Tom`s travels: Castelfranco Veneto & Cittadella (01/05/2019)

After being back in Vicenza, I decided to do a day trip on the 1st of May holiday. So after an early wake up, I took the regional train and reached the first town of the day, Castelfranco Veneto. After getting out of the train station I headed towards the Villa Bolasco, located eat of the old town. A Venetian villa, it dates from between the 16th and 19th centuries. Originally, in fact, a group of buildings dating to the 16th and 17th centuries used to be located there, and the count Francesco Revedin rebuilt it at the end of the 19th century by adding a large English-style garden around the villa. After buying the entry ticket, I walked along the path and reached a large circular area lined by 17th-century statues which used to belong to the villa's early period. That area once used to serve as a horse-riding arena for the villa's owner. After walking around the large central pond sided by nice types of plants and trees. Then I passed by a Moorish revival styled building which serves as a glasshouse for plants and finally circled back to the entrance of the park. After exiting I then headed towards the city center and reached the eastern part where I could notice the red brick medieval walls which completely encircle the old town. The eastern part is also characterized by the Civic tower, an elegant structure dating between the 12th and 13th century like the rest of the walls. It was then elevated to its current height of 43m during the 14th century when a clock and the lion of st mark, due to having fallen under Venetian dominance, were added. After passing under the gate, I walked through the elegant architecture and reached the central Piazza San Liberale, flanked by the cathedral at its eastern end. I decided though to enter the Museo Casa Giorgione first, a 14th-century townhouse which is said to have been where the artist Giorgione used to live. After seeing the nice display among the house's decorated rooms, I headed right in front of the building where the Cathedral was located. The church itself, built in a Neoclassical style during the 18th century didn't possess anything particularly noteworthy apart from a very famous painting, by Giorgione itself, located in the Costanzo chapel. Known as the Pala di Castelfranco, it dates to 1504 and was commissioned by the condottiero Tuzio Costanzo for his son's death during a military campaign. It represents the Madonna on the throne holding the baby Jesus above the sarcophagus of the Costanzo family and with St Francis and St Nicasius on either side. After admiring the beautiful painting I then headed back out and through the southern walls where I followed a path alongside the moat and with a nice view of the walls. I circled around and then went back into the old town where I decided to have a quick lunch at a small osteria where I took a few Cicchetti, or small dishes, to eat. After that, I went back out of the city center and started walking westwards in the direction of Cittadella. I passed by the Villa Chiminelli, right outside the town limits, but found out it was closed so continued on. The weather was perfect and the sky was extremely clear, as I walked through the fields I could admire the mountains ranges to the north, which, due to the previous rainy days had meant the peaks and tops were still covered in snow. Passing through some rather bland towns I then reached Cittadella a few hours later. I had been there before but decided to visit the walls which I hadn't seen in ages and admire the view of the mountains from an even better perspective. As I reached the ticket office, located on the northern part of the walls, I found out there was already a long line, due to it being a holiday. I managed to get in after a few minutes and then started my walk on top of the walls counterclockwise. Built during the 13th century, the walls have a diameter of 450 meters and a total of 1461 meters in circumference. They are some of the best-preserved in Europe with just a tiny breach at the northwestern part which they fixed by building a wooden structure. Nonetheless, they are impressive to look at and grant an amazing view of the old town and the surrounding landscape from their 16 meters of height. After going around the whole perimeter I quickly walked through the town once more and reached the train station just in time to take my ride back to Vicenza.