Epiphany in Stresa

This time last year I was in Stresa, Lake Maggiore with my family looking forward to the Procession of the Three Kings to be held on January 6th. My friend Tatiana of Italian Slow Walks asked me if I would write a guest post on her blog about my experience. You can read all about it at this link:

http://santatatiana.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/procession-of-the-re-magi-the-three-wise-kings/

Here are some photos from the day, most of which were kindly taken by our friend Giuseppe:


Variety of traditional winter foods in Piazza Cadorna

Amy warming her hands on the beautiful lit log

Shepherds with goats and sheep on the way to the procession

Our costumes

I Tre Re Magi

Preparations in Palazzo dei Congressi

The three of us joining the procession



The Three Kings in Piazza Cadorna



A sweet little angel

Court of King Herod
Villa Ducale Stresa

Chimney sweeps (spazzacamini) on the left



The live presepe with the main participants

   Previously I’ve written another guest post about a day in Stresa at the Rocca Angera on my friend Dana’s blog Stresa Sights. In case you missed it you can read about it here:

http://stresasights.blogspot.com/2010/04/la-rocca-angera.html

A Day in Bologna

If you are visiting Rome, Florence, Milan or Venice it is worth planning a detour to experience the architectural, artistic and culinary delights of beautiful Bologna. This summer was our fifth visit to this alluring, colourful city. Usually we stay for just a couple of nights but on a day trip you could manage to see several of the main attractions.

Piazza Maggiore, Bologna

What exactly can you see in just one day you may ask? Well, the city centre is quite compact so it’s easy to get around on foot. Some great things about Bologna that I like are that:

• Private cars are banned from the city centre during the day
• The museums are free to visit (except for the Pinacoteca Nazionale)
• There are many food markets and a huge weekly market (Friday and Saturday)
• The porticoes shelter you from the sun or the rain
• The food is amazing ( it is the unofficial culinary capital of Italy)
• It has the world's largest perfectly preserved medieval city centre

Piazza Maggiore, the magnificent main square is a good place to start. Get a free map of the city in the large tourist information office opposite the cathedral before you begin your exploration. First off, inside the gothic interior of Basilica San Petronio on the left of the square, there is an interesting Zodiacal sundial 67m long on the floor. It was created by astronomer Domenico Cassini in the 17th century. If you look up you’ll see a tiny window in the apse where the sun shines through illuminating the meridian line which shows the exact period of the current year.

The Palazzo Comunale (Palazzo d'Accursio), the elegant adjacent building, is home to three museums with many illustrious and priceless works of art throughout. A huge Bramante stairway leads to the first floor; the low, wide steps were to allow those on horse-back access to the upper floors. The museum of painting and decorative objects on the first floor has richly frescoed ornate rooms with lovely views of the piazza from the windows. In the Sala Farnese on the second floor, the ceiling from the 1800’s is beautifully illustrated. If you are interested in art you’ll enjoy the Morandi museum on the third floor. It contains about 200 paintings by Bologna born artist Giorgio Morandi (1890-1964) the greatest Italian still life painter of the 20th century. The collection spans his career from youth to maturity.


Museo Morandi

Leaving the building around the corner you’ll find yourself in the adjoining Piazza di Nettuno. Take the time to admire all the details of the stunning Neptune fountain.

Fontana di Nettuno Bologna
Palazzo Re Enzo on the right

Continue down the street towards the Two Towers. The russet, orange, ochre and yellow of the surrounding buildings are magnificent and most of the roofs have red terracotta tiles. If you climb the 498 steps to the top of the Asinelli tower at the end of this street you can see them and view a marvellous panorama of the city.

Bologna's iconic Two Towers
Garisenda and Asinelli

Near the Two Towers is the gorgeous, atmospheric, Piazza Santo Stefano – a must-see.

The tranquil church of Santo Stefano is a unique cluster of 7 churches and temples with two cloisters attached dating from the 8th century. It is fascinating to wander around these stunning churches and see the different styles of architecture within. Stop for a coffee at the charming café nearby and soak in the ambience of serenity. (By the way, in addition to your coffee many places here serve a complimentary glass of acqua frizzante.)

