McDONALD'S ARCHAEOLOGY

The McDonald restaurant on the Via Appia some 20 kms south of Rome has finally opened the archaeological treasure under its foundations on a daily basis. The 45 m tract of well-preserved 1st-2nd BC century Roma road, flanked by raised pavements and complete with three skeletons, was first excavated in 2017 but for much of the intervening years restaurant patrons were only able to admire it through a long glass panel in the floor.

Entrance by an outside staircase is now available on a daily basis without the need to enter the fast food temple.

The restoration project of the site was funded by McDonald's but effected under the stern eye of the Rome Superintendency for Archeology, Fine Arts and Landscape, with praiseworthy results.

At the moment the fast food giant has 630 outlets in Italy and expansion plans are forging ahead, with the announced goal of opening a further 200 new restaurants by 2025. A request to build a restaurant next to the important archaeological site of the Baths of Caracalla at the beginning of the Old Appian Way was, however, turned down as “inappropriate” by Rome authorities in December 2021 and Florence is facing a lawsuit for withdrawing permission to open up in the Piazza del Duomo.

Text & Photos M, Stenhouse

Info: www.mcdonalds.it

Posted on 11 Sep 2022 by Editor

CARLO MARATTI, ARTIST REDISCOVERED

Italyupdate is focussing here on Carlo Maratti, an artist of the late baroque period who was considered to be the leading artist of his day. Somewhere along the centuries, however, he fell into relative obscurity. Inexplicably, he is no longer a household name like his contemporaries, such as Guido Reni, Bernini and Guercino, but belongs mainly to the preserve of art historians and experts.

He is soon, however, to enjoy a major revival, thanks to the efforts of his home town, Camerano (Marche) which is organizing a major exhibition to celebrate his 4th centenary in 2025. To whet the appetite, a preliminary exhibition of 28 works are no display in the local Church of San Francesco, along with tours to visit other works in the local churches of Santa Faustina and the Immaculate Conception.

Carlo Maratti was born in the Marche region in 1625 and worked mainly in Rome where he obtained many important commissions, including the realisation of a portrait of Pope Clement IX. Interestingly, he was also one of the first major artists to develop modern marketing strategies, by issuing copies of his works, on canvas and in print form, to arouse the interest of potential clients.

The exhibition “Carlo Maratti Strategie Comunicative e Promozione della Propria Opera” runs until the 20th November 2022.

Info: www.comune.camerano.an.it info@turismocamerano.it

Posted on 07 Sep 2022 by Editor

SANTA ROSA RETURNS “IN GLORIA”

Back after our August break and what better way to launch the new autumnal season than the Feast of Santa Rosa in Viterbo (Lazio) – one of the most sensational shoulder-bourne religious processions in Italy, in which a hundred devout bearers carry the 5 ton “macchina” between churches in the town centre.

Suspended for the past two years due to the Covid epidemic, the spectacular event is programmed for today 3rd September 2022. This year's macchina tower is called “Gloria” and has been designed by local architect Raffaele Ascenzi. It is a colossal 30 metre high construction in metal and fibreglass, covered in elaborate carvings and illuminated by hundreds of candles and lights.

The procession begins this evening and follows a route from the Sanctuary of Santa Rosa, the town's patron saint, touching on seven churches in the town's historic centre. The feat of negotiating this weighty and cumbersome structure through narrow streets lined with thousand of spectators is considered so difficult and potentially dangerous that the facchini (bearers) are given a special blessing by the bishop before they start off on the marathon journey.

Several films of previous events are available on YouTube.

Info: www.comune.viterbo.it

Text & photos by M. Stenhouse

Posted on 03 Sep 2022 by Editor

ITALYUPDATE CLOSES DOWN NOW FOR THE SUMMER BREAK........We'll be with you again in September

 (Sunset at Diamante, Calabria - Photo: MS)

Meanwhile: 

ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS......PREFERABLY IN BEAUTIFUL ITALY!

Posted on 02 Aug 2022 by Editor

SENIGALLIA SUMMER JAMBOREE SWINGS INTO LIFE

The Summer Jamboree of Senigallia, one of the Adriatic coast's most spectacular beach festivals explodes into life on the 30th July 2022, with a full programme of 1950s-60s revival concerts with international star performers, and promising to be livelier than ever after the forced suspension due to the Covid pandemic.

