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asolo |
| Known as "la Cittą dai cento orizzonti" (the city with a hundred
horizons), the medieval walled town of ĮSOLO presides over a tightly
grouped range of nearly thirty gentle peaks in the foothills of the
Dolomites. In 1234 Ezzelino da Romano wrested the town from the Bishop
of Treviso; on his death in 1259 the townspeople ensured that the
dynasty died with him by massacring the rest of his family, who were at
that time in nearby San Zenone. The end of the fifteenth century was marked by the arrival of Caterina Cornaro - her celebrated court was attended by the likes of Cardinal Bembo, one of the most eminent literary figures of his day, who coined the verb Asolare to describe the experience of spending one's time in pleasurable aimlessness. Later writers and artists found the atmosphere equally convivial: Gabriele d'Annunzio wrote about the town, and Robert Browning's last published work - Asolando - was written here. There are regular buses to Įsolo from Bassano; if you want to get there from Venice, it's quickest to take a train to Treviso, from where there are buses at least hourly (some change at Montebelluna) - in addition to the direct Įsolo services, all the buses to Bassano go through Įsolo and Masčr . The Town The bus drops you at the foot of the hill, from where a connecting minibus (L1500/¬0.77 return) shuttles up into the town. Memorabilia of Įsolo's celebrated residents are gathered in the Museo Civico in Piazza Maggiore, which has long been in the throes of restoration. Especially diverting are the portraits, photos and personal effects of Elenora Duse . An actress in the Sarah Bernhardt mould, Duse was almost as well known for her tempestuous love life as for her roles in Shakespeare, Hugo and Ibsen, and she came to Įsolo to seek refuge from public gossip. Although she died in Pittsburgh while on tour in 1924, her wish was to be buried in Įsolo, and so her body was transported back here, to the church of Sant'Anna. The main interest of the art collection is provided by a pair of dubiously attributed Bellinis, a portrait of Ezzelino painted a good couple of centuries after his death and a brace of large sculptures by Canova. The Teatro Duse occupies a major part of the Castello , which has been largely restored, though there's still little to see other than the view from the ramparts. From 1489 to 1509 this was the home of Caterina Cornaro , one of the very few women to have played a major part in Venetian history. Born into one of Venice's most powerful families, Caterina was married to Jacques II, King of Cyprus. Within a year of the wedding Jacques was dead, and there followed nearly a decade of political pressure from Venice's rulers, who wanted to get their hands on the strategically vital island. In 1489 she was finally forced to abdicate in order to gain much-needed weapons and ships against a Turkish attack. Brought back to Venice to sign a deed "freely giving" Cyprus to the Republic, she was given the region of Įsolo as a sign of Venice's indebtedness. Eventually Įsolo too was taken away from her by the Emperor Maximilian, and she sought asylum in Venice, where she died soon after, in 1510. If you're driving, you may want to head out to Possagno , 8km from Įsolo (also served by buses from Bassano, an hour's ride away), birthplace of the sculptor Antonio Canova. The Gipsoteca , (May-Sept Tues-Sat 9am-noon & 3-6pm, Sun 9am-noon & 3-7pm; Oct-April Tues-Sat 9am-noon & 2-5pm, Sun 9am-noon & 2-6pm; L5000/¬2.58) in the centre of the village, next to the sculptor's house, contains a huge collection of Canova's inimicable preparatory casts, as well as works by Luca Giordano and Palma il Giovane. For modern architecture enthusiasts, the brilliant gallery design is by Carlo Scarpa, who left his subtle mark on museums throughout the Veneto. |