Head towards Via Clavature to see the amazing sculptures in the Santuario Santa Maria della Vita (which I wrote about in my previous post) and then explore the tiny side streets with many small food shops in the medieval market area. There are fishmongers, vegetable vendors, chocolatiers, homemade pastas, salumi (cured pork, beef, lamb or veal) and cheeses at La Baita. Check out the mouth-watering pastries and the panificio on via Orefici. Bologna has so many good restaurants, trattorias and osterias; I believe that no matter where you choose to eat in this city you’ll have a wonderful meal. If you want a quick takeaway lunch Pizzeria Il Mascalzone on via dell'Indipendenza is the place to go.

Now for one of Bologna’s secrets…If you continue walking down towards via Piella and cross a bridge you’ll come to a wall with a little window cut out in it about two feet square. When you look through this window you’ll get a surprise…


Piccola Venezia, Bologna

Last summer our friend Enrico pointed this out to us. I don’t think that we would have ever discovered it by ourselves. He said that not many tourists have come across this window, but now you know where to find it! It is also known as Piccola Venezia, the last of the canals of Bologna which date back to the 12th century.

The shops re-open about 3.30pm. One of my favourites is the Feltrinelli bookstore. I always return from Italy with Italian books, CDs or DVDs.

La Feltrinelli bookstore Bologna
via Zamboni

Lastly, you could end your day with a hike up to the beautiful Santuario di San Luca. We first went there in August 1998 so the photos below are scanned. The sanctuary is located on the hill that oversees the entire city. Take bus number 20 from the city centre to the stop at the Meloncello Arch. Bologna has a frequent and efficient bus (and train) service. From here it is a 4k walk to the church at the top under the world's longest portico of 666 arches and you'll pass 15 frescoed chapels along the way. Built in the mid 18th century it offers lovely views over the city and countryside.

You could have dinner up here in the evening at Trattoria Meloncello or back down in the centre where there is such a large choice of superb restaurants including Ristorante Biagi, Osteria al 15 and Da Cesari.

During July and August there are free films outdoors on a giant screen in Piazza Maggiore at 10pm. With a gelato in hand, sitting in the piazza, watching a movie in the open-air on a warm summer’s night is a magical way to end a day in Bologna. You could easily spend a week here and still not see all it has to offer!

Open-air cinema Piazza Maggiore Bologna
image courtesy of http://www.tafter.it/

If you are here for more than one day you could visit the  three main museums: the Medieval City Museum, the Archeological Museum and the wonderful Pinacoteca. Bologna gives you so many things to do and see but it's up to you to choose how to experience this fascinating city. Have you been to Bologna yet? What would you include as a must-see here?

Update: For a walking itinerary in Bologna complete with an interactive map have a look at this excellent post at https://delightfullyitaly.com/2015/03/08/bologna-in-one-day/

My other post about Bologna: A Night in Bologna

Gabriele D'Annunzio -- Abruzzese Poet

I’m an admirer of the poetry of the Abruzzese poet, novelist and dramatist Gabriele D’Annunzio. He was born in Pescara, Abruzzo on March 12, 1863 and is one of the main Italian poets of the 20th century. Gabriele D’Annunzio’s birthplace in Pescara is open to the public and nine rooms on the first floor of the house have been turned into a museum dedicated to his life and works. It is well worth a visit and you can find it at:

Casa Natale di Gabriele D’Annunzio

Corso Gabriele Manthonè, 116 Pescara
                                              
Open 9:00 - 13:30 every day except Monday

You'll recognize the building when you see the flags on the balcony above the doorway.

The first five rooms are still furnished with beautiful old pieces and the walls have their original paintings.

Bedroom of Gabriele D'Annunzio and his brother

In the corner of each room look out for a caption from D'Annunzio's poem Il Nottorno, which describes the settings, objects and people the poet loved.

In the sixth room are some of  the poet's suits and accessories; in the seventh are his letters, documents and some of his original editons. In the eight room there are two casts of the poet's hands and face taken on the day of his death. Another room is arranged with panels giving information about D'Annunzio's life along with extraordinary old photographs.