Leading attraction, billed for the 3rd August, is guest star, the legendary USA Chubby Checker who launched the Twist and Limbo Rock in the Swinging Sixties. Other highlights in the packed programme include rising star Attilio Malambri, of “Little Til And His Shakin' Piano”, - a mix of Rhythm'n'Blues, Boogie Woogie, Swing and Rock'n'Roll, the Italian Wave Electric, the Jolly Rockers, Blues singer Kellie Rucker (USA), the UK Doo-wop, Vicky Tafoya from California, Todd Day Wait and The Dukes (USA-ITA), Enma Fernandez (Spain), Abby Girl (USA), Mike Penny's Western Swing Club (DE) and other leading swing musicians.

As in previous editions, spaces have been created for Swing and Rock'n'Roll dance sessions under the stars, plus performances of burlesque cabaret, music and dance shows, walk-in tattoo and other fun events. The programme also includes an exhibition of historic American cars from the collection of the Nicola Bulgari Foundation, as well as a vintage clothes and accessory market.

The Senigallia Summer Jamboree runs until the 7th August 2022.

Info: www.viveresenigallia.it music-it/senigallia-summer-jamboree-2022

Posted on 29 Jul 2022 by Editor

 

FINAL HEAT FOR INTERNATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGY PRIZE

The five finalists for the 2022 International Archaeological Discovery Award “Khaled al-Asaad” are lining up for the final nomination of the most important archaeological discovery of 2021, to be held at Paestum (Campania, Italy) between the 27th - 30th October 2022.

The contestants are:

Egypt: the discovery of the city of Amenhotep III at Luxor

Italy: the Room of the Slaves discovered at Civita Giuliana, Paestum

Pakistan: the most ancient urban buddhist temple in Barikot in the Valley of Swat

UK: a Roman mosaic featuring scenes from “the Iliad” in Rutland county

Turkey: an 11,000 year old rock sanctuary at Karahantepe in Anatonia

The prize, dedicated to the archaeologist Khaled al-Asaad, custodian of the ancient site of Palmyra, who was assassinated by Islamic fundamentalists in 2015 is now in its 8th edition.

Info: www.borsaturismoarcheologico.it/premio-khaled-al-asaad-2022

Posted on 26 Jul 2022 by Editor

MAROSTICA LIVING CHESS GAME PLAYS AGAIN

One of the most spectacular of Italy's many historical re-enactment events – the Living Chess Match of Marostica (Veneto) - returns on the 7th - 11th September 2022.

The game, which takes place in the piazza of the Castello du Basso, involves hundreds of sumptuously costumed participants and recalls a supposedly historic event, dating to Mediaeval times, when Lionara, the daughter of the lord of Marostica, was wooed by two suitors – Rinaldo d'Angarano and Vieri da Vallonara – and it was decided to settle the issue with a chess match in which Lionara would be the prize.

The Marostica Chess Match involves living pawns and the moves are based on those used by celebrated chess champions.

The event normally takes place every two years, but has been suspended due to the pandemic since 2018. Seats are thus filling up fast. Matches start on Friday 7th at 21.00 and repeated on Saturday 10th at the same hour and with two performances on Sunday 11th at 17.00 and 21.00.

M. STENHOUSE

Info: Tel. +39.0424.72127 www.marosticascacchi.it

Posted on 22 Jul 2022 by Editor

TRAVEL+LEISURE VOTES ISCHIA TOPS

Readers of the leading USA travel magazine “Travel+Leisure”, published in New York, have voted the Island of Ischia (Campania) top of the list of the world's desirable islands, including iconic tourist destinations such as the Maldives, Bali and Ibiza.

Reasons given for the choice included the natural water spas, the hospitality, the cordiality of the people and an excellent public transport system.

Ischia also had a boost of extra publicity by the best-selling book “My Brilliant Friend” by Elena Ferrante, in which the heroine spends part of a summer holiday on the island.

Ischia, together with nearby Capri, also scooped 1st and 2nd places in the magazine's 2016 poll.

Info: www.travelandleisure.com/worlds-best/best-islands

Posted on 17 Jul 2022 by Editor

RINASCITA OF VALMONTONE

Valmontone, a town in Lazio 50 km from Rome, is best known nowadays for its nearby retail park and Rainbow MagicLand – a Disneyland-style entertainment fairground. A typical old-style medieval centre, it was badly bombed during the last war, losing many of its historic buildings and treasures. Hasty post-war building did the rest, converting much of the placid and picturesque old city into a typical conglomerate of modern, featureless streets and blocks of flats.

The only buildings of note that were spared were the princely 17th century Palazzo Doria Pamphilj and the adjacent Collegiata of the Assumption, which crowned a hill on the highest part of the town. However, the palace, one of the residences of the powerful Pamphilj family, suffered another fate. It was occupied by families of townspeople who had lost their homes due to the bombardment and who remained there until they could be rehoused in the 1970s.

