Castelfranco Veneto

The story

Castelfranco Veneto was founded by the municipality of Treviso in the 12th century. The new castle, built in a central location, was immediately exempt from taxes: hence the name Castelfranco.

The village of Castelfranco developed in an already structured territory, composed of small and large noble and episcopal centers. Despite this, it was the new village that assumed the leading role, aided by the political and economic importance it acquired over time.

Under Treviso's influence, Castelfranco fell into the grip of war, particularly the one that involved Treviso and Padua in the second half of the 13th century. Peace only came in 1388, when the Republic of Venice began expanding its territory, reaching the Treviso area. Treviso thus gradually lost its dominion.

Under the rule of the Serenissima, Castelfranco enjoyed centuries of uninterrupted peace, allowing it to grow in every way. The tranquility convinced the Venetian nobles to invest in land and construction. During this period, the construction of villas began, which would form a veritable urban agglomeration, reaching its peak splendor in the 16th century.

In the 15th century, the development of a new irrigation system allowed the arid lands of Castelfranco to be transformed into cultivated fields. The predominant crops were wheat and other cereals, and to facilitate greater trade, a market pavilion was built in 1420. Shops and workshops opened around this new structure, initiating a craft tradition that is deeply rooted in Castelfranco Veneto today. This century also saw the construction of new public buildings, including a new residence for the Venetian podestà, a pawnshop, and a civic clock tower.

In the 16th century, Castelfranco was involved in the Cambrai War. The town was occupied by Emperor Maximilian's troops, and was liberated and occupied several times in a period of conflict that lasted until 1517.

Two centuries of peace allowed Castelfranco to reboot its engine of growth, driven primarily by merchants, nobles, and artisans. Venice intervened in this development process with the construction of new civic and religious buildings, designed to foster a civic identity aligned with the spirit of the Serenissima.

Castelfranco's rapid growth stalled in the 17th century. The city withdrew into itself, and not even the plague managed to reach its limits, despite having swept through the surrounding villages between 1629 and 1631. Two dramatic events worsened the situation: the first was the collapse of a portion of the civic tower, which crashed into nearby homes, causing deaths and injuries. The second was a violent earthquake in 1695 that caused another collapse of the tower, which was promptly rebuilt.

As the seventeenth century drew to a close with the Age of Enlightenment, Castelfranco was ready to revitalize itself. Building on its contacts with Paduan circles, a new cultural movement and a drive for renewal began in the city. One of the leading figures of this period was Jacopo Miccati, who would also assume a prominent role in the city's political circles. His sons, along with him, also began to be regular attendees at the city's cultural venues. During these years, the creation of a unified corpus of manuscripts began, still considered an important historical record today. A new water system was also developed, solving the problem of stagnant water.

Despite this momentum, aristocratic circles were gripped by deep discontent over taxes and the political crisis they faced. In 1719, a first attempt to bar non-noble social classes from political office failed. In 1728, the Republic of Venice itself banned individuals under the age of twenty and unable to pay their dues from holding political office. This brought prominent figures from the local nobility to the political seats, at least until 1797. That year marked the beginning of the crisis that engulfed the Serenissima and caused a widespread economic and demographic decline.

From this point on, the Veneto and Castelfranco began years of turbulent events, preceded by the Franco-Austrian War, which ended a long period without conflict. On May 2, 1797, Napoleon Bonaparte entered Treviso, and a few days later, the Democratic Municipality was established in Castelfranco. All symbols of the Venetian Republic were removed, and the tree of liberty was erected in the castle courtyard.

As early as October 1797, with the Treaty of Campo Formio, Veneto was ceded to Austria, to which it belonged until 1805 when the lands were annexed again into Napoleon's Kingdom of Italy.

The end of the Napoleonic dream and the Congress of Vienna marked the definitive return of Veneto to Austria. Although Italy was shaken by the Risorgimento movements in these years, Castelfranco Veneto remained unaffected by these events. The construction of new public buildings ushered in a new period of development. In 1861, by imperial decree, Castelfranco Veneto became a city, and only in 1866, along with Veneto, was it annexed to the new Kingdom of Italy. The annexation also coincided with a new wave of construction, fueled by the desire to give the city a new face.

