Sixth Stop: Sabbionneta
Oh my. What can I say about Sabbionneta. Several words and phrases come to mind to describe it: scary, abandoned, creepy, strange, and when are we leaving? Sabbionneta was a small fortified town designed on Roman principles. There was one main street, that draws you towards the main theatre in the town. The most interesting thing we found in this town was a randomly placed set of bumper cars. Of course, many of my classmates took advantage of this particular feature of the town.
Sabbionneta Urban Armature
The Local Theatre
Bumper Cars!!!
Seventh Stop: Mantova
Mantova was another strange stop on our way around the northern part of Italy. Mantova was a city of arches. Every walkway was covered and lined with arches and columns. It rained our first day there, but we rarely had to raise our umbrellas because of this urban condition. The walkways were all connected by a series of piazzas throughout the city highlighting different historical buildings.
Mantova Urban Armature
Cathedrale in Mantova
The Palazzo
The Mantova Canal
Eighth Stop: Verona
In the tenth grade, we read Romeo and Juliet. After that, I always dreamed of someday going to Verona, and seeing the place that inspired Shakespeare to write such a beautiful story of young love. And for some reason, despite having this desire for many years, I never thought to plan a trip to go there during my term in Rome. And for an even stranger reason, when I saw Verona on the trip itinerary, I still did not put two and two together. It wasn't until I was sitting on the bus on the way there, and one of my classmates asked me what she should write in her letter to Juliet, did I realize exactly where we were headed. We were going to THAT Verona! I quickly researched Romeo and Juliet in Verona (and ignored the parts I read about it being a tourist trap, and the balcony being a fake addition to the house of the family that inspired Juliet's family in the story to boost tourism), and researched how to deliver my letter to Juliet. While in the Museum designed by Carlo Scarpa (an incredible piece of architecture) I thought about what to include. I finally decided to write about my current boyfriend Matt, and my hopes for us in the future, sealed the letter with a kiss and a rose, and put it in my pocket for later. My friends and I then explored the architecturally significant aspects of the town, and after lunch, we wandered down to Juliet's House. I found a spot among the locks to place my letter (I avoided the wall, because all of the used chewing gum stuck there freaked me out) and left it there. I can see why Shakespeare was inspired to write a story set in Verona, the place (outside of its touristy aspects) was quite a beautiful and inspiring city.
Verona Urban Armature
View from the Palazzo/Carlo Scarpa Museum
Juliet's (fake) Balcony
My Letter to Juliet
The Love Bench
The Verona Arena
Ninth Stop: Vicenza
Vicenza was a strange stop. Beautiful, but incredibly hard to find food. What kind of city has restaurants that are super difficult to find? I like food, and when I am hungry, I want it available. I don't like hunting for it! Anyways, I digress. This city had some very interesting aspects to it, but there was really only one standout building that captured my attention; The Basilica. In Italian cities, a basilica is not a church, but rather a public building. In Vicenza, this building was located in the centre of the city, surrounded by piazzas. The building is currently filled with stores, but has a captivating exhibition space on the third floor. This space was built by ship builders, and so when you look up at the ceiling, it feels as though you are looking at the bottom of a boat. Finally, the Basilica had a beautiful rooftop bar, with an incredibly long line, that looks out over the city at night.
Vicenza Urban Armature
Under The Basilica
The Basilica Ceiling
The Rooftop Bar
Tenth and Final Stop: Venice
Oh Venice. I love Venice! This is my second time here. Like Siena, I came to Venice with my family during the summer. It may be one of the most romantic places I have ever been. There's just something about the atmosphere there that feels like it was made for lovers. Because of this, I am going to bring my boyfriend back here at the end of my school term when he comes to visit and see if my philosophy about it being romantic is true. The city is also just an wonderful place to experience. The idea of being in a place with no cars is something I have only experienced once before, in Greenland. I love walking everywhere, although Venice poses a unique problem. Once you hit water, you can get stuck! There are not always paths for walking along water, so every once in a while, you will just hit a dead end. Also, the grand canal that runs through the city can only be crossed at 4 points, and does not have pedestrian walkways all the way along it. While in Venice, I spent a lot of time around the Rialto Bridge, because it is one of the simplest places to navigate. I also spent a bit of time in Piazza San Marco, feeding the famous pigeons (that you are not supposed to feed) and enjoying the view of some of the most expensive restaurants that I will never be able to afford to eat at. On this trip, I also had the pleasure of experiencing the Venice Biennale. Unfortunately, this year was the art exposition, not the architecture one. The exhibits were still interesting, but modern art has always perplexed me. I just don't quite get what people are usually trying to say, but I can appreciate beauty when I see it!
Venice Urban Armature
At the Venice Biennale
At the Venice Biennale
Dinner at Ponte Rialto
View from the Ponte Rialto at Night
Piazza San Marco at Night
The Bridge of Sighs
Ponte Rialto
Well, there you have it. Ten towns and cities in nine days. And when it was all done, it was back to Rome and back to work! We were headed full steam into November and our final projects.
Ciao for now!
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