Amazing Italy:
Visiting
Palladio’s Villas with Maria Cristina Buoso
by
Maria Teresa De Donato
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Our journey through our Amazing
Italy with our dear friend Maria Cristina, Author and Blogger, continues with
other precious pearls of her Region: Veneto.
Enjoy the reading!
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MTDD: Hi Maria
Cristina, and welcome back to my Virtual Cultural Salon.
MCB: Thanks to you, Maria Teresa, for the
invitation. It is always a pleasure to be your guest.
MTDD: Maria
Cristina, after getting to know your city, Rovigo, quite well, we moved on to
some areas of her province and started, last time, to examine the Venetian
Villas.
Shall we resume the tour of the Villas
today?
MCB: Yes. Last time I spoke in general
about the Venetian Villas. Today, I want to talk to you about those by Palladio,
who designed them in the mid-16th century for the local aristocratic families
and the upper middle class of the Venetian Republic.
They are considered masterpieces of
art and architecture history and make the landscape in which they are built
prestigious. Some are known throughout the world and have become UNESCO World
Heritage Sites.
MTDD: Very interesting! Would you like
to introduce us to their architect, Andrea Palladio briefly?
MCB: Sure. Andrea Palladio was born on 30
November 1508 in Padua and died on 19 August 1580 in Maser, in the province of
Treviso. He was an Italian Renaissance architect active in the Republic of
Venice. He was influenced by Roman and Greek architecture in his work,
especially that of Vitruvius, an engineer and architect who lived in the first
century BC. Palladio is considered one of the most influential individuals in
the history of architecture. Although he designed churches and palaces, he was
best known for country houses and villas.
MTDD: Last time, you
mentioned some Venetian Villas now considered Unesco Heritage. Do those of
Palladio belong to this category?
MCB: Yes, they do. In fact, the city of
Vicenza, with its 23 buildings designed by Palladio and the 24 Palladian villas
of the Veneto, are listed by UNESCO as part of the World Heritage City of
Vicenza and Palladian Villas of the Veneto. Palladio's churches are at the
UNESCO World Heritage Site, "Venice and its Lagoon."
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MTDD: We can say,
therefore, that Palladio was undoubtedly one of the greatest architects Italy
has ever had.
MCB: I agree. Andrea Palladio lived in a
historical context that was favorable to him. It was the Renaissance period.
Towards the middle of the 15th century, the aristocratic nobles escaped from
the chaos of the city and took refuge in nature. For this reason, they needed a
residence in which to relax, have fun, and cultivate their passions, such as
hunting, dancing, music, and walking in the gardens. For this reason, they
needed a new and more functional home for their purposes.
MTDD: How did the
Villas designed by Palladio differ from those built up to that point?
MCB: Palladio abandoned the previous idea
of a medieval villa castle, which had the task of defense, for a new model of
house with a new function that was more productive and humanistic. He found a
union between ancient and modern, a balance between man and nature, where he
managed to integrate the various models and the new needs of the owners in
perfect harmony. In short, he had to reconcile the expectations of the nobles
with their passions, health, rest, study, and more with the control and
carrying out of the various agricultural jobs that were an integral part of
these new housing realities in the area.
The architectural features of his
creations stand out from other villas for their elegance, balance, and
symmetry. Furthermore, the spaces intended for agricultural work were practical
and harmonious with the manor rooms. The villas were often composed of a
central body as a residence for the owners, usually located on a single floor
with a staircase full of important sculptures, which served to show off the
wealth and nobility of the owner, who entertained guests with dinners, dances,
concerts, and more.
For further information, here are some
links:
https://www.arte2000.it/blog/ville-palladiane-splendide-architetture-nelle-campagne-venete/
https://www.villevenetecastelli.com/un-po-di-storia/
http://web.tiscali.it/AndreaPalladio/html/introd_ville.htm
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ville_palladiane
https://www2.irvv.net/it/listituto/storia.html
http://www.rivieradelbrenta.biz/ville_venete/
MTDD:
Shall we conclude our interview today with a succulent recipe for our readers?
MCB: Absolutely!
Today, I propose Polenta, ribs, and pork sausage
Recipe
Polenta, ribs, and pork sausage
Another memory recipe. There are many
versions of this recipe. In my memory, I remember ribs and sausage made grilled
or with tomato.
Let's start...
First, prepare the Polenta, either the
normal or instant version. You can choose whether to make it more or less soft.
My mother left it soft because she then placed the sauce on top of it with the
sausage and/or rib. Everything was delicious.
Cook the ribs and sausages in the iron
or griddle version, as you prefer. I don't need to tell you how to do it
because you will have already cooked them this way.
Steamed
Put olive oil and the chopped celery,
onion, and carrot in a high-pitched pan. When it has wilted, add the pork parts
and brown for a while; add pepper and a little salt (which you will adjust
better towards the end so as not to make everything too salty); if you like a
little paprika and/or chili pepper, they were not once included in the recipe,
but now it is expected to add them. Pour some tomato puree and a little water
for slow cooking; check now and then; the meat must come away from the bone.
Enjoy your meal!
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