Another section of the museum is dedicated to the poet's wardrobe: his suits, coats, uniforms, hats and accessories. He had a unique, elegant and eccentric style!

Listening to Italian poetry helps me to understand the language better as it is usually spoken at a slower pace. D’Annunzio’s poems include sensuous lines with a sublime musicality that paints pictures with simple sentences.

 "The Rain in the Pinewood" is a favorite of mine. In this poem the poet walks with his wife, Hermione, and invites her to listen to the melody of nature as the summer raindrops fall on the foliage in the wood.

Here is a sample verse that I have translated to English:

The Rain in the Pinewood             La Pioggia nel Pineto

Hush…                                       Taci…
On the edges of the woods            Sulle soglie del bosco
I can’t hear human words              Non odo, parole
That you say,                             Che dici umane;
But I hear newer words                 Ma odo parole più nuove
Spoken by droplets                       Che parlano gocciole
And leaves far away.                    E foglie lontane.
Listen…                                      Ascolta…
Rain falls from the                         Piove dalle
Scattered clouds.                         Nuvole sparse.
Rain falls from the parched,            Piove sulle tamerici
Burnt-out tamarisks.                     Salmastre ed arse,
It rains on the scaly,                     Piove sui pini,
Bristling pines,                             Scagliosi ed irti,
It rains on the divine myrtles,         Piove sui mirti divini,
On the broom-shrubs                    Sulle ginestre fulgenti
Gleaming with clustered flowers,     Di fiori accolti,

Orpheus Leading Eurydice From the Underworld by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, 1861

On the junipers                            Sui ginepri
Thick with fragrant berries.            Folti di coccole aulenti.
Rain falls on our sylvan                  Piove sui nostri volti
faces,                                        Silvani,
It rains on our bare                       Piove sulle nostre mani
Hands,                                        Ignude,
On our light                                 Sui nostri vestimenti
Clothes,                                      Leggieri,
On the fresh thoughts                   Sui freschi pensieri
That our soul uncovers                  Che l’anima schiude,
New,                                          Novella,
On the beautiful fairytale               Sulla favola bella
That yesterday enchanted you,      Che ieri ti illuse
That today enchants me,               Che oggi m’illude…
O Hermione…                               O Ermione…

 Have a listen to this YouTube clip to hear the poem read in full and with feeling by Roberto Herlitzka. In the background is a gorgeous piece from the soundtrack of the movie Amélie and beautiful images accompany the words …



Which of Gabriele D'Annunzio's poems do you like?

The Warrior of Capestrano, Chieti

Visitors to the National Archaeological Museum in Chieti today hoping to see the famous limestone statue of The Warrior of Capestrano (Il Guerriero di Capestrano) were astonished to find that it had been removed from its plinth. The priceless statue was taken from the museum early this morning without the permission of the mayor of Chieti, Francesco Ricci.

This renowned artifact dates from the 6th century BC. I had been researching this statue for my blog post as I was very impressed when I saw it in August 2007. I was astounded to read about its removal, on an Italian news website today. (Primadanoi.it)

This statue was first discovered in 1934 by Michele Castagna, a farmer who was digging in his vineyard near Capestrano. It has since become the recognized symbol of the Abruzzo region. The imposing sculpture standing at 2.09m is believed to be the funeral effigy of King Nevio Pompuledio, leader of the Vestini tribe in Abruzzo.

It has supports on both sides and is mounted on a plinth. The inscription on one of the supports (written in South-Picene dialect) bears his name - King Nevio Pompuledio.

He wears a mask and decorative headgear and is dressed in armor protecting his chest and back: a wide belt encircles his waist; he carries a short sword, knife and axe; he also wears a necklace, armlets and a pair of sandals. He is considered the embodiment of the Italic warrior.

