Archive for 'Architectural Gems'

All around Italy you will find some of the most stunning towns, castles, palaces, churches and other buildings that can be found in the entire world. You will also be able to find some rather bizarre feats of architecture that are both beautiful and odd. These have the satisfaction of both pleasing the visitor's eye and astounding them with their fascinating origin stories and eccentric design quirks. We have put together a list of some of these architectural gems so that you can go on an architectural tour of Italy that is off-beat, intriguing and far from the regular tourist crowds.

Gubbio, for example, is home to a number of lovely town squares, impressive palaces and pretty churches but the most fascinating of all these monuments is a 16th century fountain, affectionately as the “Fountain of the Madmen”. The actual name of this fountain is Fontana del Bargello, named for the palace in front of which is stands.

The name “Montecristo” probably immediately brings to mind The Count of Monte Cristo, the adventure novel by French author Alexandre Dumas that was released in 1844 and is one of the author's most popular and famous works, along with The Three Musketeers.

The story takes place in France, Italy, and islands in the Mediterranean during the historical events of 1815–1839 and centres around a man who is wrongfully imprisoned and later gets revenge.

It is considered an indisputable literary classic today and has been directly adapted to film, television and stage, as well being the inspiration for many similar tales of revenge and is the precursor to a long history of such tales over the years.

Italy is known as a world-class leader in art and design. Many movements and styles were born or mastered in Italy over the century. The Renaissance, in particular, forever changed art and architecture in the western world. However, for all of the architectural gems that exist in Italy, there are also some rather bizarre buildings. These might, equally, be beautiful but are definitely odd.

One of the strangest architectural ventures in Italy is the Rocchetta Mattei, a magnificent castle located in the northern part of the Tosco-Emiliano Apennines, in the province of Bologna. It is an exceptionally eccentric building that speaks to its former owner, a similarly strange character. The earl Cesare Mattei, who had the castle built in the 19th century, was the inventor of "electrohomeopathy," a medical practice said to cure cancer. His methods have been largely debunked but he showed his eccentricity in his personal life and tastes as well, as can be seen throughout the castle.

There is lots to see and do in Italy but we have rounded up a list of some particularly intriguing attractions and sights that we have dubbed the Seven Wonders of Italy and, continuing from the last article, here are some more of said wonders.

The Fiat Lingotto Factory in Turin was built in the 1920s and was the largest and most modern car manufacturing plant in Europe and second in the world at the time. It is five storeys high with a test track atop the roof and cars were moved upwards from floor to floor to be tested on the track when completed. The factory was eventually closed in 1982 but, in 1985, it was converted and made into a multi-purpose centre and is now used commercially by various companies. The exterior is largely unchanged but the interior has been drastically redesigned in order to house an exhibition centre, a conference centre and auditorium, two hotels, offices and retail space.

Continuing on from our last article, this piece will discuss some more of our picks for the Seven Wonders of Italy.

The Cathedral of St. Ambrose is a building in Lombardy with roots going as far back as the tenth century, though the present structure dates to the sixteenth. It is the seat of the Bishop of Vigevano and the current building was commissioned by Duke Francesco II Sforza in 1530.

Dedicated to St. Ambrose, it was designed by Antonio da Lonate and thought it was begun shortly afterwards, work was not completed until 1612.

With beautiful painted interiors, a newer Baroque façade and a famous treasury and museum inside, it is a typical Italian cathedral in many ways.