Cultural Informations Tarcento
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CULTURAL INFORMATIONS TARCENTO HISTORICAL Tarcento, before the terrible earthquake 1976, was called “The Friul Pearl” not only for its location, so nice that lot of citizens from Udine had there their vacation houses, but also for an interesting historical-architectural heritage, with several palaces and villas built in liberty or venetian style. The earthquakes in the year 1976 (on May and September) made big damages to this area and radically changed the original urbanistic structure of the old town. The reconstruction program, except for a little part of the center, couldn't respect the same structure than before. photo: ge The oldest documents that mentioned Tarcento during the XII century, but experts discovered traces of human settlements even in paleolithic era and then in prethistoric time, until Romans. Almost from the year 1356, the community was managed autonomously by the Assembly of head of families and it was called "Vicinia"; it had communitary rules approved by the jurisdiction of responsible Frangipane and from Venice; during the XVII century "Vicinia" was changed with "Council of Credenza" which started with 12 members, later 30. (source: www.comune.tarcento.ud.it) photo: ge PALACES “The Palazat” acutally “Pontoni Villa” is an elegant building and it was palace of Frangipane family after they left the Cola castle. There were lot of frescoes and decorations indoor which were destroyed by the earthquakes 1976. photo: ge “Frangipane Palace”, it is also called “della Rotonda”, actually it is the official seat of the Municipality Council; its actual look dates back to the XVII century and it was built over another palace from XV century. The fountain, called “fountain of love” is in the middle of the square court. photo: ge “De Rubeis Florit Villa” is at the base of the Coia hill: it dates back to the XIV century, but it was modified several times during the past. The rooms of the piano nobile have stucco walls, decorated doors of 1700. photo: ge The Church of Apostle St. Peter: the parish was established between IV and VI centuries, near the Centa village, the oldest part of Tarcento. The present Church was built in the XV century (the façade with gothic portal is from 1424) also if some its parts was modified and it was enlarged. The bell massive tower was built from 1730 till 1741. Inside there are precious sculptures and painters. It is also interesting the big organ situated over the main entry. It is very valuable, built by Malvestito from Padova in the 1906 year and has 2000 pipes. It is the only so big mechanic organ in whole Region. photo: ge AQUILEIA By virtue of the fact that most of ancient Aquileia, one of the largest and most wealthy cities of the early Roman Empire, survives intact and unexcavated, it is the most complete example of an early Roman city in the Mediterranean world. The Patriarchal Basilican Complex in Aquileia played a decisive role in the spread of Christianity into central Europe in the early Middle Ages. Aquileia was founded by the Romans as a Latin colony in 181 BC in the north- eastern corner of the plain of the Po as an outpost against Gallic and Istrian barbarians. It quickly became a major trading centre, linking central Europe with the photo: ge Mediterranean. By 90 BC it had been elevated to the status of municipium and its citizens were accorded full rights of Roman citizenship. Its wealth resulted in the town being endowed with many magnificent public buildings, and the private residences of its rich merchants were opulently decorated. During the 4th century imperial residences were built in Aquileia, and it was the seat of the Imperial Mint between AD 284 and AD 425. Of particular importance was the construction in the second decade of the 4th century of a basilica, following the sanctioning of public worship by the Edict of Milan in 313. All this was to come to a violent end in 452, when Aquileia was sacked by the Huns led by Attila. Its mercantile role was assumed later by Venice. However, Aquileia retained its spiritual significance, becoming the seat of a patriarchate which survived until 1751, and played a key role photo: ge in the evangelization of this region. Excavations have revealed part of the forum and its Roman basilica, the Republican macellum , one of the sets of baths, and two luxurious residential complexes. Outside the late city walls, a cemetery with some impressive funerary monuments, the amphitheatre and the circus have been revealed. The most striking remains of the Roman city are those of the port installations, a row of warehouses and quays that stretch a long distance along the bank of the river. The dominant feature of Aquileia is the basilica. Bishop Theodorus constructed a horseshoe-shaped complex of three main halls, but this proved inadequate