Apparently Silvio Berlusconi wanted this precious masterpiece at the G8 headquarters near l’Aquila as a room decoration to impress Barack Obama and the other world leaders. The G8 is due to take place next week in a police barracks in Coppito near L’Aquila from 8-10 July. The mayor of Chieti announced just yesterday that the warrior wouldn't be moved from the museum, because of the risks of transportation as well as the risk of aftershocks in l'Aquila; but this morning the statue was taken away at 8.30am.

The act of moving an extremely fragile, 2,600 year old statue from a museum just to use as a room adornment seems reckless to me. Why couldn’t they have used a replica? Two perfect copies already exist (made from plaster) one in the Museum of Roman Civilization in Rome and another one in Capestrano castle! Although the original statue appears in good condition, the legs and feet of the warrior are already fragile and in fact metal inserts have been used to repair fractures. The 65cm circular warrior's headgear is detachable, so there is a chance that it may break. The risk of damage to this precious statue is great.

Let’s hope that this old warrior is returned safe and sound as soon as possible to the Archaeological Museum in Chieti…

NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM OF ABRUZZO
VILLA COMUNALE CHIETI
Tel: +039 0871 331668 – +039 0871 330955.

Opening times: 9-18.30 every day

Admission: 4 Euros; free for under eighteen and over sixty
Free for students and teachers

Photos courtesy of www.musei.abruzzo.it


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Il Guerriero di Capestrano 

I visitatori al Museo Archeologico a Chieti che oggi, 4 luglio, hanno voluto ammirare la statua celebrativa del Guerriero di Capestrano sono stati sorpresi di scoprire che la scultura era scomparsa.

L’inestimabile statua di pietra calcare è stata portata via dal museo stamattina presto, senza il permesso del sindaco di Chieti, Francesco Ricci. (Primadanoi.it)

Questa statua, databile del VI secolo AC, fu ritrovata nel 1934 da Michele Castagna, durante i lavori agricoli per l’impianto di una vigna nella località Capestrano. Essa raffigura un guerriero dell’antico popolo italico dei Piceni – il Re Nevio Pompuledio.

In costume militare con le braccia ripiegate sul petto, l’altezza della statua senza la base raggiunge 2,09m. La testa è protetta da un elmo che copre le orecchie e da una maschera sul volto. Porta una spada, ed un pugnale appesi davanti al petto, mentre con la destra regge una piccola ascia. Gli ornamenti sono costituiti da una collana rigida con pendaglio e da bracciali sugli avambracci. Il copricapo, caratteristico con le sue larghe tese (65cm) che lo fanno assomigliare ad un sombrero, è stato interpretato come un elmo da parata.

La figura poggia su un piedistallo ed è sorretta da due pilastrini laterali, sui quali sono incise delle lance. Su un sostegno vi è un’iscrizione in lingua Sud-Picena con il nome del Re Pompuledio. Oggi costituisce un capolavoro di ineguagliabile valore artistico e storico ed e' il simbolo riconosciuto dell’Abruzzo.

Silvio Berlusconi ha voluto avere questa statua come decorazione per la sala del G8. La direttrice del museo a Chieti ha ribadito le sue perlessità sul suo trasferimento a causa della fragilità della statua. La vulnerabilità del reperto è dovuta alla natura delicata della pietra calcare con la quale è stata realizzata, come per i punti di frattura presenti alle gambe e alle caviglie …e all’Aquila i pericoli eventuali del sisma sono ancora in atto…

Oltretutto, era disponibile due copie perfette dell’originale - uno nel museo della Civiltà Romana a Roma e l'altro a Castello Piccolomini, in grado di suscitare altrettanto interesse e ammirazione!

Spero che restituiscano il Guerriero di Capestrano al museo a Chieti al più presto ed in buone condizioni…incrociamo le dita per questo antico guerriero…

La Villa Comunale di Chieti

Neptune statue in pond

A good starting point for a walk around Chieti is the Villa Comunale. It is a beautiful public park designed at the end of the 800’s with gardens on three levels containing perfumed flowerbeds and rare plants. Hundreds of age-old trees create shady avenues: colossal cedars, fragrant limes, poplars, slim plane trees and delicate magnolias. They are home to an important and protected fauna, for example birds such as the wren, the goldcrest, the sparrow and the woodpecker. You may also spot dormice and red squirrels as they scurry between the shrubs. There are two ponds with fish and swans, two artistic fountains, statues, busts and monuments. The main fountain (La Fontana Monumentale) in the middle of Piazzale Mazzini was made in Paris for the occasion of the World Fair of 1890. On hot summer days children play around the basin full of fresh water, while parents or grandparents sit and chat on the wrought iron benches all around. In 1893 this park was opened to the public. There is also a lovely well-equipped playground sheltered beneath a canopy of trees.

