Spoleto's UNESCO Day...
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| This year, Spoleto was honored with a UNESCO World Heritage Designation and with it, the opportunity to share the town with travel professionals. Today we joined 42 tour operators, from all over the world. They were here to learn what Spoleto can offer their customers and we were there to help and share our love of this unique place. |
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Our first stop was a tour of La Rocca, built by Cardinal Albornoz in the 14th century. It was the main stronghold, in the system of fortifications built by Pope Innocent VI, to strengthen and showcase the military authority of the Church in the territories of central Italy. This was our first time exploring its interior which is now a cultural and art center. |
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| In 1817 the fortress was transformed first into a penal settlement and, after the unification of Italy, a high security prison. It was a prison until 1982. |
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| "It's all over" is graffiti left behind by an inmate. |
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| The Basilica of San Salvatore received the UNESCO designation. Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. What makes the concept of World Heritage exceptional is its universal application. World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located. For me, San Salvatore is one of the places that feeds my soul. There is no way to express the magicalness of this ancient Longobard church. Each time I enter, I am engulfed in peacefulness. |
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| Our next stop was in the neighboring town of Campello Sul Clitunno and its UNESCO site, Tempietto del Clitunno best described by -Pliny the Younger in 108 AD.. “Have you not yet seen the source of the Clitunno (river)? If not – and I think not or else you would have spoken to me of it – go see it. I only just saw it recently and regret having done so only so late. There, a small hill all covered and shaded by magnificent cypress trees, and at its feet a collection of uneven springs spilling here and there, feeding a small pond so pure and crystalline that you can see each coin that has been thrown in and every shiny stone . . Close by an ancient and venerated temple. And inside, the god of the same name, Clitunno, wrapped in the robes that adorn him.” |
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| In typical Italian hospitality, lunch was an incredible gastronomic feast and just when we thought we were done, we were asked to move indoors for the remaining courses. |
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This was the first time we had dined at Ristorante Albergo "Le Casaline" and we were sad we had discovered it so late in our stay. The view, food and service were exceptional. |
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| The last stop on our very full day was The Palazzo Collicola which houses the Galleria Comunale d‘Arte Moderna e Contemporanea. While Modern Art isn't necessarily my favorite, there is always something to discover and I did like these masks by Luigi Ontani. |
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| Maybe with a little more introspection, we would have understood Airplane by Tony Cragg. At the end of the 1980s, he was the sculptor on every curator's wishlist. Cragg saw the ideal artist as an alchemist whose job it was to imbue modern materials with poetic resonance – to give plastic some interesting cultural baggage. Hmmm, something to think about. |
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| So, this is a Picasso! Wild right? This is a costume from La Parade (1917) "What exactly was La Parade? It is difficult even to label it: ballet or play? It was a surrealist play written by the surrealist poet Jean Cocteau, with modern music by Erik Satie, and the costumes and stage designs by Picasso, themselves a mixture of symbolism and cubism." Who knew? |
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| We were invited along, on this incredible day, to give our views of Spoleto from a tourist's perspective. It was a huge honor for me to speak for our adopted home. My speech began, "We are frequently asked, 'Why Spoleto?' The questioner is never quite prepared for the extensive answer that follows. Spoleto is a town that delights and nourishes..." |
The day was filled with many firsts for us and many wonderful introductions. The evening ended with wine and mingling. It was an incredible opportunity for us and a perfect way to begin the end of our year in Spoleto.
1 comments:
Phew...what a day! It is all lovely. I love the Rocca picture, and the basilica looks as fresh as I remember it. :)
So it was tour operators you were speaking in front of?
You speech was well written. Bravo!
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