Grado (Italy) - Grado (Italia)

Degree is a city of Friuli Venezia Giulia.

To know

It is an important tourist and spa center, also known as theIsland of the Sun and, due to its particular history, the First Venice.

Background

Formerly a Roman port in the service of Aquileia e castrum, Grado developed around 452 when many inhabitants took refuge on the island to escape the hordes of the Huns led by Attila. In 568, following the invasion of the Lombards in Friuli, the Patriarch Pauline transferred the seat of the Patriarchate of Aquileia there. Grado grew in population and therefore acquired a prominent political and religious role, testified by the construction of the majestic basilicas of Santa Eufemia and Santa Maria delle Grazie, both from the end of the sixth century. The lagoon island was fortified, took the name of Nova Aquileia and remained within the Byzantine domains, while the rest of Friuli, Including Aquileia, was under the control of the Lombards.

In 875 Grado was threatened by pirates of the Dalmatia and was saved with a naval battle that took place in the waters off the island and was won by the Venetian fleet. Venice as the dominant center of the Venetian lagoons, however, it marked the slow decline of the island, which was aggravated by the reconstruction of the city of Aquileia (between the ninth and tenth centuries) and by a ruinous looting suffered in the twenties of the eleventh century. starting from the twelfth century the same Patriarch of Grado (who in 1451 will become, also in the name, Patriarch of Venice) moved his residence to the Basilica of San Pietro di Castello, in Venice. Grado therefore became a poor fishing village, and remained so in the following centuries, belonging to the Dogado, the narrow strip of land that stretched from the Po delta to Grado and almost Monfalcone: a set of lagoons, sandbanks, canals and waterways directly administered by the city of Venice and which assured the Serenissima direct control of a large part of the upper Adriatic coast, but almost without penetrating the mainland.

With the Treaty of Campoformio (1797) and the end of the millenary Venetian Republic, Grado became part of the home domains ofAustria that, with the exception of the brief Napoleonic interlude, retained its possession until 1918. This period dates back to the beginning of Grado's vocation as a seaside resort; the first equipment appeared at the end of the nineteenth century and led the island to host, at the beginning of the twentieth century, personalities such as Freud and Pirandello. In those years Grado was equipped with the current dam with a promenade and the characteristic internal port.

At the end of the First World War the island, which despite the proximity of the front was substantially spared from war events, was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy. In 1936 it was connected to the mainland by a bridge that put an end to the secular isolation of the island. A rapid urban expansion, accompanied by reclamation and water containment works, has therefore considerably expanded the size of the town, which now also extends to the nearby Isola della Schiusa.

How to orient yourself

The lagoon includes about 30 islands. In addition to the main island, the island of Schiusa, connected to Grado by two bridges, and the island of Barbana are also permanently inhabited.

Neighborhoods

The capital is located on the main island and is divided into numerous areas and districts: Severe vecia (the ancient city enclosed by the perimeter of the Roman castrum), Borgo de fora, Hatch Island, Filled, Center, Squero, Garden City, Goppion Valley - former Cavarera Valley, Grado Pineta, PrimeroIts municipal territory also includes the hamlets of Boscat and Fossalon.

How to get

By plane

The nearest airport is that of Ronchi dei Legionari (TRS), connected daily with Rome is Milan and with other major European cities such as London or Munich.

Public bus transport (APT) directly connects the airport with the center of Grado.

Outside the airport you can take a taxi or rent a car, but if you don't have a lot of luggage the bus is a good way to get to the golden island.

By car

The island can be reached from only two directions: from Aquileia (motorway exit of Palmanova) via a road that runs on an artificial embankment that cuts across the lagoon arriving directly in Grado center, or from Monfalcone passing through the outskirts of Staranzano, San Canzian d'Isonzo and Fossalon di Grado. In this case we arrive in Grado Pineta, where all the campsites and the golf course are located.

On the train

Grado is not reached by the railway line; nearby the two most important stations are that of Monfalcone and that of Cervignano. Both are connected to Grado by local public transport (bus).

How to get around

• The historic center is almost entirely pedestrianized and the major car parks are decentralized. The ideal way to get around is therefore on foot, leaving the car in the suburbs and reaching the center and the beaches by public transport.
• Urban service [1]: urban runs have a greater frequency during the bathing period.