to house the worshippers and pilgrims and so in 345 a vast structure replaced the northern photo: ge arm. This was destroyed by the Huns, along with the entire complex, and never rebuilt. When the survivors returned they concentrated on the ruins of the southern hall, which was restored. After a period of neglect, work was begun in the 9th century by Bishop Maxentius, with financial support from Charlemagne. Despite severe damage during the 10th-century Magyar invasions and an earthquake in 988, the work was completed in 1031. The basilica is essentially Romanesque, although there are some Gothic features resulting from reconstruction after an earthquake in 1348. The most striking feature of the interior is the huge mosaic in the southern hall of the 4th-century structure, not revealed until the 11th-century clay floor was removed in 1909. The subjects depicted include symbolic subjects, portraits of donors, scenes from the Gospels and dedicatory inscriptions. At the eastern end is a sea scene with twelve fishermen, representing the Apostles, along with the story of the prophet Jonah. At the east end the crypt of the frescoes, dating from the 6th or 7th centuries, was constructed to house relics of martyrs. A door at the east end of the basilica gives access to the Crypt of the Excavations, revealed during the early decades of the 20th century. Here are preserved mosaics from the 1st-century suburban villa selected as the site of the basilica in the 4th century, and the foundations of the transverse and north halls of the complex not rebuilt after destruction by Attila. The mosaics are enigmatic in subject matter, full of references to esoteric cults. The west entrance to the basilica is sheltered by a portico built in the early 9th century, which gives access to the contemporary baptistry. This is typically octagonal in plan and encloses a hexagonal baptismal pool, reproducing the Chi-Rho monogram of Christ. This is surrounded by a colonnade supporting an ambulatory. The final component of the complex is the bell tower, a massive structure that has survived unscathed since it was built in 1031. There is a second basilical complex at Monastero, now serving as the Palaeo-Christian Museum. This equally imposing 4th-century structure also houses a remarkable floor mosaic. (source: UNESCO) GRADO Grado has had a long and rich history. It begins in Roman times when Grado was a fortified Roman castrum and the foreport of the nearby prosperous town of Aquileia. Numerous mosaics, inscriptions and other artifacts found on the island attest to Grado's Roman history. However, it is in the fifth and sixth centuries that Grado's achieves her renown. Grado became the seat of a Christian Patriarch, the head of many bishops, when, after the invasion of the Germanic Lombards in the sixth century, the Patriarch of Aquileia, like so many of his fellow citizens, fled the mainland for the island of Grado. Grado's two ancient churches, like much of the architecture of the Old Town, date to this period. In the later Middle Ages, Grado became increasingly oriented towards Venice, under whose protection and influence she became. By the 15th century, when Grado's title of Patriarch wasmfinally abolished, Grado had returned to being a small,mseaside fishing town, but with a proud and glorious past. With the fall of Venice in 1797, Grado passed briefly to the French and then to the Austrian Habsburgs, who in the 19t century developed Grado's beaches and spa into a world class resort. Today Grado is connected to the mainland by a causeway and frequented by Central Europeans who visit Grado for its charming and historic Old Town, quaint fishing port, and celebrated beaches. Grado's calendar is packed full of organized cultural activities throughout the summer months. There are concerts of classical, Italian and international music, live theater in the Old Town, operettas, ballet, fashion shows, and historical and artistic exhibitions. The city also plays host to a well-known intellectual lecture series, "Autori sotto l'ombrellone" ("Author under the Beach Umbrella") held weekly throughout July under a pavilion on the beach. Grado has several cinemas, one of which is outdoor and near the sea. In addition, several festivals are celebrated in Grado each summer, including the local Perdòn di Barbana, a festival in honor of the Virgin Mary held each year since 1237; the festival of the local saints; several outdoor seafood festivals organized by the local fisherman. (source: www.triestetourism.altervista.org) Grado's cathedral, the Duomo or Basilica di Sant'Eufemia, is the town's best tourist sight. It lies in a picturesque little square called Campo dei Patriarchi which is the historic heart of Grado. The church dates to the sixth century, although it has undergone some rebuilding and restoration, and was constructed over an even earlier church.