. First owned by the bishop of Treviso, in the Xlll century it was the residence of Ezzelino lll da Romano; it then passed to the Carraresi, lords of Padua, and finally to the municipal city of Treviso. The Venetian domination, which lasted just over four centuries, was the period of maximum splendor of the castle and of the village itself: the Venetians made important improvements, perfecting the defensive structure of the fortress, strengthening the walls of the entire complex and restructuring the castle. Within this intervention, the central part of the castle was incorporated into the circuit of the city walls that merged it with the Rocca.

From 1489, the fortress was entrusted to Caterina Cornaro, Queen of Cyprus and Jerusalem and Armenia and Lady of Asolo, who remained a widow, had inherited all her husband's property. The castle became the seat of Catherine's court and welcomed important intellectuals and artists, including Pietro Bembo, famous writer and poet as well as cousin of Caterina, who set his most successful work, Gli Asolani, in this court:

Asolo adunque vago e piacevole castello posto negli stremi gioghi delle nostre alpi sopra il Trivigiano, è di madonna la Reina di Cipri … e riferendosi al giardino era questo giardino vago molto e di maravigliosa bellezza…


At the death of Cornaro (1510) the building experienced a period of decline both aesthetically and in its new functions. The castle underwent several changes and restoration interventions (those of 1695, 1796, 1820, 1830 are known), with the aim of making it usable for minor and above all functional purposes.

Among the most important interventions we find that of 1830 which consisted in the removal of the battlements and multiple arches of the surrounding walls, the demolition of the church of San Biagio, whose existence is testified by the torn fresco Madonna and Child by Dario da Treviso of 1459, and the reduction of the height of two of the four towers of the castle.

Over the years the majestic bell tower or civic tower took on different purposes, even being used as a windmill. With the arrival of Napoleon the castle became a hostel for soldiers, while the ground floor of the civic tower was transformed into a military prison during the First World War.

The spacious interior hall was transformed into a permanent theater in 1798, but became a city theater only in 1932 after it was dismantled and placed elsewhere to build a cinema in its place. Nowadays you can find the theater in Sarasota, Florida, open to the public and owned by the Venetian collector Adolph Loewi.

Santa maria

assunta duomo

castello_regina_cornaro_asolo_fortezza
Il Duomo di Asolo è uno dei monumenti più importanti della città. Situato in posizione elevata, domina la piazza centrale dell'antico borgo medioevale. La struttura risale al XVI secolo, ed è caratterizzata dalla sua imponente facciata in stile rinascimentale, con un grande portale centrale che conduce all'interno della chiesa. Al suo interno si possono ammirare numerose opere d'arte come affreschi, dipinti e sculture. Il Duomo rappresenta oggi un importante simbolo della storia e della cultura di Asolo.

History

The Cathedral of Asolo, dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta, was built between the 14th and 15th centuries. The Construction began around 1338 when the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie was elevated thanks to Collegiate, following the concession of the bishop of Treviso. in 1449 an important expansion took place, thanks to the contribution of the bishop Francesco Malipiero, who guaranteed a considerable funding for the construction of the new facade and the reconstruction of the presbytery.

In the years following the construction of the new facade, the Cathedral (HA SUBITO) various restoration and reconstruction works. In 1703 a violent earthquake seriously damaged the bell tower and the vaults of the presbytery, causing the need for an important restoration which lasted for about twenty years. During the Napoleonic period, the Cathedral of Asolo was sold to the State Income Increase Fund and fell into a state of (ABBONDONO), until 1865 when the local authorities redeemed the sacred building. Then, thanks to the commitment of the population, the church went through a series of restorations and restoration works, which will return the Cathedral to its original splendor. 

structure and characteristics

The church has a Gothic architectural style with Renaissance elements. The facade is arrriched by lunettes, pointed arches and a three holes window. The quadrangular bell tower, which was built in the XIII century, is 69 meters high (one of the highest in the Veneto region). 

The inside is divided into three naves, with a large semicircular apse, a raised presbytery with respect to the central nave and the high altar in polychrome marble enriched by a precious stone ciborium.

In the left nave there is the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament decorated with 16th century frescoes, while in the right nave there is the Chapel of the Rosary with an octagonal plant Chapel of the Rosary which contains an altar in black and white marble. 