What see

• 45.67649713.3852291 Patriarchal Basilica of Sant'Eufemia. On the site stood a previous basilica of the fifth century, perhaps commissioned by the metropolitan of Aquileia Niketas (454-485) at the time of Attila's invasion. The building, with a basilica plan, was ordered by Elia, archbishop of Aquileia also fleeing from an invasion: that of the Lombards.

In the years from 717 to 739 the Patriarchate of Grado was established.

Subjected to the increasingly strict control of the Dukes of Venice, of whose lands it was the mother church, repeatedly involved in military clashes for the never dormant rivalry with the neighboring Patriarchs of Aquileia, the basilica of Sant'Eufemia began to decline starting from 1105, when the new patriarch, Giovanni Gradenigo, chose to reside in the capital: Venice. However, the basilica retained the ownership of the patriarchal chair even after the papal recognition in 1177 of the Venetian residence of the patriarchs.

In 1451, however, with the suppression of the Gradense title and the institution of the new Patriarchate of Venice, the basilica was incorporated into the new diocese, losing the title of cathedral, which was transferred to the basilica of San Pietro di Castello in Venice. In 1455 the current bell tower was erected, surmounted by an embossed copper wind vane statue of 1462,  

• 45.676713.38532 Baptistery. Connected to the patriarchal basilica complex, to its left, there is the octagonal baptistery, preceded by a churchyard where ancient Roman sarcophagi found in Grado are placed.

The baptistery dates back to the second half of the fifth century, although it has been remodeled several times over the centuries; the last time in 1928 an attempt was made to restore it to its original appearance, removing the floor of Baroque origin and lowering the level by about 2.20 m.

In this way, the 6th century mosaic floor was rediscovered together with the small altar, now placed in the apse open at the end of the entrance, and the baptismal font, with a hexagonal plan and covered with green cipollino marble. The original windows have been reopened and the old street level in front of the baptistery has been restored.  

• 45.6767813.384753 Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie, Field of the Patriarchs. It is one of the two early Christian basilicas of Grado in the historic center of the city, a few steps from the Baptistery and the Basilica of Sant'Eufemia, while the remains of a third basilica (the Basilica della Corte) are visible a short distance away, at the limits of the castrum Roman.

The basilica was built at the end of the sixth century by the will of Patriarch Elia, who in the same years completed the construction of the Basilica of Sant'Eufemia and started work on the first church in Barbana. It was built on the site of a previous early Christian basilica dating back to the first half of the fifth century, perhaps commissioned by Bishop Cromazio.

The two stages of the construction are evident in the interior, which the restorations of 1924 restored on two levels. The altar and the central nave rise at the level of the Elian basilica, while the right aisle and part of the apse, covered with decorative mosaics with geometric motifs and epigraphs, date back to the first building and are positioned about a meter below.

Curiously, the basilica has a square base both in the plan and in the elevation. The interior is marked by three naves separated by two rows of five marble columns of different origins. Of particular interest are the altar, the holy water stoup and the wooden statue of the Madonna delle Grazie, a traditional devotional destination for the people of Grado.

The architecture of the basilica is characterized by the strong vertical thrust of the central nave. The stone and brick facade has three doors and is softened by a three-light window.

The exterior, in early Christian style, is made of exposed brick and sandstone and presents alterations dating back to the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, partly removed with the restorations carried out in the mid-twentieth century.

The facade facing the Piazza del Patriarcato is divided into salients and pilasters and opened by three large windows, below which you can see the traces of the ancient narthex, which has now disappeared. The bell tower, with a Venetian spire, is leaning against it on the right side.

The interior, large and bright, is divided into three naves, delimited by columns in polychrome marble, partly from the Roman era, as well as the capitals, supporting the arches. On the upper part and along the perimeter walls, there are numerous large windows, which illuminate the environment and the overlying trussed roof.

Remarkable is the internal mosaic decoration, in particular as regards the large floor mosaic, dating back to the end of the sixth century. On the left side of the central nave there is a high hexagonal ambo, of Moorish architecture, with sculptural decorations from the 13th century.

The golden shovel

In the presbytery, decorated at the top with fifteenth-century frescoes, there is the golden altarpiece in embossed and chiseled silver, donated to the basilica in 1372 by the Venetian nobleman Donato Mazzalorsa. Divided into three registers, within polylobate frames, it depicts: in the upper one the Annunciation, Christ and the symbols of the Evangelists, in the lower one a series of arches with figures of Saints and, in the central register, Christ enthroned and St. Mark celebrating mass.

