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Leaving Venice by the Padua road and passing through Mestre (5 miles), we will not take the Autostrada, but rather the National Highway no. 11, which runs along the banks of the Brenta. Here the great Venetian families built their famous country villas which, taken as a body, constitute the most important example of residential architecture in existence.
Leaving Padua, we take the road to Monselice, and 27 miles from Padua we reach the city of ROVIGO. ROVIGO: Founded in about the 9th century, it was subsequently a possession of the Este family and then of Venice. We enter it by Viale Porta Adige and then, taking Viale Trieste, we come to the late 16th century Rotonda or Church of the Madonna del Soc corso, containing 17th century paintings. We then make for Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, a handsome Venetian square where we will find the Palazzo Roncale (1555), designed by Sammicheli, and the neo-classical palace of the Accademia dei Concordi, with an excellent collection of paintings (works by G. Bellini, Carpioni, Pittoni. Piazzetta, Longhi, Tiepolo, Holbein the Elder, Tintoretto). The Picture Gallery of the Episcopal Seminary is important with fine works esp. of the 18th century. From Rovigo, after a 23 mile drive over the plain of the Po Delta, we reach the Po, at Pontelagoscuro, and then immediately enter FERRARA, well worth one day visit. In the afternoon of the twelth day of our trip, we leave Ferrara by the Porta Reno and take the State Highway SS 64 which 30 miles further on brings us to BOLOGNA
Another 17 miles bring us to Reggiolo, also with a medieval castle, and then in the direction of the Po we go another 8 miles and reach GUASTALLA, another tiny capital of the Gonzage Direly, with a 15th century Palace and Cathedral and a Romanesque Parish Church where two Councils were held. We now pass along the banks of the Po, cross the river beyond Boretto, over a modern bridge reach Viadana and 15 miles from Guastalla, SABBIONETA, whose subsequent decline into being no more than a country village has certainly not eliminated the evidence of its aristocratic, classical buildings, begotten of the civilized and poetic dream of a great Renaissance soldier-prince, Duke Vespasiano Gonzaga, who established it as his capital, the little Athens on the Po, as it came to he called. We will see the sumptuous Galleria delle Antichita, plundered over the centuries by irresponsible vandals; and still standing in front of it, a statue of Pallas Athene on a lofty Corinthian column. Then there is the splendid Church of the Incoronata, with its memorial to Vespasiano Gonzaga, a magnificent bronze by Leone Lenin (end of 16th century), the Ducal Palace, with its splendid ceiling and beautiful wooden statues of the members of the Gonzaga family, and the Teatro Olimpico, designed by Scamozzi. Leaving Sabbioneta, we head for Casalmaggiore (4 miles), cross the Po and passing by Colorno, the lavish summer Palace of the Parma dukes (1660-1728), reach (15 miles from Casalmaggiore) the city of PARMA, which we will visit in the evening of the penultimate day of our trip and on the following morning. LLeaving Parma, we head towards FIDENZA with is notable Gothic-Romanesque Cathedral full of Romanesque sculptures. But before reaching Fidenza, we would suggest making a detour to Fontanellato in order to see one of the most beautiful princely castles in Emiha, the Rocca (12th-16th century) of the Sanvitale princes, which contains frescoes showing scenes of a joyously pagan Tranquillity by Parmigianino.From Fidenza, some 22 miles along the Via Emilia, we come to the famous Certosa, the Charterhouse of Parma, about 2,5 mi. from the city center. Leaving Parma, we head towards FIDENZA with is notable Gothic-Romanesque Cathedral full of Romanesque sculptures.
From the Cathedral, we pass on to the Basilica di S. Antonino (11th century) with its magnificent polygonal Tower. Taking Via Verdi and Corso Vittorio Emanuele, we reach Piazza Cavalli, with the fine crenellated Palazzo Comunale (1281) with its three- and four-light windows, the two fine equestrian statues of Farnese princes by Mochi, and the Gothic church of S. Francesco (1278). Other important monuments include the Romanesque church of S. Giovanni in Canale San Sisto, and the famous Sanctuary of the Madonna dei Campo at the opposite end of the town. We might also visit the Pinacoteca Alberoni Painting Gallery with the Christ at the Pilot by Antonello da Messina, as well as a number of Flemish paintings.
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