Inside the Cathedral there are numerous valuable works of art, such as the painting of the Madonna col Bamnino by Jacopo da Valenza and the Pala di Asolo by Lorenzo Lotto. 

Adjacent to the Cathedral there are the oratory which houses a valuable crucifix and the museum which exhibits works of art from the various churches in the area

THE PALA DI ASOLO

The Pala di Asolo is an oil painting on canvas created by Lorenzo Lotto between 1506 and 1508. The Pala represents the Madonna in old age surrounded by 4 little angels between Sant'Antonio Abate and San Lodovico taken by the ancient vision, however it suggests to the subject a connotation more of an "apparition" than of an assumption, even because the apostles are absent, unlike the evangelical episode. The painting measures approximately 175x162 cm and is considered one of the masterpieces of the Venetian Renaissance. 

Lorenzo Lotto used innovative techniques to create this Painting, such as the use of bright colors and attention to detail. The composition is unusual, with the saints presenting themselves sideways to the Madonna, creating a horizontal movement that brings the observer's gaze to move from top to bottom.

THREE WOMEN OF ASOLO

Asolo has attracted many important people such as artists, writers, poets and travelers. Three women in particular influenced the history of this precious and charming town.

Caterina Cornaro

She ruled Cyprus for fifteen years and held the titles of queen of Jerusalem and Armenia. After Cyprus, she was made lady of Asolo and its beautiful castle.

Eleonora Duse

One of the greatest actresses between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, an innovator in the field of acting. She falls in love with Asolo who gives peace to her spirit and to her body which were exhausted by the constant travel due to the tours.

Freya Stark

British traveler, writer and photographer fascinated by the Middle East. She chose Asolo as a rest place between trips, and she was buried right there after her death in 1993.

CATERINA CORNARO

Caterina Cornaro was born in the Cornaro family, which had economical associations with Cyprus. She was able to spend her childhood peacefully in Venice, in her family mansion in Canal Grande, and then in Padua.

She had five sisters and two brothers: Luca and Giorgio, who managed to bring the Cornaro family to its heyday.

MARRIAGE

In 1468, when she was fourteen years old, she married by proxy the Cypriot king Giacomo II of Lusignano. The marriage was advantageous for both sides: the Republic of Venice wanted to expand its authority and ensure commercial rights, while the king needed a strong ally.

A few years passed before Caterina could meet her husband. He was indeed busy moving closer to the Kingdom of Naples, which was an enemy of Venice, and considering a new marriage. However, the insistence of Venice and the advancing army of the Ottoman Empire convinced him to respect the agreements. In 1469 he concluded an alliance which set Cyprus under the protection of Venice. In the summer of 1472 Giacomo sent an embassy to Venice and on 26 September Caterina finally arrived to the island of Cyprus. Their wedding was hold in the Cathedral of S. Nicola in Famagusta. Not much later, she was crowned in Nicosia, capital of Cyprus.

QUEEN OF CYPRUS

A few months after the wedding Giacomo died and he was buried in the Famagusta Cathedral. Caterina, who at the time was pregnant, was then excluded from the government. On August 28, the Queen gave birth to her son, Giacomo III.

On August 24, Venice gave order to reach Cyprus and to occupy the most strategic positions, as well as taking other measures. However, this did not discourage the Neapolitans opponents who were controlling the administration of the kingdom. During the night between November 13 and 14, the enemies invaded the royal palace and killed Caterina's most trustworthy men. They then convinced the Venetians to lay down their arms.

The queen was forced to give away the fortress and leave her son o her mother-in-low Marietta de Patras. Along with that, they took away the royal seal and the crown jewels. After the death of her son in 1474 due to fever, Caterina became monarch of Cyprus and she continued to reign, protected by the Republic of Venice.

In 1488 another conspiracy of the Catalan nobility was discovered. Venice repressed again the revolt and decided to recall the queen to her hometown, forcing her to abdicate. On march 18 the queen, dressed in black, left the island.

Caterina was allowed to retain the title of queen and she was made lady of Asolo, where she had the same powers that the doge had. With Caterina, Asolo gained importance and became destination of artists and writers, such as Pietro Bembo.

In 1509 Caterina left her castle to take refuge in Venice due to the advance of the troops of Maximilian of Habsburg. After returning to Asolo, she was forced to leave again.

