|
|
|
The Brenta Riviera is made up of districts and green spots along the ancient course of a river linking Padua to Venice. This was the ideal extension of Venice onto the mainland, almost a continuation of the lagoon city: between the 16th and 18th century the Brenta Riviera experienced a golden age which turned it into a privileged holiday resort for rich Venetian nobles. They built dozens of villas allong its riverbanks, designed and decorated by masters of Italian art, visited by artists, popes, kings and men of culture, envied for their beauty, inhabited as country seats where they celebrated ritual floating procession, sumptuous dinners and festivies lasting until dawn. The building of villas along the Riviera began in the 15th century, when Venice extended its dominion over the mailand. Growing commercial difficultie to the East and the discovery of America led the Venetians to invests their capital in the purchase of ample farmlands. The noble Families were attracted by the beauty of the Brenta countryside, its fertile soil and the easy access along the waters of the Brenta river. The various farms were cultivated and splendid homes were built close the riverbanks so that the gentlemen could keep their investments under personal control while taking the opportunity of a family holiday. Since the 16th century, were built gems such as villa Foscari at Malcontenta, designed by Palladio, or villa Soranzo at Fiesso with its outside  frescoed by Paolo Veronese’s brother. In the subsequent century, the flights of steps down onto the water’s edge increased, gardens were peopled with busts and baroque decorations such as in villa Morosini in Mirano and villa Sagredo in Vigonovo. In the 18th century these spaces were expanded through ingenious perspectives creating triumphs s uch as villa Widmann at Mira Porte and villa Pisani at Stra, a genuione Doge’s palace on dry land. Lovers of Italian art forms can find an infinite number of attractions on the Brenta Riviera. |
The architecture of the villas is remarkable for the variety of styles which go from the 16th-century austerity to the unleashed fantasies of the 17th century, as far as the rational style of the 18th century. It is also both recalling the churches with their walth of precious painting and the simple but interesting examples of minor architecture. Inside the villas there whole cycles of paintings. The mythological scenes left by Zelotti in the Malcontenta villa or by B . de Pitati in villa Querini at Mira Porte. The glories of noble families painted by Angeli in villa Windmann or by Tiepolo in villa Pisani at Stra. The list could continue with the altars by Sansovino, the marbles sculptures by the Bonazza brothers in the parks, the wooden statues by Brustolon, the Callido organs, the antique furniture kept in villas and antique-ships: there is always something to discover in the Brenta Riviera. From March to October, the stately are best ad mired from water’s edge; the oppurtunity is provided by the Burchiello, the legendary boat mentioned by Goldoni which daily links Padua to Venice, stopping off to enable visits to the most beautiful villas on the Riviera. For sports lovers, on the other hand, the appointment is for October, with the “Venice Marathon”, a world-famous race which takes athletes from Stra, running throgh the most evocative tracs of the Riviera to Venice itself. People staying on the Riviera run no risk of getting bored. If they have already visited the villas, taken a look at the works of art appreciated the local cuisine, seen some entertainments and done some shopping, they can take a boat and a camera and go off among the sandbanks to capture the flight of a vast number of differnt species of a local and migrating birdlife. The sandbanks and the whole of the Brenta Riviera can also be visited along cycle touring routes - 130 kilometers of traks marked by hundreds of signs to guide the tourist along safe pathways.
VILLA’S LOCATION |
|
PADUA
Probably better known as the city of St. Anthony , Padua is one of the most important Art cities in Italy.
Padua's o riginns are very ancient, in the 4th century B.C. During the thirteenth century for the whole of the fourteenth century the city went through a period of great cultural and artistic fervour. The first circle of walls was built, followed by the Palazzo della Ragione, the Basilica of ST. Antony and the chur ch of Erimitani. The University was founded in 1222; it was the second in Italy and attracted teachers and scholars from all over Europe. Both Dante and Petrarca stayed in Padua. The most important museums and monuments that we can visit are:
 Scrovegni Chapel
It holds the most complete cycle of entirely preserved fresco es produced by Giotto ( 1302- 1305)
|
Palazzo della Ragione
Built in 1 218 by the Commune of Padua as the seat of the Podestà and Law Courts.
Basilica of St. A ntony
The imposing construction, built the 13th century in Romanesque-Gothic style, with eight domes , containes the body of St.Antony.Here work famous artists, including Donatello.
Botanic Gardens
Founded in 1545 by the Faculty of Medicine, it contains an extremely important collection of rare plants.
Prato della Valle
Once a roman theatre, this vast square has become the traditional site for fairs and amusements. It is a large green island, divided by four  avenues corresponding to four bridges surrounded by a canal along which stand 78 statues of famous men.
|
|
|
|
|
