Asolo
Encyclopedia
Asolo is a town and comune
in the Veneto Region
of Northern Italy
. It is known as "The Pearl of the province of Treviso
", and also as "The City of a Hundred Horizons" for its mountain settings.
, and was mentioned as Acelum in the works of Pliny
.
In the early Middle Ages it was under the jurisdiction of the Bishops of Treviso and a possession of the Ezzelino family.
Later Asolo was the capital, and seat of the court, of the fiefdom of Asolo, which was granted by the Republic of Venice
(to which it belonged) to Caterina Cornaro, the former Queen of Cyprus
; in 1489 it was granted to her for life, but in 1509 when the League of Cambrai conquered and ransacked Asolo, Caterina fled to exile and died in Venice a year later. Under her reign, the painter Gentile Bellini
and the humanist
Cardinal
Pietro Bembo
were part of the court.
In 1798, the Italian impresario Antonio Locatelli built the Asolo Theatre in the former audience hall of the castle of Caterina Cornaro.
The theatre was later purchased by Florida
, for the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
. The theatre was disassembled, shipped to Sarasota, Florida
, and reassembled in one of the museum's galleries in 1952.
It was then decided that the theatre should be reassembled into a usable theatre, on the museum's grounds in the late 1950s. The newly constructed theatre opened in 1958, and is now the home of both the Asolo Repertory Theatre
and the Florida State University/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training
.
The town was also home to the English poet Robert Browning
, the actress Eleonora Duse
, the explorer Freya Stark
, the violinist Wilma Neruda
and the composer Gian Francesco Malipiero
.
Atop the town sits a converted convent that now houses a university: Consortium International for Management and Business Analysis (CIMBA)
. Students from all over the world live/work/study in Asolo while earning their MBA. CIMBA has a sister campus for undergraduates in Paderno del Grappa
.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
in the Veneto Region
Veneto
Veneto is one of the 20 regions of Italy. Its population is about 5 million, ranking 5th in Italy.Veneto had been for more than a millennium an independent state, the Republic of Venice, until it was eventually annexed by Italy in 1866 after brief Austrian and French rule...
of Northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It is known as "The Pearl of the province of Treviso
Province of Treviso
The Province of Treviso is a province in the Veneto region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Treviso.The province has an area of 2,477 km², and a total population of 886.886 . There are 95 municipalities in the province .-Municipalities:-External links:*...
", and also as "The City of a Hundred Horizons" for its mountain settings.
History
The town was originally a settlement of the VenetiAdriatic Veneti
The Veneti were an ancient people who inhabited north-eastern Italy, in an area corresponding to the modern-day region of the Veneto....
, and was mentioned as Acelum in the works of Pliny
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
.
In the early Middle Ages it was under the jurisdiction of the Bishops of Treviso and a possession of the Ezzelino family.
Later Asolo was the capital, and seat of the court, of the fiefdom of Asolo, which was granted by the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
(to which it belonged) to Caterina Cornaro, the former Queen of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
; in 1489 it was granted to her for life, but in 1509 when the League of Cambrai conquered and ransacked Asolo, Caterina fled to exile and died in Venice a year later. Under her reign, the painter Gentile Bellini
Gentile Bellini
Gentile Bellini was an Italian painter. From 1474 he was the official portrait artist for the Doges of Venice.- Biography :...
and the humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
Pietro Bembo
Pietro Bembo
Pietro Bembo was an Italian scholar, poet, literary theorist, and cardinal. He was an influential figure in the development of the Italian language, specifically Tuscan, as a literary medium, and his writings assisted in the 16th-century revival of interest in the works of Petrarch...
were part of the court.
In 1798, the Italian impresario Antonio Locatelli built the Asolo Theatre in the former audience hall of the castle of Caterina Cornaro.
The theatre was later purchased by Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, for the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art is the state art museum of Florida, located in Sarasota, Florida. It was established in 1927 as the legacy of Mable and John Ringling for the people of Florida...
. The theatre was disassembled, shipped to Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
, and reassembled in one of the museum's galleries in 1952.