In the summer children can also enjoy quaint pony and cart rides around the park. For a light meal, an afternoon coffee or an ice-cream, there is a lovely airy café there called Casina dei Tigli (House of the Limes). In the evenings this place is full of young and old. There is music and laughter and a very lively atmosphere. At the top level of the park you have a wonderful panorama of the southern part of the town with the Majella mountains in the background.

The neoclassical Villa Frigerj is at the top (at first I thought it should be spelled with an 'i' at the end but no it is a j). It is home to the splendid Archeological Museum of Abruzzo which was opened in 1959. This contains the famous Guerrero di Capistrano statue.

It's very tranquil and relaxing here. By the way, Chieti is known as ‘the town of the chamomile’ not because they cultivate it here, but because of the fact that is a quiet locality where rarely anything serious happens. In fact the Abruzzo region has one of Italy’s lowest crime rates.

All the citizens of Chieti feel a strong sense of attachment to the Villa Comunale. They went there as children with their grandparents, then played with their friends. They cycled through the park or went roller-skating; they played basketball there. The park also holds memories of their first loves, school trips, and today as adults they go there with their own children…

Further reading: The city of Chieti

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Un buon punto di partenza per una passeggiata intorno a Chieti è la Villa Comunale. È un bellissimo parco pubblico e giardini con profumate aiuole e piante rare sui tre livelli, disegnato alle fine dell’800. Ci sono un centinaio d’alberi secolari creando i viali ombrosi: tigli odorosi e colassali cedri, pioppi, platani snelli e magnolie delicate. A me piacciono molto gli alberi e soprattutto gli alberi in questo parco. Ospitano una fauna importante e protetta, ad esempio gli uccelli come lo scricciolo, il regolo, il passero ed il picchio. I ghiri e gli scoiattoli rossi affrettano il passo tra i cespugli.

C’è anche un bel parco gioco lì, ben equipaggiato e riparato sotto un baldacchino d’alberi. Anche in estate i bambini possono divertirsi con un affascinate pony e carretto che gira tutt’intorno al parco.

Ci sono due laghetti con pesci e cigni, due fontane artistiche, le statue, i busti ed i monumenti. La fontana principale detta ‘La Fontana Monumentale’ nel centro del Piazzale Mazzini, fu comperata a Parigi in occasione dell’esposizione universale del 1890. Nelle calde sere d’estate i bambini giocano intorno alla vasca piena d’acqua fresca mentre i genitori o i nonni siedono a chiacchierare sulle panchine di ferro brunito.

Villa Frigerj

statua nel giardino della Villa Comunale Chieti

Se si cerca un caffé o un gelato, si può andare al bel ristorante lì chiamato ‘Casina Dei Tigli’.
È molto tranquillo e rilassante alla Villa Comunale. A proposito, Chieti è nota come ‘la citta della camomilla’ non perché vi si coltiva, ma per il fatto che è una località molto tranquilla dove raramente succede qualcosa di grave.

Sul livello più alto c’è il bellissimo edificio neoclassico della Villa Frigerj, che fu costruito nel 1830. Dal 1959 è sede del Museo Archeologico d’Abruzzo dove si trova il Guerriero di Capestrano.


