Monselice

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Monselice
coat of arms
Monselice (Italy)
Monselice
Country Italy
region Veneto
province Padua  (PD)
Local name Monselexe
Coordinates 45 ° 14 ′  N , 11 ° 45 ′  E Coordinates: 45 ° 14 ′ 0 ″  N , 11 ° 45 ′ 0 ″  E
height 9  m slm
surface 50 km²
Residents 17,385 (Dec. 31, 2019)
Population density 348 inhabitants / km²
Post Code 35043
prefix 0429
ISTAT number 028055
Popular name Monselicensi
Website Monselice
Monselice: aerial view

Monselice is a municipality with 17,385 inhabitants (as of December 31, 2019) in the Italian region of Veneto and the province of Padua .

geography

Monselice is located about 20 km southeast of Padua on the southern edge of the Euganean Hills ( Colli Euganei ). The modern city lies in a wide valley between the hills Montericco (312 m) and Rocca (110 m), which are part of the Euganean Hills.

The neighboring municipalities of Monselice are: Arquà Petrarca , Baone , Battaglia Terme , Este , Galzignano Terme , Pernumia , Pozzonovo , San Pietro Viminario , Sant'Elena , Solesino and Tribano .

traffic

Monselice has connections to central Padua , Venice and Bologna .

Demographics

history

According to legend, the city was founded by the Trojan hero Opsicella (a companion of Antenor ). Archaeological evidence of human settlement has existed in the area since the Bronze Age .

In Roman times the place was called Mons Silicis , which means mountain of flint , probably because of the local trachyte quarries.

The first written mention of Monselice comes from the year 568 and refers to the conquest of the city by the Longobards . For a short time the city was under Byzantine rule.

In the age of communes , the city became a self-governing community. During the political and military conflicts of the 13th century, she was an ally of the Ghibellines against the Guelphs . The Ghibelline leader Ezzelino da Romano strengthened the fortifications of the city and made it one of the most important fortresses in the area.

Subsequently, the city fell to the Carrara family , lords of Padua, and became part of the Republic of Venice in the 15th century . In 1797 Veneto was ceded to Austria in the Peace of Campo Formio , but came to the Kingdom of Italy founded by Napoléon Bonaparte in the Peace of Pressburg of December 26, 1805 . The First Peace of Paris on May 30th 1814 brought Monselice back to Austria as part of the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia (its king was also the Emperor of Austria).

With the Peace of Vienna on October 3, 1866 , Veneto and with it Monselice became part of the Kingdom of Italy .

Attractions

  • Piazza Mazzini with the Torre Civica

  • Castello

  • Villa Duodo and Church of San Giorgio

  • Villa Emo in the district of Rivella

The old town is around the Rocca . In the Middle Ages the Rocca was strongly fortified with five wall rings, some of which are still visible today.

Important points for tourists are the Piazza Mazzini with the medieval Torre civica and the Palazzo del Monte die Pietà . Piazza Mazzini is also the starting point for a stroll down Via del Santuario, which leads to the city's main attractions, including

  • the castle ( Castello Cini or Ca 'Marcello ), which houses one of the most important collections of European weapons and armor;
  • Villa Nani
  • the 12th century Romanesque church of Santa Giustina ;
  • the sanctuary of the seven churches ( Santuario delle Sette Chiese ) with paintings by Jacopo Palma d. J. Pope Paul V issued a bull in 1606 granting pilgrims visiting the sanctuary the same indulgences as those visiting the seven main churches ( basiliche ) of Rome - hence the inscription "Romanis Basilicis Pares" on the portal. The Venetian patrician Pietro Duodo (1554–1610) commissioned Vincenzo Scamozzi to plan the sanctuary;
  • Villa Duodo , also designed by Scamozzi;
  • the keep ( Mastio or Torrione ) on the summit of the Rocca , a massive tower made of enormous trachyte blocks from local quarries.
  • Villa Emo in Rivella with gardens

Monselice is an ideal location for exploring the Euganean Hills.

regional customs

Palio di Monselice
  • A market is held in the main streets every Monday.
  • Every year around All Saints' Day , the festival of the city's patron saint, a traditional fair with the sale of local specialties, an amusement park and exhibitions take place.
  • For several years now, the Palio di Monselice has been held in September , which is modeled on medieval equestrian competitions and also includes a medieval parade.

Sons and daughters of the church

Web links

Commons : Monselice  - album with pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Statistiche demografiche ISTAT. Monthly population statistics of the Istituto Nazionale di Statistica , as of December 31 of 2019.