GRADARA - CODE: TEDGRD

[...] Noi leggiavamo un giorno per diletto

di Lancialotto come amor lo strinse;

soli eravamo e sanza alcun sospetto.

 

Per più fïate li occhi ci sospinse

quella lettura, e scolorocci il viso;

ma solo un punto fu quel che ci vinse.

 

Quando leggemmo il disïato riso

esser basciato da cotanto amante,

questi, che mai da me non fia diviso,

 

la bocca mi basciò tutto tremante.

Galeotto fu ’l libro e chi lo scrisse:

quel giorno più non vi leggemmo avante”.

 

Mentre che l’uno spirto questo disse,

l’altro piangëa; sì che di pietade

io venni men così com’io morisse.

E caddi come corpo morto cade

(If., canto V)

 

Gradara, in the province of Pesaro and Urbino, is known for its historic Malatesta Fortress, the Fortified Town and the city walls that protect the Fortress. It is located in an area rich with vineyards, olive trees and great cuisine, mainly based on meats from the inland Marche, paired with excellent wines.

 

The history of the Fortress:

Built on a hill 5 km from the coast, the Gradara Castle is a wonderful example of 14th century military architecture, still bearing the double boundary walls with patrol walkways, towers for military defence with embrasures and battlements. The Fortress was fortified by the Malatesta: a tower house was probably built in the 12th century around the primitive stronghold. What's left of the stronghold is the Gothic architecture in the main courtyard and the typical medieval machicolation-based defences. It was Sigismondo Padolfo Malatesta in the 15th century, with the advent of artillery, who reinforced the walls with deep batters and an imposing rampart toward the north-east, to deal with the new methods of fighting. In 1446, the Fortress was thus able to withstand the siege by the troops of Federico da Montefeltro and Francesco Sforza, who assailed Gradara for over 40 days ("Assedio al Castello", or Siege of the Castle: the re-enactment takes place every year in the second to last weekend in July). The Sforza, who succeeded the Malatesta rule, are responsible for the classical Renaissance style, which transformed the fortress into a truly princely palace. In 1631, the Della Rovere ended the Signoria era and delegated the government of this small fiefdom to their wives.

 

The story of Paolo and Francesca:

The Castle of Gradara is especially known due to its connection to one of the most beautiful love stories in Italian literature, told by Dante for the first time in his Divine Comedy. This is the circle of the Lustful--Canto V of the Inferno--where Dante finds Paolo and Francesca, the two lovers who made the Gradara Fortress famous, conferring it an air of mystery and legend. Paolo and Francesca really did exist: Francesca da Polenta was the daughter of Guido Minore, lord of Ravenna and Cervia "…siede la terra dove nata fui, sulla marina dove ‘l Po discende…..", Paolo was Giovanni Malatesta's younger brother (also known as Giangiotto Johannes Zoctus, or Giovanni "the Lame").

Giangiotto helped Guido da Polenta chase the Traversari from Ravenna's lands. To strengthen this understanding with the Malatesta, Guido decided to give his daughter in marriage to Giangiotto The wedding took place in 1275 and the two moved to Gradara. Paolo, who had property near Gradara, often visited his sister in-law and one day the two fell in love. Legend says that their love story continued until 1289 when, one September day, someone (perhaps Malatestino, "quel traditor") told Giangiotto. Blinded by jealousy, he caught them in the act and killed them both. So Dante tells us in Canto V of the Inferno. Over the centuries, poets, musicians, writers, painters and sculptors were inspired by the story of Paolo and Francesca (from Pellico to D'Annunzio, Zandonai to Scheffer, etc.) and even today, their love story, wrapped in an aura of mystery, fascinates thousands of people.

 

Places to visit:

In the castle, today a State Museum, you can visit 14 rooms, all furnished with antiques and works of art, including the altarpiece of Saint Sofia by Giovanni Santi and a terracotta by Andrea Della Robbia. Of the most important places, those decorated with frescoes, some attributed to the Bologna painter Amico Aspertini, should be mentioned, such as the the dressing room of Lucrezia Borgia, the Passion room and the Council room; the most evocative room is surely Francesca's bedroom where the murder presumably took place.

Inside the castle, you can also find the Church of Saint John the Baptist, dating back to the 14th century, which houses a crucifix of significant value and the distinctive feature of showing three different faces depending on the angle from which it is seen.

 

Not to miss:

The History Museum, which displays instruments of torture and medieval weapons, as well as some rural tools dating back to the 4th century.

 

If you're looking for a bit of peace and quiet in the middle of nature, we recommend spending a few hours at the Olive Tree Garden, in Via Cappuccini, where hundred year old olive trees are the absolute stars.