The basilica houses the statue of the Madonna degli Angeli who on the occasion of the feast of Pardon of Barbana (first Sunday in July) is carried in procession in the lagoon to the sanctuary of Barbana.  

• 45.70323613.4230274 Sanctuary of the Madonna di Barbana. The birth of the sanctuary of the Madonna di Barbana dates back to 582, when a violent storm threatened the city of Grado: the patriarch of the time, Elia (571-588), as a thank you for having saved the city from the storm, had a first church built in the place where an image of the Madonna was carried by the waters. Since then, the sanctuary, which has been destroyed and rebuilt several times, has been continuously officiated.

The current building, which stands on an island located at the eastern end of the lagoon, was built in the neo-Romanesque style and houses numerous vestiges of successive buildings over the centuries, including two columns that probably date back to the original church.

The island of Barbana, which is the destination of a pilgrimage from Grado every year, is permanently inhabited by a community of Franciscan friars minor. 

• 45.67763813.4012055 Marine spas, viale del Sole, ☎ 39 0431 899309. The Habsburg aristocracy frequented the spas of Grado since the early nineteenth century. They now provide aesthetic medicine, thalassotherapy and skin aging prevention. 

Natural areas

• Lagoon. The lagoon was formed after the 5th century and is divided into a western sector (the palù de soto), more extensive and rich in islands, and in an eastern one (la palù de sora), which extends north of the island of Grado.

Characteristic of the lagoon is the presence of casoni, simple houses with thatched roof used in the past by the fishermen of Grado. The typical boat of the inhabitants of the lagoon is the batela, flat-bottomed and rowed.

The lagoon is rich in tree species (tamarisks, elms, poplars, junipers and pines), while the fauna has a remarkable variety of birds, including gulls, egrets, gray herons, mallards and sea swallows.

Some islands are permanently inhabited: among these, Barbana has hosted a Marian shrine for 1500 years. 

• Beaches and sea beds. 

Events and parties

• Perdòn de Barbana. first Sunday of July. It is the main religious tradition of the community. It is a votive procession during which a statue of the Madonna degli Angeli is transported with an evocative procession of boats from the Basilica of Sant'Eufemia to the island of Barbana, where an ancient Marian sanctuary stands, crossing the lagoon. The origin of the pilgrimage dates back to 1237, when the people of Grado made a vow to go to Barbana every year as thanks for the end of a plague epidemic. The event, which begins early in the morning and is preceded by a day of meditation and celebration (il Sabo grando), today attracts numerous pilgrims and tourists. The name Perdòn derives instead from the tradition of approaching the sacrament of reconciliation on the occasion of the pilgrimage. 
• Yellow Grade. Literary festival, review of conferences, shows and meetings with authors from the world of thriller, detective, noir, spy story and horror. The gastronomic initiatives of At dinner with the crime. 
• Festival of the song of Grado. Popular event that has taken place since 1946: a celebratory event of great importance for the community of Grado, which has always been characterized by considerable sensitivity in perpetuating its singing-musical traditions. 
• Dialect Theater. The local association Grado Tetaro, whose notoriety has crossed strictly local borders over time, proposes texts by Gradesi authors with themes that are linked to the history and culture of Grado. 

What to do

• Boat excursions on the island of the Lagoon.
• Beach life in the summer in the town's bathing establishments.

Shopping

How to have fun

Where to eat

Average prices

• 45.6774413.3944051 Calypso Pizzeria, Via Galileo Galilei, 14, ☎ 39 0431 84774. 
• 45.67659313.3960462 Antiche Terme Bar Restaurant, Viale Dante Alighieri, ☎ 39 0431 899111. 
• 45.67683313.3900383 Al Doge Pizzeria Restaurant, Via Gaetano Donizetti, 3, ☎ 39 0431 84144. 
• 45.67710313.3891154 Il Panino restaurant and pizzeria, Via Venezia Giulia, 8, ☎ 39 0431 80020. 
• 45.67812213.3835685 Trattoria Alla Borsa, Via Conte di Grado, 1, ☎ 39 0431 80126. 
• 45.67872213.388156 Trattoria Alla Laguna, Riva S. Scaramuzza, 2, ☎ 39 0431 85477. 
• 45.67749313.3827857 Da Piero pizza restaurant, Location Pontile Belvedere, 1, ☎ 39 0431 82098. 
• 45.68172813.376678 La Dinette Restaurant, Riva Giovanni da Verrazzano, 1, ☎ 39 0431 85100. 

