Tour Description
Fratta Polesine with its beautiful villas: Villa Badoer by Andrea Palladio and Villa Molin Avezzu always in Palladian-style, both completely frescoed by the painter Giallo Fiorentino and his school. Fratta was also a major center for the movement of the Carbonari in Polesine( group of secret revolutionary societies founded in early 19th-century Italy ) during the Austrian rule. Many noble citizens and members of the local bourgeoisie joined this movement, therefore in Fratta it is also possible to follow the path of the Carbonari villas. Many of them were then arrested and imprisoned in the jail of Spielperg, where they died in 1818.
In the heart of Fratta, birthplace of Giacomo Matteotti, tenacious opponent and then victim of fascism, you should visit his birthplace, completely furnished yet, in which an interesting historical record is set up illustrating training, career and the life of this great Italian politician.
VILLA BADOER, a masterpiece by Andrea Palladio, included in the UNESCO site list, was built in 1556 to manage the local properties of Lucietta Loredan who married Francesco Badoer, two important venetian families. Even today, the building impresses us with its simple beauty, for its lovely barns spanning not only the front garden but also the visitors. The portico was designed as a small stage, where two painted jesters greet those who enters the building. The interior has very original frescoes of the painter Giallo Fiorentino, active in the sixteenth century. Inside the barn that serves as the entrance to the villa is also prepared an interesting archaeological collection that illustrates the Bronze Age, a time when the Polesine territory was an important center for the Amber processing.
VILLA MOLIN AVEZZU’
It is right next to the villa Badoer, erected by the Palladian school in the sixteenth century for the Grimani family. This villa is still today a private property, it opens to the visitor its magnificent frescoed and fully furnished halls. This villa was also the secret meeting place of the Carbonari of Fratta in the nineteenth century.
LENDINARA
Its main square, piazza Risorgimento is characterized by the town hall and its two fourteenth-century towers, the historic coffee house Maggiore. Among the many old noble palaces its worth visiting the, Dolfin Marchiori palace designed by Vincenzo Scamozzi and a romantic park designed by Jappelli. Let’s visit also the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Pilastrello with the votive “ascension” by Veronese and the water from the healing powers.
BADIA POLESINE
At Badia Polesine, on its main square, Vittorio Emanuele, except the Town Hall it’s worth seeing the magnificent nineteenth-century Teatro Sociale, said the small Phoenix. In the foyer of the theater you can admire the stunning and unexpected Balzan collection, consisting of 49 paintings by the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century famous Italian painters. You can also visit the Museo Civico Baruffaldi and the remains of the glorious abbey Vangadizza. In front of its church two big early medieval sarcophagus contain the remains of the house of Este founders.
ADRIA
The oldest town of the Polesine territory, once big trade center inhabited by Romans, Greeks, Etruscans, old Venetian tribes. You will see all their archeological finds in the famous National Archaeological Museum.