Since then and until last year, the Palace has been closed, except for a section occupied by local government offices. However, thanks to a generous grant from the Italian government through the Ministry of Culture, a restoration project is now well underway. For the first time the splendid series of 17th century frescoed rooms are now open to the public, as well as the museum section containing the mass of archaeological material recovered when the nearby railway line was being constructed.

The palace reception rooms were decorated by the best artists of the day in an allegorical sequence representing the Elements: the Room of Fire, the Room of Air, the Room of Water and the Room of Earth, all leading into the stunning Prince's Room, painted by French artist Gaspard Dughet, also known as Gaspard Poussin, after his brother-in-law, the celebrated baroque painter Nicolas Poussin.

Info: Tel. +39.06.959938231 www.comune.valmontone.rm.it

 

 

RINASCITA OF VALMONTONE

 

Valmontone, a town in Lazio 50 km from Rome, is best known nowadays for its nearby retail park and Rainbow MagicLand – a Disneyland-style entertainment fairground. A typical old-style medieval centre, it was badly bombed during the last war, losing many of its historic buildings and treasures. Hasty post-war building did the rest, converting much of the placid and picturesque old city into a typical conglomerate of modern, featureless streets and blocks of flats.

The only buildings of note that were spared were the princely 17th century Palazzo Doria Pamphilj and the adjacent Collegiata of the Assumption, which crowned a hill on the highest part of the town. However, the palace, one of the residences of the powerful Pamphilj family, suffered another fate. It was occupied by families of townspeople who had lost their homes due to the bombardment and who remained there until they could be rehoused in the 1970s.

Since then and until last year, the Palace has been closed, except for a section occupied by local government offices. However, thanks to a generous grant from the Italian government through the Ministry of Culture, a restoration project is now well underway. For the first time the splendid series of 17th century frescoed rooms are now open to the public, as well as the museum section containing the mass of archaeological material recovered when the nearby railway line was being constructed.

The palace reception rooms were decorated by the best artists of the day in an allegorical sequence representing the Elements: the Room of Fire, the Room of Air, the Room of Water and the Room of Earth, all leading into the stunning Prince's Room, painted by French artist Gaspard Dughet, also known as Gaspard Poussin, after his brother-in-law, the celebrated baroque painter Nicolas Poussin.

 

Info: Tel. +39.06.959938231 www.comune.valmontone.rm.it

 

 

Posted on 13 Jul 2022 by Editor

UMBRIA'S NATIONAL GALLERY NEW LOOK

The National Gallery of Umbria has reopened its doors after a complete reorganization of its rooms and contents. The entire project lasted a year and involved an investment of 5 million euros.

The gallery, which is situated inside the historic Town Hall of Perugia, has the biggest collection of the Umbrian School of Art, which had its maximum period of splendour in the 15th century, producing masters like Perugino (two rooms are dedicated to this iconic artist whose fifth centenary will be celebrated next year with a major exhibition), Piero della Francesca, Pinturicchio, Luca Signorelli, Beato Angelico, Gentile da Fabriano, Duccio di Boninsegna and others of similar standing.

Links to the present age are provided by the section dedicated to modern masters, like Alberto Burri, Pietro Donazio and Gerardo Dottori.

An arrangement with the UMBRIA JAZZ FESTIVAL (9-17 July 2022) to hold concerts in the Museum's Sala Podiani is proving popular. The programme aims at high quality niche music by Festival performers. During the Festival two concerts will be held every day, plus two evening concerts on the 16th and 17th . Those who attend can visit the Gallery either before or after the event at a discounted price.

Gallery Curator Marco Pierini also aims to attract young people (notoriously absent from museums) through a campaign on social media channels.

Info: Tel. +39.075.5721009 https://gallerianazionaledellumbria.it

Posted on 09 Jul 2022 by Editor

<< Previous ... 2 ... 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 ... 26 ... 28 ... 30 ... 32 ... 34 ... 36 ... 38 ... 40 ... 42 ... 44 ... 46 ... 48 ... 50 ... 52 ... 54 ... 56 ... 58 ... 60 ... 62 ... 64 ... 66 ... 68 ... 70 ... 72 ... 74 ... 76 ... 78 ... 80 ... 82 ... 84 ... 86 ... 88 ... 90 ... 92 ... 94 ... 96 ... 98 ... 100 ... 102 ... 104 ... 106 ... 108 ... 110 ... 112 ... 114 ... 116 ... 118 ... 120 ... 122 ... 124 ... 126 ... 128 ... 130 ... 132 ... 134 ... 136 ... 138 ... 140 ... 142 ... 144 ... Next >>

Powered by CuteNews