It was then decided that the theatre should be reassembled into a usable theatre, on the museum's grounds in the late 1950s. The newly constructed theatre opened in 1958, and is now the home of both the Asolo Repertory Theatre
Asolo Repertory Theatre
The Asolo Repertory Theatre or Asolo Rep is a professional theater in Sarasota, Florida. It is the largest Equity theatre in Florida, and the largest Repertory theatre in the Southeastern United States. Asolo Rep is a resident regional theatre company which also invites in guest artists...
and the Florida State University/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training
Florida State University/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training
The Florida State University/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training or FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training is a three-year graduate program culminating in a Master of Fine Arts degree in Acting...
.
The town was also home to the English poet Robert Browning
Robert Browning
Robert Browning was an English poet and playwright whose mastery of dramatic verse, especially dramatic monologues, made him one of the foremost Victorian poets.-Early years:...
, the actress Eleonora Duse
Eleonora Duse
-Life and career:Duse was born in Vigevano, Lombardy, and began acting as a child. Both her father and her grandfather were actors, and she joined the troupe at age four. Due to poverty, she initially worked continually, traveling from city to city with whichever troupe her family was currently...
, the explorer Freya Stark
Freya Stark
Dame Freya Madeline Stark, Mrs. Perowne, DBE was a British explorer and travel writer. She wrote more than two dozen books on her travels, which were mainly in Arabia, Iran and Afghanistan....
, the violinist Wilma Neruda
Wilma Neruda
Wilma Neruda, Lady Hallé, originally Wilhelmine Maria Franziska Neruda was a Moravian violinist.-Biography:...
and the composer Gian Francesco Malipiero
Gian Francesco Malipiero
Gian Francesco Malipiero was an Italian composer, musicologist, music teacher and editor.-Early years:Born in Venice into an aristocratic family, the grandson of the opera composer Francesco Malipiero, Gian Francesco Malipiero was prevented by family troubles from pursuing his musical education in...
.
Main sights
- Remains of an amphitheatreAmphitheatreAn amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
(in the Villa Freya) and of an aqueduct. - Rocca (castle, late 12th-early 13th centuries).
- The Castle of Caterina Cornaro, now home to the Eleonora DuseEleonora Duse-Life and career:Duse was born in Vigevano, Lombardy, and began acting as a child. Both her father and her grandfather were actors, and she joined the troupe at age four. Due to poverty, she initially worked continually, traveling from city to city with whichever troupe her family was currently...
theatre. - Palazzo della Ragione, housing the city's museum.
- The Cathedral, built in 1747. In the interior is the Assunta altarpiece by Lorenzo LottoLorenzo LottoLorenzo Lotto was a Northern Italian painter draughtsman and illustrator, traditionally placed in the Venetian school. He painted mainly altarpieces, religious subjects and portraits...
.
Atop the town sits a converted convent that now houses a university: Consortium International for Management and Business Analysis (CIMBA)
CIMBA
The Consortium Institute of Management and Business Administration is a study abroad program in Italy that brings together faculty and students from different countries to study business...
. Students from all over the world live/work/study in Asolo while earning their MBA. CIMBA has a sister campus for undergraduates in Paderno del Grappa
Paderno del Grappa
Paderno del Grappa is a town and comune in the province of Treviso, in the Veneto, Italy. Paderno del Grappa is located at the base of Mount Grappa, a mountain located in the Dolomites...
.
Churches
Roman Catholic- The Cathedral: Asolo used to be a Diocese from the 6th century to 969. Currently it is the Titular See of Acelum. The Titular Bishop is Silvano Maria Tomasi (appointed on April 24, 1999). The Cathedral is dedicated to the Assunta (Our Lady Assumed into Heaven) as portrayed by the mosaic of the main facade.
- Chiesa di San Gottardo (deconsecrated): it now holds music concerts.
- Chiesa di Santa Caterina with frescos from the 14th century
- Chiesa di Sant'Anna next to the cemetery where Freya Stark and Eleonora Duse are buried.