A jump in the past: colors and feelings of a medieval time
A walk on the Medieval Walls of Cittadella during the #italiagrandsketchingtour.
On my way to Schio, Cittadella was a name on the map that appeared constantly. I read the descriptions and I decided that it sounded interesting and so I went. Starting from the parking that was just outside the city wall, passing the drawbridge at the city gate. The experience was promising.
I had read that there was the opportunity to walk on the wall all the way around the town and that is where I went straight. It was something never done before! I found the information center that was also the ticket point and they explained me that it was possible to walk all the way around and that at the two opposite side of the town there were the museums that explained the history of the city and of the lifestyle at the medieval time. All together it sounded very interesting.
The story behind the walk on the walls
I discovered that the town was founded in 1220 by the Papuans to counterbalance the fortification of Castelfranco Veneto by the Trevisans, in a period of wars between the communes. The city is polygonal in shape with the orthogonal axes across the city. In different stage the city and the walls were build, both 32 towers of different shapes and sizes. All around there was the protective moat and four drawbridges were allowing the entrance to the city.
All together the wall circumference is 1461 meters long, and the wall are between 14 and 16 meters tall, built with the “box masonry”: two parallel walls filled with a sturdy core of stones and hot slaked lime totaling a thickness of about 2.10 metres, making it perfect for a walk on the wall.
While walking under the sun and going up and down the stairs I imagined myself in the time of history where looking far on the flat you could see enemies coming. Where dangers where everywhere and where survival is something you were dealing with daily. I realized how much I give everything for granted, how easy my life is and how I often don’t see it. I realize how facing history is sometimes very useful to go back to appreciate the world I live in.
Title of the painting ‘A walk on the Medieval Walls of Cittadella’
This is a painting from the Italia Grand Sketching Tour Collection, a series of original ink and watercolor paintings done on location during my tour to discovery the marvelous Italian heritage. All paintings are also available as numbered and originally signed prints.
The painting is also featured in the book about my motorbike Italian tour. By acquiring this work you will get to know better Italy also thanks to a personalized story about this place that I will include in the package.
Painting information:
- Watercolor and ink on white paper
- Size 19 x 28.5 cm (7.5 x 11.2 inches)
- Shipped in a box
- Certificate of authenticity will be sent with the painting
