L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2017 www.italoamericano.org 18 L'Italo-Americano KEN SCAMBRAY Romance and History: Castello del Catajo e I Suoi Giardini I had just finished another month of our annual Italian study with my wife Carole in Rome when, as is our usual prac- tice, we spent another three weeks traveling around Italy. Although we visited some towns for the second and third time, to enjoy the comfort of familiarity, there were still surprises and extraordinary discoveries to be made and that wrote new pas- sages in our own history of Italy. Even Italophiles are surprised to learn Italy has over 20, 000 docu- mented castles, only about 3, 000 of which are open to the public. To them, another stunning addi- tion has recently been made : il castello del Catajo e i suoi giar- dini , near the town of Battaglia Terme in the province of Padua. In the mind of the traveler cas- tles evoke a certain romance: draw bridges, motes, castellated parapets, fair maidens, and knights of old in shining battle armor. But they are a great deal, important repositories of culture and history and il castello del Cataio is perfect example of that. It is flanked on one side by a vineyard, and the site is over- looked by the nearby Euganean Hills. To enter its gate, the visitor crosses over a canal built in the thirteenth century that connects the site to Venice, a mere fifty- minutes away by bus. The back story on the web is that three sis- ters had occupied the castle, with its 350 rooms, well into their nineties. However, there is no evidence neither of a dusty pumpkin carriage, nor of a team of aged white horses in the dilap- idated carriage house. Visitors, however, are certainly free to imagine the presence of both.. Adding to the castle's allure, it is reported that one day a certain "self-made man," Sergio Cervellin, passed it on the road while driving his Rolls Royce. Like some swooning Rodolfo, he immediately fell in love with it. On the web, he describes his encounter with the castle: «Mi sono innamorato del castello a prima vista, un po' come succede con una donna bella e affasci- nante." Well, a fine, romantic story, but never mind: I don't want to be a killjoy. Like those two aged sisters and their imagi- nary pumpkin carriage, let's go with that. Whatever the circumstances behind the purchase of il castello del Catajo, Cervellin did buy it in 2016 for about 2.75 million euros. He estimates it will take ten years and millions more to restore it. His largess should be acknowledged in bringing this remarkable site into the public domain for the first time in its over five hundred year history. Needless to say, for the business- es in the otherwise sleepy Battaglia Terme, he is something of a local hero. Delivering on his word, Cervellin immediately began the long-term restoration project and opened it only months ago to the public. The façade and main gate have already been restored to their original form. It fairly sparkles in the sun and is an appropriate introduction to what the visitor sees inside. There are many parts to this complex structure, but of its 350 rooms only the living quarters are open to the public. The rear section of the castle remains in a state of ruin, but certainly not beyond restoration. However, its major salons are excellently pre- served. Beginning in the sixteenth century when its foundations were laid, it has been continu- ously occupied and privately owned. As a result, it is a fasci- nating repository of both history and everyday's occurences, from the late Renaissance to the early twentieth century. The first place that reflects that history is the adjacent and expansive garden just below the castle's main gate and towering parapets. I entered the garden down a wide dramatic stair case leading to the main path, which extends more than five hundred meters to the perimeter of the castle property bordering on a vineyard. It is as historically layered as the castle itself. Initially it was designed as a sixteenth century Venetian gar- den, then it was remodeled into an eighteen century English gar- den by the subsequent occupants, before it became something of a modern garden, with Asian and north American varieties of trees and flowers. It contains the Japanese conifer, le tuie, and Pagoda Tree, la sofora. It also has centuries-old California Sequoias and magnolias, some of the very first of their varieties to be imported from America to Europe. There is also a large pond, originally designed for mock sea battles, as well as a source for fresh fish. Construction on the castle was begun around 1570 by the Obizzi family, originally from the Burgundy region in France, before their settlement in Venice and later Tuscany. Pio Enea degli Obizzi liked to boast he designed and built the castle himself, but there is strong evi- dence he had in fact help from architect Andrea da Valle. Da Valle was a well-known architect in the region, whose work was so respected by Michelangelo that he entrusted da Valle to con- struct a choir he himself designed for the Cathedral of Padua in 1551. The castle is unique in that it is not just a mili- tary fortification, but a palace with refined and beautiful living quarters. When the gate opened and we followed our tour guide up the first flight of "stairs," she had to caution us. "Careful," she said, "the stairs were designed for both horses and people." Inescapably, from the outset, the visitor's imagination is active visualizing just how a four- legged creature with hooves could negotiate the slippery- stoned ramp. After a brief stop on one of the castle's veranda's once used for entertaining, we entered the palace wing of the castle. To enter its gate, the visitor crosses over a canal built in the thirteenth century that connects the site to Venice, a mere fifty-minutes away by bus READ PART II IN THE EDITION OF AUG. 24 Construction on the castle was begun around 1570 by the Obizzi family, origi- nally from the Burgundy region in France ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES

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