n o t w o Parrocchia del Duomo Città di e T di Castelfranco Veneto Castelfranco Veneto e n v i e t a V N s ' Partners E N O O I G R C O I G N A ROTARY INTERNATIONAL R CASTELFRANCO-ASOLO INFORMATION CASTELFRANCO VENETO F Tourist Office (I.A.T.) via F. M. Preti, 66 – tel. 0423.491416 Pro Loco via F. M. Preti, 66 – tel. 0423.495000 L Giorgione Home Piazza San Liberale – tel. 0423.725022 Town's Library Piazza S. Liberale – tel. 0423.735690 – fax 0423.735689 e-mail: [email protected] Academic Theatre via G. Garibaldi – tel. 0423.735660 E Palazzetto Preti via Riccati – tel. 0423.720563 Town Hall via F.M. Preti, 36 – centralino tel. 0423.7354 – fax 0423.735580 e-mail: [email protected] T Websites www.comune.castelfranco-veneto.tv.it o t e www.bibliotecastelfrancoveneto.tv.it n e V S www.museocastelfrancoveneto.tv.it o c n a r f l e Idea & artwork Frontiere - Progetti per Comunicare (www.frontiereprogetti.com) t s a C Photos by Sabrina Fantini, Alberto Barizza, Giovanni Porcellato i d Drawings and sketches "Castelfranco Veneto. La città di Giorgione" e n u A 1997 © Comune di Castelfranco Veneto m o C Texts Giacinto Cecchetto © Printed by Graficart 4 0 0 Translations Studio Congia 2 C ATour in Town iolu tCsiades ttehlel Coastle LReA MPUARRAT Se ai nCdA PMAMRAINPAEMT EWNATLIK, Sla, t hTeO CRIRVIEC C TIOVWICEAR, eG IlaO TROGRIORNEE d Ti GOIWOERRGIONE >>>> p apgaegsi n6a a 6n de 7 dinesnitdreo tlhe eM Cuarastle ITlh Te EAACTARDOE MACICC ATDHEAMTIRCOE, eth iel MPAOWNNTSEH DOIP P PIAETLA'C, E, iA PNACLIAEZNZTI D eW ilE DLULOINMGOS ,d tih Se. CLAIBTHEREADLREAL >>>>>> f rdoam p paagginea 8 8 t oa ppaagge. 13 Giorgione LThae P ALTAA nRePl IDEUCOEM inO tdhie SC. AMTaHriEa De RSA. LLi boefr Satl.e, Maria Assunta and St. Liberale, the magnificent lo splendido FREGIO in CASA di GIORGIONE FRIEZE in GIORGIONE's HOME >>>>>> f rdoam p paagginea 1 144 t oa ppaagge. 19 the Tolwa nC oituttàsi dfue otrhie lrea mpuarrats PGIAOZRZGAIO GNIEO RSQGUIOARNE ae nCdO CROSROS OX XXIXXI XA PARPRILIEL,E, BORGO dTiR TERVEIVSIOS Oe PaAndR tChOe RREEVVEEDDIINN-B-BOOLLAASSCCOO PARK >>>>>> f rdoam p paagginea 2 200 t oa ppaagge. 23 eGaatisngt raondn odrminikaing LThae T tRowAnD'sI ZTIROANDEI TEINOON-AGLA DSTIRSHOENSO AMNICDA W dIeNllEa SCittà ea nlad srueafi nraedff iHnaOtSaP OISTAPLITIATYLI TÀ >>>>> > p a pgaingae 24 itlh eT eSrurbiutorrbiso VILLA EMO ea nVdI LVLIAL LBAA RBABARRBAOR, iOl C, CAANNOOVAVA ea nlod stphlee nchdaidrom pinage s“aHggEiXo AdGelOl'ENS”A lGanOdNscOape >>>>>> f rdoam p paagginea 2 255 t oa ppaagge. 27 Giorgione’s NATIVE TOWN A s its two-word name explains - 'Castel' = livestock market, it Castle, 'franco' = exempt - Castelfranco Veneto was continued as such originally a tax-exempt Mediaeval town. Its imposing throughout the first half red-brick square castle was erected on an extant of the last century, and embankment in the late 12th century by the nearby has been a lively crafts Mediaeval Council of Treviso, just North of Pieve Nova centre and an important village on the Eastern bank of the Muson torrent, to railway junction since the turn of the 19th century. defend the treacherous borders with the territories of From 1339 to 1797 it housed the Venetian podestà palace and during Padua and Vicenza. the 17th and 18th centuries it was home to renowned scientists such as During the early decades of the 14th century, the Jacopo, Giordano and Vincenzo Riccati, architects such as Francesco Maria original residential area of Bastia Vecchia, a defence Preti, and musicians such as Agostino Steffani. What makes Castelfranco mainstay in its own right, developed further, with a Veneto stand out as a universally celebrated hostel for travellers and the poor. town however, is its being the hometown of The Mediaeval ramparts of the fortified town, its one of the most out-of-the-ordinary, four corner towers and two side towers on the Eastern mysterious personalities in the history of art, and Southern flanks have been preserved almost in the enigmatic genius of light and colour their entirety. The eight hundred years' long history of Giorgione (1478-1510). Two precious gems Castelfranco Veneto is closely connected to its strategic among the few works attributed to the painter position in the middle of Veneto, which made it a are housed inside the Castelfranco fortress: stopping-place along routes connecting Venice, Germany the hermetic Casa Marta-Pellizzari Frieze, and and Flanders, and between Western Europe and the the world-famous Altarpiece housed in the St. Above, a detail of GIORGIONE'S famous ALTARPIECE: enthroned Eastern plains. An important trading centre from its Liberale Cathedral. Madonna and Child. earliest days and the site of an ancient grain and Castelfranco's double identity as a On the right, a view of Giorgione Square with the “Paveion” (also “Loggia dei Grani”). fortified town on the