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Post by fumobici on Apr 13, 2010 20:53:59 GMT
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Post by spindrift on Apr 13, 2010 20:59:04 GMT
That's a fine example of a big castle with impressive staircases inside and outside. It's in a good state of repair too. Are there lots of castles in Tuscany?
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Post by fumobici on Apr 13, 2010 20:59:26 GMT
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Post by fumobici on Apr 13, 2010 21:09:00 GMT
Not really- I mean there are a lot, but most of that type of structure is a 'palazzo del popolo' or 'palazzo ducale' or the like and is more a building housed within a medieval defensive wall inside a town than what I think of as a castle with its more freestanding defensive fortifications. The Tuscans seemed more to rely on the town walls keeping the invaders at bay and less on retreating into a fixed fortification within the town walls. That said, many cities and particularly as one goes North into the Po valley or other areas where the terrain is flat and less conducive to defending a town, will have very grim looking fortifications within the walls usually called 'rocca'. Other towns like Arezzo or Florence have fortezzas- larger but less vertically imposing fortifications meant to be defensive retreats. Nothing generally romantic about these- they are strictly utilitarian defensive military fortifications.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2010 22:24:53 GMT
Fantastic pictures, fumobici! I actually gasped when I saw the view from those two barbed windows, just amazing. Love the elegant staircase, and the fireplace going back to another era. I want to see it too now!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2010 22:33:12 GMT
That's lovely, fumobici. For some reason, I find Italian castles to be very different from the other ones of Europe. I'm not sure why.
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Post by lagatta on Apr 13, 2010 23:19:55 GMT
I've never been to Poppi, but I see I've been to at least two neighbouring places, La Verna and Bibbiena. Here is the website of this pretty town. www.comune.poppi.ar.it/ The links to tourist info are in the upper-right corner. As you can see, the castle has its own website too.
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Post by gertie on Apr 14, 2010 0:14:49 GMT
How wonderful, what elegant stairs! Very nice photos, too, fumobici. Thank you for posting :0)
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Post by fumobici on Apr 14, 2010 0:25:18 GMT
Bibbiena seems quite close by to Poppi, being in the same Arno valley whereas La Verna, with its famous association with St. Francis, is well up in the beautiful hills to the East via a snaky two lane road towards or perhaps even over into the Tiber/Tevere drainage towards nearby Caprese Michaelangelo, the artist's birthplace: Casa Natale di Michaelangelo There's a truly outstanding little restaurant in Poppi- though not an inexpensive one- but I have absolutely no recollection of its name. It would be on the left side of the last photo posted above taken from the castle's bell tower.
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Post by fumobici on Apr 14, 2010 0:29:07 GMT
I'm told that castle and those stairs were used on more than one occasion as a location for filming Italian swashbuckler movies, which it really is absolutely perfect for. Those stairs were just made to be the setting for a choreographed sword fight!
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 17, 2010 22:36:44 GMT
This is so beautiful and interesting, Fumobici. The difference between the very angular, squared off exterior and the interior, where it seems every effort was made to round off corners, is striking.
I love the geometric designs on the walls. That second photo in Reply #2 cries out for an Annuciation scene. Do you know if the beams in the chapel(?) are painted or some kind of marquetry? Too bad they had to put mesh over the windows. Maybe too many tourists tumbled out, trying to capture shots of that classic landscape.
Are the blank places over the door (2nd pic, OP) where the escutcheons of former owners were removed? In the penultimate photo in Reply #2, you rather look as though you're saying "I'll take it!" and directing the real estate agent to get the for sale sign off the lawn. Guess it'll be your shield going up next.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2010 23:06:49 GMT
Beautiful thread fumobici. Thank you. This type of castle appeals to me so much more than others. Perhaps because there's so much light,and the view of course,doesn't hurt either. Tuscany,one of the top 5 places I long to see. Grazie!
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Post by hwinpp on Apr 20, 2010 2:57:54 GMT
I also need to see Tuscany. I didn't bother when I was living relatively close to it unfortunately. Did you use to live in Italy, F?
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Post by fumobici on Apr 20, 2010 3:12:50 GMT
My father lives there so I wind up there pretty regularly.
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Post by lagatta on Apr 20, 2010 12:46:02 GMT
hwinpp, if you visit Turscany, do also visit neighbouring Umbria. Lovely.
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Post by fumobici on Apr 20, 2010 15:25:18 GMT
I'd add the Marche to that list too. In its own way just as beautiful though it frankly lacks any larger towns in the class of Florence, Siena, Pisa or Perugia, although Urbino is spectacular if small and Ancona is well worth a visit.
Of course the entire rest of the world probably lacks cities the equal of Florence, Siena, Pisa and Perugia so that's a pretty trivial observation.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2010 15:29:02 GMT
My father lives there so I wind up there pretty regularly. Oh that's so lucky, Italy is one of the places I have always, but always wanted to see.
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Post by hwinpp on Apr 21, 2010 7:31:48 GMT
I also need to see Tuscany. I didn't bother when I was living relatively close to it unfortunately. Did you use to live in Italy, F? If, if, if... I'll see what I can do, since this year's trip to Milano got canceled, maybe I'll find time next year
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Post by auntieannie on Apr 29, 2010 18:12:47 GMT
this thread makes me want to go back to Italy!
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charlie2130
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Post by charlie2130 on May 20, 2010 3:42:30 GMT
If you were to spend 5 days near Caprese Michaelangelo (after 3 days in Rome) what would you most recommend? This will be our first (but hopefully not last) visit to Italy. Going on to France afterwards where we have been often.
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Post by fumobici on May 20, 2010 15:53:10 GMT
If I had a car, I'd probably do a day trip to the sanctuary at La Verna and on into the upper Arno valley and see Poppi and Stia. If you got an early start you could catch the passagiata and dinner in the centro storico of Arezzo and still drive back to Caprese M. If there's a Wednesday on your schedule there, I would visit the nearby mercato settimentale in Anghiari immortalized in the film Una Moglie Bellissima in the morning and spend the afternoon exploring this medieval jewel. The mercato isn't exceptional in itself but even an unexceptional Italian market day is a wonder and the setting is magical if it isn't raining much. I would end the day by making the short drive across the Tevere to Sansepolcro for wine and the antipasto plate at Tirar Tardi, an exceptional little enoteca there ( www.tirartardi.it/ ). Another day trip well worth taking would be to drive to Sansepolcro and take the early local commuter train from there to Perugia and spend a long day strolling through this wonderful little city. Further afield, Florence and Ravenna are both within driving distance for day trips, although I hesitate recommending Florence for a day trip just because it really needs more time. <edit> While in Anghiari, do make time for a pizza at Bar Baldaccio on the main piazza. They make perhaps the best pizza in the area- in an electric pizza oven no less- and it is very inexpensive and informal. www.anghiari.it/baldaccio/welcome.htm
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Post by lola on May 21, 2010 1:18:28 GMT
Beautiful! Thanks, fumobici.
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