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| The Madruzzo Castle (p.1/3) |
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One is quite aware how difficult it is, if not impossible, to portray in a few lines the reality of a place and even more so of a castle, the origins of which lie in the murky past of centuries ago.
One realised that the much criticism for shortcomings and doubts regarding historical details and reality combined with legend, are perhaps more difficult to bear then the long ride throughout time. Offering the reader a brief summary, even though well illustrated historically and enriched with effective photographic images, is not sufficient to give even a minimum idea of the Madruzzo Castle.
Just imagine the enormous problem the author had to resolve. How does one create an image of the places, the people, their communal life styles, the political-economical development of a castle, the origins of which go back so far in the time that even a list of dates and outstanding events give the reader meagre satisfaction? It is even more difficult to attempt to reconstruct over the ages the geographical and economical problems of territories or regions, the boundaries of which are often uncertain.
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Madruzzo
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Castle
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To then interpret the political, economical and social reasoning which had influenced the subsequent development of a castle as important as that of Madruzzo, becomes such a delicate task that it is easy to lose track completely. I think that a suitable formula is that chosen by the author in the brief outline that follows.
A combination of information and events duly accompanied by present-day photographs depicting signs of the past, is intended, to say the least, to aid the imagination of the reader during the long journey back into time; a journey for which each one of us is free to choose the means of transport and to set their own pace, based upon individual culture and instinct , his or her love for things related to man and his circumstances of life. Using one’s curiosity as an urge, together with intelligent guidance could perhaps make it possible to get a close-up on those times of so long ago.
A stream of information and historical events: a stream that has been lapping and flowing past Madruzzo for almost a thousand years, often colliding and sweeping it to destruction, reviving it again to grow like a flower of stone , remaining intact on the banks of the impetuous flow of events. |
| The Madruzzo Castle is still here now for us to gaze at and enjoy. One does not know for how long; perhaps for this journey ahead in time, imagination and curiosity may be of little assistance. The stream of events has not yet taken its course. Let us start out on the journey together ... Attila’s immense army had just passed through, the scourge of God had seen this valley and the camp fires were still burning, even though Attila was already on his way down through Italy. On the top of a hill, as if holding back in fear, a castle was rising which was to be called “Castel Madruzzo”.
...And now, have a pleasant trip. Let your imagination flow. We will be meeting soon next to the outer walls, at the main entrance.
The original foundations of the Madruzzo Castle are probably much more ancient than indicated in the first documents available, where there is mention of a castle at Madruzzo, that is around mid-1100. Archaeological findings which date back to the Bronze Age up until the Roman period, give the impression that in prehistoric times there already existed on the site a “castelliere”, a construction built for defence, typical of Venezia-Giulia area, built on high land and protected by thick walls.
The importance of the strategic position, from which it was possible to observe the so-called “Roman Rood”, which went through the underlying valley, grew considerably in the Middle Ages, when most of the surrounding hills were fortified, it would seem by vassals of the Bishopric of Trento, to provide the German Emperors with a safe thoroughfare on their way into Italy. It is from those times that the history of the already ancient Madruzzo Castle begins.
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