The early twentieth century brought the nauseating stench of world wars to Castelfranco Veneto. The first was heralded in the city by the decision to transfer Giorgione's Altarpiece to Florence.

During the Great War, Castelfranco Veneto became a transit town. Hospital trains arrived here, loaded with soldiers wounded in battle. The high number of soldier deaths led to the decision to expand the municipal cemetery.

As if the misfortunes weren't enough, Castelfranco was the victim of heavy bombing in recent years. The one everyone remembers with the greatest sadness is the one on December 31, 1917, which caused a high number of victims.

The postwar period did not bring the hoped-for boost to the city, but remained a period of profound crisis and economic and social hardship. The population's hopes rested on the new municipal elections of 1923, in which only one list, that of the Fascist Party, entered.

Italy and Castelfranco Veneto were plunged into a new world war. The city once again suffered heavy attacks and bombings, causing widespread destruction and death.

Rebirth and a new beginning seem difficult, yet the flame of hope does not fade and is entrusted to the partisan troops of the Cesare Battisti Brigade, who lead the resistance in Castelfranco Veneto.

On April 29, 1945, the city was liberated again and could finally look forward.

Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and San Liberale.

Castelfranco Cathedral was consecrated for worship in 1746 even though the dome, atrium, and façade, which was added in 1892–93, had not yet been completed.

The church is the first work designed by Francesco Maria Preti, inspired by the Church of the Redeemer in Venice.

To make room for the new place of worship, the Romanesque church 'inside', an ancient hub of the city's memories, was destroyed.

The interior is designed with a series of columns and pedestals, flanked by six chapels, three on each side, connected to each other. The church also houses the tomb of the architect Preti.

Castelfranco Cathedral is rich in valuable works of art, the most important of which is Giorgione's altarpiece. You can also admire Giovanni Battista Ponchini's Descent of Christ into Limbo and Jacopo Palma the Younger's Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian.

In the sacristy are some excerpts from the pictorial cycle by Paolo Calliari, known as Veronesi. On the ceiling are Time and Fame, while on the right wall are Justice and Liberty, along with four angels.

These frescoes were originally located in the Villa Soranzo, which was demolished in the 19th century. Filippo Balbi initiated a process to recover the frescoes, which, using an innovative technical process, were detached from the original wall. Unfortunately, most of them were lost; some are now in the hands of private collectors, but the most important collection is located in the sacristy of the Cathedral of Castelfranco Veneto. In addition to Veronesi's frescoes, the Supper at Emmaus and the Episcopal Consecration of St. Nicholas, by Paolo Piazza, and the Presentation in the Temple, by Jacopo Palma the Younger, are also preserved here.

Castle

In the Middle Ages, the Treviso area was a region plagued by conflicts and turbulent events, which also involved nearby Padua and Vicenza. Despite the presence of noble and episcopal fortresses, the municipality of Treviso decided to build a new castle, intended to serve as a defensive outpost, with a specific military and political function.

A square-plan castle was then built, distinctively red, with four defensive towers at the corners and a crenellated keep. To support the population of this new center, Treviso decided to exempt its new inhabitants from paying taxes.

Under the lordship of Ezzelino III da Romano, in the 13th century, an imposing city wall was erected, most of which still exists.

After enduring several sieges, alternating with periods of peace and tranquility, the castle was saved from the threat of demolition in the 19th century. Ravaged by bombing during the two world wars, Castelfranco Castle still bears the scars of its suffering today, proudly claiming its status as a symbol of the city.

Academic Theater

In the mid-1700s, the Society of Academics commissioned the construction of a theater. The Teatro Accademico was almost entirely built between 1754 and 1780, designed by local architect Francesco Maria Preti, who had already designed the Duomo.

The theatre was built to stage shows and musical performances, but it also arose from the academics' need for a place to meet and discuss.