one hand and Giorgione's Opposite: the North-Western Tower, ramparts home-place on the other is documented for and embankment of the Mediaeval castle. posterity by the fascinated, enraptured responses The Civic Tower with the clock and St. Mark's Lion dating back to 1499. of poets, writers, and travellers who have come here from far and wide over the years. outside the Castle measuring approximately Below, a sketch of the On the right, a view The CASTLE fortifications inside the Gate of the ramparts and 230 metres on each side was erected from the end of of Treviso (also “porta franca”) the South-Western Tower. with (photo) a detail Below, a section of the the 12th century, and completed over the following of the parapet walk. renovated parapet walk Below on the left, the Carraresi's near the Tower decades. Of the eight original towers, four corner towers, four-wheeled chart depicted named after under the ceiling of Giorgione. inside the castle, consisting of two distinct bailies and encircled by a the Tower of the Dead (Torre dei Morti) [2], built in the Civic Tower. moat. Outside the main ramparts, a prospective invader had to face 1246 on the Southern flank, and the magnificent Civic a number of defensive barriers: the so-called “fratta”, a thorn bramble Tower (Torre Civica) [1], are all that remain today. On between the ramparts and the originally 21-25 m wide moat, the the façade of the 43 m high Civic Tower you can see a “bastia”, where Via S. Giacomo and Via Bastia Vecchia now pass, an clock and the Istrian stone St. Mark's lion, the symbol embankment, the “cerchia” (a section of exposed land), and an of the Venetian Republic, both installed in 1499. innermost moat, the so-called “fossato della cerchia”. From January 24, 1339 to May 12, 1797, Castelfranco The ramparts, towers and moat are was under the control of the Venetian Republic, except for all that remain of a composite war the “Carrarese age” (1380-1388): machine, the building of which the emblem with a four-wheeled commenced, as tradition has it, at the chart visible just below the ceiling of end of the 12th century, although it the Civic Tower dates back to that time. underwent enlargement and consolidation work throughout the 13th. First, the four The War of Cambrai (1509-1517) corner towers were built, then the ramparts. The castle was accessible via two gates proved the military weakness of the castle, which (the Gate of Treviso on the East, and the Gate of Cittadella on the West) complete was incapable of withstanding the new siege strategies and with sashes and drawbridges - which were replaced by brickwork bridges in the 16th artillery shooting. Some portions of the ramparts were century - and with Northern and Southern posterns (pedestrian gates). demolished or fell into ruin, the outside embankments were The ramparts, approximately 17 m high and 1.70 m thick and built without any turned into agricultural land by the locals. TOURIST INFO foundations, rest on a dry stone base made of coarse gravel, brick pieces, and In the 19th century, after escaping You can visit the ramparts in-mix-killed lime, which is the same material used for ramparts, the bricks being a demolition planned in the 18th century, the and inside of the castle at mere cover for the inner and outer façades. The any time by following the castle became the symbol of Castelfranco. portion of preserved parapet walk is around 1.75 m appropriate signs starting The ramparts and towers became the in width and is supported by small arches resting on from St. Liberale Square spectacular backdrop of the town. Between and leading through stone shelves. 1865 and 1869, the “Salata” bridge in front alley-ways and small The castle was consolidated more on its Eastern squares boasting the most of the Civic Tower, the “Beghi” bridge opposite the market place, flank, half way along where the Civic Tower was charming views. the Promenade named after Dante and the Public Gardens on the erected: its top was redesigned as we see it today Guided tours and access North-Eastern side were all created. The tower overlooking the to the Giorgione Tower towards the end of the 15th century. In 1246, Ezzelino gardens is called Giorgione Tower [3] because of the nearby can be booked at the III da Romano improved the defensive capabilities of the Civic Tower just beyond House of Giorgione monument erected to the great painter in 1878. the Gate of Treviso - also called “Duty-Free Gate” with two “gironi” (keeps), a castle (tel. 0423.725022). 6 7 inside the Castle The THEATRE [4], originally planned in 1746 by Francesco The ancient Pawnshop MONTE di PIETÀ [5] - also Maria Preti (1701-1774), was built between 1754 and 1780, except for the called “Monte dei Pegni” - founded in 1493, was housed until 1825 in a façade and the hall, added between 1853 and 1858 based on G.