On 10 July 1510 she died in Venice and she was buried in the Church of Santi Apostoli. In 1584 her body was transferred to the church of San Salvador in Venice, where it's still situated today.

Eleonora duse

Eleonora Duse, nicknamed the Divine first by Gabriele D'Annunzio and later also by the public. She was born in 1858 in Vigevano into a family of Clodiense actors. Daughter of art, she started acting as a child.

In 1878 in Napoli she became famous playing Zola's Thérèse Raquin.

After a tour of South America in 1885, she created her own company which she toured throughout Europe and the United States.

From 1894 she begins a relationship with Gabriele D'Annunzio, whom she supports culturally and financially; it all ends in 1900 with the publication of the novel Il fuoco a novel that narrates the relationship between a young poet and La Foscarina, an actress already getting on in years. The obvious autobiographical references guarantee immediate success but also the controversies that mark the end of their relationship, on which Duse had never expressed herself.

After her death in Pittsburgh in 1924, the dead body of the Divine was transferred to Italy on board a ship, which docked in the port of Naples. The Italian authorities organize a special train to carry the body from Naples to Asolo through different regions of Italy, where she is greeted everywhere by huge crowds cheering her name. On May 12, 1924, she was buried in Asolo in the Sant'Anna graveyard.

She rests, as she left written, under a simple white stone facing the Grappa.

I love Asolo because it is beautiful and peaceful, because it is not far from Venice which I adore... When I open the shutters of my room in the morning, Monte Grappa is framed in the window. So I put two flower pots on the windowsill. This will be the asylum of my last old age, and here I wish to be buried. Remember it, and if ever, say it

La casa detta La Mura: Eleonora Duse arrived in Asolo for the first time at the end of 1892, as a guest of the American Katherine de Key Bronson, whom she had met in Venice. The actress stayed in her friend's house in Asolo, called "La Mura", near the Loreggia gate and the ancient medieval walls that surround the city. In 1920, after having retired from the stage, she returned to Asolo and asked the daughter of her now dead friend to be able to rent the same house in which she had been a guest years before.

La Casa dell'Arco: La Duse later decides to take the house that had been recommended to her: "Casa dell'arco" because part of the building incorporates the ancient medieval gate of S. Caterina and the position allows you to enjoy the view of the plain and of Mount Grappa.

The recitation

  • Eleonora Duse and the recitation

Eleonora Duse characterized the modern theater because she totally broke the mold of the nineteenth-century theater.

Before her, actors emphasized the tone of their lines, resulting very unnatural. In addition, heavy stage make-up and wigs were in fashion which made the actor's face look like a mask, exaggerating the expressions and giving the performer a very false appearance.

Eleonora's acting method relied heavily on instinct: for Duse acting was in fact a natural event and she often improvised, sometimes she walked along the stage and gesticulated. Other times, in scenes where she had to express severe pain, she would cling to the curtain drapes and cry desperately. Thanks to her very incisive attitudes, the actress acted in many countries but always in Italian: even when the public did not understand her words, she meant what Eleonora knew how to express.

As evidence of this, here is what the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov wrote about her to her sister:

Just now I saw the Italian actress Duse in Shakespeare's Cleopatra. I don't know Italian, but she acted so well that she seemed to understand every word; what a wonderful actress!


  • Aristotele and the recitation

Aristotle dedicates chapters 1 and 12 of book III of Rhetoric to acting. From the thoughts exposed in this text, it seems to be defined as the art of declamation: the art of using the voice in a persuasive way for the audience, through the adoption of the right volume, correct intonation and good rhythm. In itself, the definition does not qualify acting in a derogatory sense, but things change when Aristotle looks at how it is used by speakers. The philosopher points out that they manage to use acting to win any debate, but not because they are the spokesperson for a profound truth, or present an adequate and demonstrative exposition of the facts.

According to Aristotle, in order to persuade the public, orators had only to raise their voices, harmonize the speech with a grave tone, arrange the words according to an accelerated rhythm, in order to push the crowd of perverse little men to lynch a perhaps innocent man.

To sum up, we could say the following. According to Aristotle, acting can be defined, from the point of view of the genre, as the art of lying through the voice. In its species, however, it is distinguished by the purpose of lying. The recitation of the orator lies for the sake of profit, while that of the actor lies for the sake of pleasure. In other words, the actor practices the lie like the orator, but with less cunning and more naive intentions.