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Monselice
Municipality
Piazza San Marco, 1
Monselice (PD) – 35043
Where to stamp the ‘Lasciapassare’ included in your ‘Traveller’s Kit’.
Tourist information office
Palazzo della Loggetta, Via del Santuario, 6
Historical overview
In his work Historia Longobardorum, the historian Paolo Diacono reports that the Byzantine castrum called Mons Silicis was conquered by the Lombard king Agilulf in 602. By that time, Monselice already had a long history. Starting from a Neolithic settlement in the 4th-3rd millennium BC, it progressed through the Bronze Age (2nd millennium BC) to become a Roman castrum. Under the Lombards and Franks, it became an important military stronghold and the administration centre for a vast territory stretching from the Adige River to the Euganean Hills. In the 12th century, it became a free commune and, from 1237, it was one of the main centres of the territory dominated by Ezzelino da Romano, vicar of Emperor Frederick II of Swabia. During his rule, extensive fortification works were ordered and the town became the base for military campaigns against Padua, Este and the castles of the neighbouring lands. After being conquered by the Da Carrara family, lords of Padua, in 1338, Monselice was finally annexed to the territories of the Venetian Republic in 1405. The long and prosperous Venetian period that followed, lasting four centuries, saw the gradual decline of its military importance and the subsequent development of agriculture, industry and commerce, as well as the construction of magnificent noble villas and of the famous Via Sacra delle Sette Chiese (the Stroll of the Seven Little Churches). The industrial growth of the city was characterised by stone extraction from Colle della Rocca (the hill hosting the Rocca), and from Mount Ricco, reaching its peak in the 18th century. In 1722, a large load of trachyte was taken from Monselice to be used for paving St. Mark’s Square in Venice.
City itinerary
The splendid route that winds along the slopes of the hill hosting the Rocca is characterised by a succession of extraordinary places capturing the essence of the city’s history. Poet Gian Antonio Cibotto described it as ‘the most beautiful walk in Veneto’. Starting from Piazza Mazzini (lit. Mazzini Square), home to the 13th-century Torre Civica (the Civic Tower), take Via del Santuario to immediately encounter two precious buildings: the San Paolo (St. Paul) City Museum, housed in the 10th-century homonymous church, and the 15th-century Palazzo della Loggetta (the Loggetta Palace), which is now home to the information tourist office and which also hosts prestigious weddings and cultural events.
Further on, you will reach the Castle, an early medieval fortress that was renovated by Ezzelino III da Romano in the 13th century and enlarged by the Da Carrara family during the following century. At the end of the 15th century, the noble Venetian Marcello family transformed it into their residence. In 1942, it became a museum thanks to its owner at the time, Count Vittorio Cini, who enriched it with valuable collections of weapons, furniture and decorations.
Continuing uphill, you will encounter Villa Nani-Mocenigo, a splendid late Renaissance building constructed at the end of the 16th century and embellished with a magnificent monumental staircase.
Not far away are the ancient horse stables, followed by the Antica Pieve di Santa Giustina (the ancient Parish Church of St. Justina) — also known as the Duomo Vecchio —, a late Romanesque building with Gothic decorative elements that was consecrated in 1256. Among the parish church’s illustrious canons was the great poet Francesco Petrarca.
Access the large Belvedere della Rotonda (a panoramic viewpoint) through Porta dei Leoni Comitali (Lions’ Gate). Built in 1651, Porta Romana (Roman Gate), also known as Porta Santa (Holy Gate), marks the entrance to the sacred area of the Santuario Giubilare delle Sette Chiese (the Jubilee Sanctuary of the Seven Churches). This was designed by Vincenzo Scamozzi and commissioned by the Venetian noble Duodo family, who were ambassadors of the Serenissima to the Holy See. In 1605, Pope Paul V issued a bull granting the sanctuary the same indulgence privileges as the seven major basilicas in Rome. Monselice is the only example of this particular form of Roman devotion, as recalled by the inscription on Porta Santa: Romanis basilicis pares. The chapels house altarpieces from Palma il Giovane’s studio. At the end of the route stands the elegant, monumental Villa Duodo. Adjacent to the villa is the Oratorio di San Giorgio (the Oratory of St. George), which contains the relics of 27 Christian martyrs who were exhumed from Rome’s catacombs. It is believed that among them is St. Valentine, who is celebrated on the 14th of February with the popular ceremony of blessing golden keys, which are given to children for protection against epilepsy. To the left of the exedra, a staircase and then a path lead to the top of the150-metre hill, which is dominated by the imposing Mastio Federiciano (lit. Frederick’s Keep) — also known as the Torrione. This was indeed commissioned by Emperor Frederick II of Swabia, who named the city ‘Camera Speciale dell’Impero’ (lit. Special Chamber of the Empire) while visiting Monselice in 1239. Returning to Piazza Mazzini, a short walk takes you to Villa Pisani. Built overlooking the canal, its walls are entirely covered with frescoes attributed to the circle of Benedetto Caliari (mid-16th century).