Where stay

Average prices

• Hotel Fonzari, Piazza Biagio Marin, ☎ 39 0431 877753, fax: 39 0431 877746, @[email protected]. 
• Friuli hotels, Via Ugo Foscolo, 14, ☎ 39 0431 80841, fax: 39 0431 80842, @[email protected]. 
• Hotel Abbazia Grado (Grade hotel), Via Cristoforo Colombo, 12, ☎ 39 0431 80038, 39 0431 81721, fax: 39 0431 81722, @[email protected]. 
• Hotel Garni Moreri, Viale dei Moreri 33, ☎ 39 0431 80201, fax: 39 0431 877480. 
• Hotel Alla Città di Trieste, Piazza XXVI May 22, ☎ 39 0431 83571, fax: 39 0431 83572. 
• ^{[link not working]}Hotel Cristina, Viale Martiri della Libertà 11, ☎ 39 0431 876448, fax: 39 0431 877250. 
• Hotel Europa, Viale Kennedy 3, ☎ 39 0431 80600, fax: 39 0431 85671. 
• Helvetia Hotel, Viale Kennedy 15, ☎ 39 0431 80598, fax: 39 0431 82861. 
• Merano hotels, Via Vespucci 3, ☎ 39 0431 80628, fax: 39 0431 84858. 
• Hotel Regina, Via Caprin 19, ☎ 39 0431 81000, fax: 39 0431 80655. 
• Hotel Carol Grado, Via Ugo Foscolo 13, ☎ 39 0431 80745, fax: 39 0431 82755. 

High prices

• Savoy Hotel, Via Carducci 33, ☎ 39 0431 897111. 
• Grand Hotel Astoria, Largo S. Grisogono 3, ☎ 39 0431 83550, fax: 39 0431 83355. 
• Hotel Diana, Via Verdi 3, ☎ 39 0431 82247, fax: 39 0431 83330. 
• Hanover hotels, May 26 square, ☎ 39 0431 82264, fax: 39 0431 82141. 
• Hotel Helvetia Grado, Viale Kennedy 15, ☎ 39 0431 80598, fax: 39 0431 82861. 
• Hotel Villa Venice, Via Venezia 6, ☎ 39 0431 877118, fax: 39 0431 877126. 
• Hotel Fonzari, Piazza Biagio Marin, ☎ 39 0431 877753, fax: 39 0431 877746, @[email protected]. 

Campsites

• 45.72351113.3784961 Paradise Island campsite, Location Isola Volpera, ☎ 39 0431 82061. 
• 45.72562413.4011982 Tourist Village Belvedere Pineta Camping Village, Location Belvedere, ☎ 39 0431 91007. Hotel 4 Stars 
• 45.69577613.456733 Europe tourist village, Via Monfalcone, 12, ☎ 39 0431 80877. Hotel 4 Stars 
• 45.69469713.4525254 Residence Punta Spin, Via Monfalcone, 10, ☎ 39 0431 80732. 
• 45.67886813.4209395 Camping Al Bosco, Provincial Road 19, n. 4, ☎ 39 0431 80485. 

Safety

Pharmacies

• 45.67703613.3923291 Municipal, Via Colombo 14, ☎ 39 0431 80895. 
• 45.67712313.3856482 Madonna of Barbana, Via Marina, 1. 
• 45.67963313.429433 Summer Branch Of The Municipal Pharmacy, Via del Capricorno, 8. 
• 45.68000113.4042084 Summer Branch Madonna di Barbana, Viale Kennedy, 34/36. 

How to keep in touch

Post office

• 45.67695113.3883365 Italian post, via Giuseppe Caprin 32 (Center degree), ☎ 39 0431 896511. 
• 45.67936113.4038386 Italian post, Viale Italia 17 (in Grado Garden City), ☎ 39 0431 80224. 

Around

• Aquileia - It was an important Roman city; its excavation area of ​​that era is certainly unique in the regional context for importance, quality and quantity of evidence, and is rightly placed among the archaeological destinations of great national importance. It was later the most important center of the region in medieval times; the Patriarchate of Aquileia reached the apex of its splendor in the first decades of the year 1000: its splendid Romanesque Basilica remains.
• Palmanova - Fortress city planned by the Venetians in 1593 to defend its borders with the Austrian empire, it is called the starry city for its polygonal star shape with 9 points.

Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Grado (Italy)
• Commons contains images or other files on Grado (Italy)

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