Castello del Buonconsiglio
Encyclopedia
Buonconsiglio Castle is a castle in Trento
, northern Italy
.
from the 13th century onwards.
Bishop George of Liechtenstein was the first to enlarge the castle, in the late 14th century, turning it into a well-styled residence. The Castelvecchio was further modified by Johannes Hinderbach, who had the double loggia
to and the Gothic entrance gate built. In the first decades of the 16th century Bishop Bernardo Clesio
had a new residence, called Palazzo Magno ("Grand Palace") built in Renaissance style alongside the old castle. The last great addition was the so-called Giunta Albertiana, from the name of Bishop Francesco Alberti Poja (1686), with which the Castelvecchio and the Palazzo Magno were united
The castle remained the seat of the Prince-Bishops until 1803. Used by the Austria
ns as military barracks and, later, as a jail, it decayed. In the 1920s, when Trento was returned to Italy
, it became seat of a National Museum and was restored. Since 1992 it is home to the Provincial Gallery of Art.
According the legend, it was connected by a secret tunnel to the city's cathedral
, which allowed the prince-bishops to move unseen between them.
art in Europe: they represent the "Cycle of the Months" (15th century) and were made by an unknown artist from Bohemia. The cycle is interesting also for its accurate portrayal of the landscape, the economic activities, the habits and the fashion of Medieval Trentino. The walls of Torre del Falco (late 16th century) have frescoes with hunting scenes, also a rare example of German landscape painting in northern Italy.
The Palazzo Magno (Big Palace) section was decorated in the early 16th century by order of prince-bishop Bernardo Clesio. Dosso Dossi
and his brother Battista were entrusted the decoration of the Sala Grande, Sala degli Specchi, the Camera del Camin Nero, the Stua della Farnea (the refectory), the Library and others. Girolamo Romanino frescoed, among the others, the loggia in the Lions' Court (Cortile dei Leoni) with typical Renaissance themes, such as mythological or ancient Roman episodes, as well as biblical ones, and others from daily life. He also painted a portrait of Bernardo Clesio in the Sala delle Udienze ("Audience Hall"), accompanied by those of members of the Habsburg family (for which Clesio had worked as a diplomat).
Trento
Trento is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino...
, 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...
.
Construction
The castle originated from a fortified building erected in the 13th century next to the city's walls. This first edifice was called Castelvecchio ("Old Castle"), and was the seat of the Bishopric of TrentBishopric of Trent
The Bishopric of Trent is a former ecclesiastical territory roughly corresponding to the present-day Northern Italian autonomous province of Trentino. It was created in 1027 and existed until 1802, when it was secularised and absorbed into the County of Tyrol held by the House of Habsburg...
from the 13th century onwards.
Bishop George of Liechtenstein was the first to enlarge the castle, in the late 14th century, turning it into a well-styled residence. The Castelvecchio was further modified by Johannes Hinderbach, who had the double loggia
Loggia
Loggia is the name given to an architectural feature, originally of Minoan design. They are often a gallery or corridor at ground level, sometimes higher, on the facade of a building and open to the air on one side, where it is supported by columns or pierced openings in the wall...
to and the Gothic entrance gate built. In the first decades of the 16th century Bishop Bernardo Clesio
Bernardo Clesio
Bernardo III Clesio was an Italian cardinal, bishop, prince, diplomat, humanist and botanist.Born in Cles, Trentino, he graduated from the University of Bologna, and later became Prince-bishop of Trento , bishop of Brixen , cardinal, and chancellor for the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I.He was a...
had a new residence, called Palazzo Magno ("Grand Palace") built in Renaissance style alongside the old castle. The last great addition was the so-called Giunta Albertiana, from the name of Bishop Francesco Alberti Poja (1686), with which the Castelvecchio and the Palazzo Magno were united
The castle remained the seat of the Prince-Bishops until 1803. Used by the Austria
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
ns as military barracks and, later, as a jail, it decayed. In the 1920s, when Trento was returned to 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 became seat of a National Museum and was restored. Since 1992 it is home to the Provincial Gallery of Art.
Trento Cathedral
Trento Cathedral is the most important religious edifice in Trento, northern Italy. It was built over a pre-existing 6th century temple devoted to Saint Vigilius , patron saint of the city....
, which allowed the prince-bishops to move unseen between them.
Art
The interior halls have precious frescoes, including those in the Torre Aquila ("Eagle Tower"), which are one of the most noteworthy examples of International GothicInternational Gothic
International Gothic is a phase of Gothic art which developed in Burgundy, Bohemia, France and northern Italy in the late 14th century and early 15th century...
art in Europe: they represent the "Cycle of the Months" (15th century) and were made by an unknown artist from Bohemia. The cycle is interesting also for its accurate portrayal of the landscape, the economic activities, the habits and the fashion of Medieval Trentino. The walls of Torre del Falco (late 16th century) have frescoes with hunting scenes, also a rare example of German landscape painting in northern Italy.
The Palazzo Magno (Big Palace) section was decorated in the early 16th century by order of prince-bishop Bernardo Clesio. Dosso Dossi
Dosso Dossi
Dosso Dossi , real name Giovanni di Niccolò de Luteri, was an Italian Renaissance painter who belonged to the Ferrara School of Painting.-Biography:Dossi was born in San Giovanni del Dosso a village in the province of Mantua...
and his brother Battista were entrusted the decoration of the Sala Grande, Sala degli Specchi, the Camera del Camin Nero, the Stua della Farnea (the refectory), the Library and others. Girolamo Romanino frescoed, among the others, the loggia in the Lions' Court (Cortile dei Leoni) with typical Renaissance themes, such as mythological or ancient Roman episodes, as well as biblical ones, and others from daily life. He also painted a portrait of Bernardo Clesio in the Sala delle Udienze ("Audience Hall"), accompanied by those of members of the Habsburg family (for which Clesio had worked as a diplomat).