Along the canal, you can also admire Villa Contarini, Villa Emo and the Castello di Lispida (lit. Lispida Castle), also known as Villa Italia after King Victor Emmanuel III stayed there in 1918.
Places of Interest
This church was built to host the Dominicans at the end of the 13th c. following the typical latin cros single-aisled plan adopted by the orders of the friar minors. The side aisles were added in the 18th century. The bell tower dates back to the 15th century. After the Napoleonic suppression and the consequent abandonment by the Dominicans, it became a private property until the end of the 19th century when it was acquired by the Municipality.
St. Paul’s Church is one of the oldest religious buildings of the town (7th-17th c.). In 2017 it was converted into the seat of the Town Museum. Two visiting modalities interwinds inside: on one side the museum displays of pre roman and roman findings, and, on the other side, the church itself with the archaeological excavations site which include an ancient cripta where a fresco portrait of St. Francis (13th c.) is kept.
The Civic Tower of Monselice also known as Torre dell’Orologio was built in 1244 together with other fortifications by Ezzelino III da Romano Vicar of Emperor Frederick II, who after having visited Monselice in 1239 gave the order to fortify the town. It was used as housing for the militias who controlled access to the town from the river.
It is characterized by the masonry made in tanning courses alternating with bricks. During the 16th century, a cell was built in the upper part of the Tower for the location of the civic bell, one of the oldest in Europe.
The ancient fortifications of Monselice, which symbolically culminate with the stronghold of Emperor Frederick II on the top of the Rocca Hill, came to include as many as 5 circles of walls, large sections of which remain today in various parts of the town. The medieval walls that delimit today’s Campo della Fiera were completed by two gates, the mighty Porta Padova, now disappeared, and Porta Giudecca, which is still visible.
Villa Pisani was commissioned by Francesco Pisani de Zuanne around the year 1556. The venetian nobleman used this mansion as a rest spot halfway between Venice and his properties in Montagnana, where his family used to spend the summer. The villa is in typical palladian style and is decorated by frescoes attributed to Benedetto Caliari.
The building, which takes its name from the noble Emo family, was erected between the end of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th century on pre-existing medieval artefacts. It first became a civil hospital, then a public school and since the year 1997, after careful restorations carried out by the Municipality, it houses public offices.
The creation of this green oasis is due to the Paduan Giovanni Battista Cromer, who, between the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century, completed his villa with a large English-style park with pond, ditches, ice house and embellished it with pergolas, niches and statues, among them the famous statue of Esculapio by Antonio Canova, which is kept at the Eremitani Museum in Padua. In 1990 it was converted into a public park.
Palazzo della Loggetta was built in the mid-fifteenth century, incorporating part of the medieval walls, to become the seat of the town pawnshop. It takes its name from the scenographic loggia added in the seventeenth century. The building has always been intended for public use and after having hosted the Reading Cabinet and the Municipal Library, it has become since 2014 the seat of Tourist Office and of the municipal Culture and Tourism offices.
It was built during the Da Carrara period (14th century) to complete, together with other twelve towers, the perimeter of the medieval walls situated at the bottom of the hill. It takes its name from the square in front of it, once a herb market, named after Opsicella, the legendary founder of the town. Owned by the Municipality, it is used as an exhibition venue. A suggestive stretch of the ancient medieval walls joins this tower with the Civic Tower in Piazza Mazzini.
This monumental building has replaced the ancient sixteenth-century fish market which was located beyond the bridge over the Monselice canal. From the last decade of the 19th century until the second decade of the 20th century it was the seat of the weekly fish market. At the centre of the trachyte courtyard is a seventeenth-century well in Istrian stone, which originally embellished Piazza Maggiore, today Piazza Mazzini.
This church was built to host the Dominicans at the end of the 13th c. following the typical latin cros single-aisled plan adopted by the orders of the friar minors. The side aisles were added in the 18th century. The bell tower dates back to the 15th century. After the Napoleonic suppression and the consequent abandonment by the Dominicans, it became a private property until the end of the 19th century when it was acquired by the Municipality.
The present day building dates back to the 17th century when the Tassello family bought and restored three medieval buildings, which belonged to the church of St. Giustina, in order to convert them into their private mansion. The palace is located on the street that connects the Castle with the Church of San Martino. After having become a municipal property, it was used to house the local prisons. After careful restoration, the building has been used as a hostel since 1999.