Tutti i cittadini di Chieti sentano un forte senso di appartenenza alla villa. Ci sono venuti da bambini con i nonni, e poi con gli amici a giocare, in bici, con i pattini, a pallacanestro. Alla villa ci sono i loro ricordi dei primi amori, di gite scolastiche e oggi come adulti ci vengono con i loro figli…

La Citta' di Chieti

The city of Chieti/La Città di Chieti

Photo credit: Fabrizio Costa -- Chieti Centro Storico

Feeling refreshed after an hours rest, we were ready to explore the city of Chieti (pronounced key-yay-tee). It is considered to be the main city of culture in Abruzzo, along with l’Aquila.

Chieti (see map) is a charming, elegant hilltop city with ancient streets and alleys, situated on the right bank of the Pescara River at 330 mt above sea level. It is one of the oldest cities in Italy, even older than Rome. It has a population of about 51,300 (as of 2017). The economy of the city is traditionally based on agriculture (cereals, vineyards and olive groves). It is enriched by traditions of handicrafts of artistic lace and beautiful ceramics.

From the hilltop part of the city called ‘High Chieti’ (Chieti Alta) you can visit historical sites, churches and monuments going back to the Roman era and some from Norman times.

The top ten sights in the city of Chieti are:

1.   The Cathedral of St Justin
2.   Remains of Roman Temples
3.   Church of St Francis
4.   Costantino Barbella Art Gallery
5.   Museo Universitario
6.   Archeological Museum - La Civitella with amphitheatre
7.   Remains of Thermal Baths
8.   Teatro Marrucino
9.   The Villa Comunale
10.  National Archeological Museum with the Warrior of Capestrano

The Cathedral of Saint Justin (dating back to the 9th century)

                                                                                   

Cattedrale San Giustino

Remains of Roman Temples (2nd century BC)

The church of St Francis (13th century Baroque style)

Dome of St Francis church

Interior of church of St Francis

The Costantino Barbella Art Gallery

Museo Universitario

The modern Civitella Museum beside the well preserved Roman Amphitheatre is well worth a visit. In the summer they hold outdoor concerts here. There are also the remains of Roman Thermal Baths (currently under restoration) nearby. Further digs in Chieti have uncovered the core of Teate - the main town of the Marrucini, an ancient Italic tribe that became a Roman colony in the first century BC.

Amphitheatre Chieti

Terme Romane Chieti

Terme Romane Mosaic floor

Teatro Romano

And then there's my favourite, the Villa Comunale –- a beautiful park which is also home to the National Archeological Museum of Abruzzo.

I feel a special connection to this beautiful city because it was the first place that I visited in Italy back in 1994 and it feels "like home" for me there.

La Fontana Monumentale - Villa Comunale Chieti

Giardino della Villa Comunale

Neptune statue - Villa Comunale Chieti

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My YouTube video of Chieti:

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 Ci siamo sentiti rinfrescati dopo un’ora di riposo, e siamo stati pronti per esplorare la città di Chieti. È considerata, insieme all’Aquila, la città della cultura in Abruzzo.

Chieti, con una popolazione di circa 51.300 abitanti (2017) sorge su un colle a circa 330 metri sulla destra del fiume Pescara. Chieti è una delle città più antiche d’Italia, più antiche che Roma.

L’economia della città, tradizionalmente agricola (cereali, uva ed olive), si è arricchita tramite un fiorente artigianato delle belle ceramiche e dei merletti.

Dal colle che dà sulla città, detto ‘Chieti Alta’, si possono visitare siti storici, chiese e monumenti, risalenti all’epoca romana e quella dei normanni.

Fra tutti:

• La Cattedrale di San Giustino
• I Tempietti Romani
• La Chiesa di San Francesco
• La Pinacoteca Costantino Barbella
• Museo Archeologico - La Civitella con l'anfiteatro romano
• Le Terme Romane
• Museo Universitario
• Il Teatro Marrucino
• La Villa Comunale -- un bellissimo parco
• Il Museo Archeologico Nazionale d’Abruzzo con il Guerriero di Capestrano

Terme Romane Chieti

http://www.abruzzocitta.it/aziendecomuni/chieti/immagini.html

How to get to Chieti: Buses and trains leave you at Chieti Scalo down in the valley, from where it's a ten-minute bus journey up the hill to Chieti proper - 5km away. The no.1 bus stops near the Cathedral.