The entire project by architect Preti responds to precise mathematical rules, as he had already done for the cathedral, also in this case he applies the rule of the Proportional Harmonic Mean which allows for perfect acoustics.

In the 19th century, the theater was restored and adapted for opera. The façade and atrium were added, and Giambattista Canal's fresco on the ceiling was replaced by an allegory representing Immortality seated between Virtue and Glory, dispensing laurel branches to scholars and artists, depicted with the faces of famous figures from Castelfranco.

On October 9, 1858, the restored Teatro Accademico was inaugurated with a performance of Giuseppe Verdi's Il Trovatore.

In 1970, the Society of Academics sold the theatre to the Municipality of Castelfranco Veneto, and it was the latter that began further restoration work in the following years.

The theatre is now used for cultural events, exhibitions and shows of various kinds.

 Giorgione's House

Giorgione's House is a historic residence just steps from the Cathedral of Castelfranco Veneto. It is said that the famous Renaissance painter was born here, between 1477 and 1478.

The oldest nucleus of the building dates back to the 14th century and the subsequent lateral extensions have been dated between the 15th and 16th centuries.

In the 19th century, it was partially damaged, and two walled-up openings can still be seen in the large central hall. This room is particularly important because it houses the Frieze attributed to Giorgione himself, which is still the subject of critical interpretation.

Over the centuries, Giorgione's house has passed through the hands of noble and powerful men, then bounced back and forth between the province, the region, and the municipality. Since 1998, it has been owned by the Municipality of Castelfranco Veneto, and at the beginning of the new century, a major restoration was undertaken, recovering a 16th-century frieze and a cycle of 16th-century frescoes with biblical scenes and landscapes, both works by Frescante Veneto.

Revedin Bolasco Villa and Park

A corner of paradise in Castelfranco is Villa Revedin Bolasco and especially its elegant garden.

The villa was commissioned in 1866 by Francesco Revedin, mayor of Castelfranco and the city's first mayor.

It is an elegant historic residence whose ballroom and stables are particularly beautiful. The villa's true jewel is its park, an English-style garden that Francesco Revedin designed as a true earthly paradise. The most prominent landscape architects from across Europe were called upon to create it.

The park is a collection of picturesque views and corners, such as the Hispanic-Moorish greenhouse and the tower. Of particular note is the riding arena, which showcases Francesco Revedin's passion for horseback riding. The arena is introduced by imposing equestrian statues on pedestals and is enriched by sculptures depicting horses and riders.

Today the park extends over seven hectares and boasts rich vegetation, consisting of more than a thousand specimens, many of which are between seventy and one hundred and twenty-five years old.

Giorgione's Altarpiece

The cathedral of Castelfranco Veneto houses one of the most important works by Giorgione, a Renaissance painter born in this very village.

The work is also of particular importance because it is one of the few certain works by the artist, datable between 1503 and 1504. It was commissioned by Tuzio Costanzo in honor of his deceased son Matteo, to be placed in the family chapel.

The work is made of wood and depicts the Madonna seated on a throne with the child in her arms, flanked by Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Nicasius, against a backdrop of countryside and hills.

Saint Nicasius is often venerated alongside Saint Francis, the patron saint of Messina, the city where the patron was born. Saint Nicasius also carries the banner of the Knights of Malta, the order to which he belonged until his death in 1187.

With this altarpiece, Giorgione introduced innovation into Venetian painting of the period. This painting embodies what Giorgio Vasari calls "painting without drawing," a type of painting technique based on layering colors and a broad chromatic range. The use of chiaroscuro is also skillful, becoming soft and sinuous here.

In this work, Giorgione eliminates courtly and ecclesiastical references. The Madonna is placed on a high and almost disproportionate throne, but in the background we can see scenes of destruction and ruin, alongside two small armed figures, all symbolizing war as a source of pain and mourning.

This altarpiece was originally located in the Romanesque church "di dentro," later demolished to make way for the Cathedral. The lack of its original location prevents us from fully understanding the meaning of such an important work, which even today often receives new critical interpretations.

