Trento
| Author: |
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Jerome Camus |
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| Posted: |
06/8/03; 6:20:28 PM |
| Topic: |
Trento |
| Msg #: |
168 (top msg in thread) |
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918 |
 Quiet yet sturdy, Trento maintains the image of sharp, unfailing mountains that surround the city and its XVIth century refined core.
The focal point of town, the Duomo, is as a good a place to start. Piazza del Duomo is emotionally charged by the frescoed facades of some palazzi and the solid colours of others; here geometric shapes evoke nordic cultures, there the Venitian inspiration stands out.
The romanic Cathedral of S. Vigilio, with its touch of gothic, is of germanic austerity, just to remind us of some of the place's roots, whereas the adjacent palazzo Pretorio speaks a military language while maintaining a distinct note of elegance. Traces of Roman civilisation have been found in the basilica within the Duomo. Dedicated to Neptune, the fountain is of the XIXth century is a curiosity for this regional capital, the farthest from the seashore than any of its Italian counterparts.
 In via Belenzani, palazzo Geremia, aside from its impressive frescoes, deserves a peek inside, while keeping in mind that these are municipal offices. A stone's throw away, through the narrow via delle Orme, S. Maria Maggiore, erected over a paleochristian basilica is a good representative of XVIth century work; for a moving contrast a mere hundred meters away is the very baroque S. Francesco Saverio. Behind the latter is the city park.
Another noteworthy contrast is at hand in piazza Cesare Battisiti, site of an archetypical fascist architectural development. But the true heritage is in the excavations that have revealed Roman constructions and the recent discovery of a fragment of the Roman Tridentum.
Back in via Manci, one can admire the various palazzi. Worthy of mention are Salvadori, Saracini-Pedrotti, Trentini and Palazzo Fugger-Galasso (XVIIIth) which, according to legend, was erected in only one night with the help of the devil, thus coining the place palazzo del diavolo.
 At the end of the road, after via S. Marco, the Buonconsiglio castle is a structure of military origin: as a fort it was built in support of the city walls. Only ulterior developments transformed it into a residence for the prince bishops of Trento. The castle also houses a museum, running interesting expositions, such as a review of pianos across the centuries.
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