Giorgione's frieze

On the first floor of Casa Giorgione, in the large central hall there are two friezes that decorate the right and left walls respectively.

The frieze on the right wall remains highly controversial, both regarding its authorship and its meaning. Most critics agree that this frieze is by Giorgione, although some believe it is the work of an unknown artist.

The frieze is characterised by objects and instruments, alternating with circular figures, faces of illustrious figures and scrolls containing quotations from the Bible, from Sallust's Bellum Catilinae and from Publilius Syrus's Sententiae.

The frieze appears to be the representation of a set of objects arranged in a jumble, yet digging deeper reveals hidden meanings based on a hermeticism that was very dear to Giorgione.

The most widely supported interpretation is that the frieze symbolizes the brevity of human life, in which Fame and Virtue play a fundamental role. In this sense, the liberal arts become a means of exalting the latter because they allow us to transcend the more concrete aspects of human affairs, symbolized by the mechanical arts.

A second interpretation, less successful but equally interesting, holds that the frieze is connected to esoteric meanings. The key to this interpretation is astrology, based on the astronomical elements that cover a third of the entire painting.

In the sixteenth century, astrology was considered the science through which the future events of men could be known.

The frieze depicts the conjunction of Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars in the sign of Cancer, a solar eclipse, and a total lunar eclipse, events that allow the painting to be dated between 1502 and 1503. These astronomical events were once considered ominous because they brought about imbalance and conflict, and the conflict is indeed represented by two trophies of arms. Essentially, this second interpretation holds that for Giorgione, God's wrath was pouring down on humanity and there was no possibility of salvation, not even for art and music, as evidenced by the depiction of abandoned musical instruments and half-finished drawings. Reading the quotations, it becomes clear that for the painter, the only possibility of salvation was to rely on reason and, through it, begin to look toward the path of the future.

If Giorgione's frieze is complex and mysterious, the same cannot be said of the other pictorial representation, created by an anonymous artist who attempted to imitate the painting on the other wall.

Giorgione

Very little is known about Giorgione's life, and just as little is known about his works, all unsigned and all imbued with a hermeticism that fills and overwhelms them with meaning.

According to some historical sources, Giorgione was born in Castelfranco Veneto between 1477 and 1478. He is considered one of the most important Renaissance painters, despite having only worked for about a decade in the Venetian art scene. He is considered an innovator and an artist capable of imbuing his works with profound yet hidden meanings.

A few years after his passing, in some correspondence he was referred to as 'Giorgione', indicating his imposing stature but also his high artistic and moral standing.

From some letters it is possible to deduce that he died around 1510.

Fregolotta Cake

Fregolotta cake is a typical dessert from the Veneto region, particularly from the Treviso area. The original recipe dates back to the 1700s, when it was consumed primarily by the Venetian aristocracy.

In the 20th century, Angelo Zizzola of Castelfranco Veneto had the idea to revive this ancient recipe and turn it into a family business. Even today, the name of the Zizzola bakery and pastry shop is closely linked to the Fregolotta cake.

Ingredients:

• 300 g of butter at room temperature;
• 300 g of 00 flour;
• 300 g of sugar;
• 300 g of almonds;
• 2 egg yolks;
• Vanilla bean seeds;
• 3 – 4 tablespoons of bitter almond liqueur;
• a pinch of salt.

Preparation

Take a small amount of sugar and grind it together with the almonds until you obtain a flour. Then combine it with the 00 flour, the remaining sugar, and the vanilla seeds, stirring until combined. Finally, add the softened butter and almond liqueur and mix until the mixture resembles crumbly dough.

Take a sheet of parchment paper, wet it and wring it out, and line a round baking pan, preferably 24 or 26 cm in diameter. Pour the mixture into the pan and press it down with your fingers until it's 1.5 cm high all around.

Bake for 40 minutes at 180°, until the top is golden brown.

Once the cake is ready, let it cool and then punch it in the center to break it and create the fregole, or crumbs, as tradition dictates.

Sfregolotta cake is an ideal dessert for any time of day, excellent enjoyed with a dessert wine.