Feeling protected like centuries ago in an ancient walled city is possiblejust reach Veneto, precisely Montagnana, in the province of Padua, to admire the best preserved city walls in Europe. This is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, rich in history with its most important symbols such as the fourteenth-century gate of the city wallsthe imposing Rocca degli Alberi. To then get lost in the internal alleys and discover, beyond the ancient beauties, the restaurants where you can taste good food, such as the famous Montagnana raw ham. In the end, admire all this from above from the Ezzelino Keepclimbing its 205 steps and reaching a height of 40 meters for a suggestive view of the walls and the village.
La Rocca degli Alberi: where the sunset is special
Montagnanathe charming village located in the province of Padua in Veneto, is a treasure of historical beauty that allows you to take a step back in time. Its walls, which culminate with the Rocca degli Alberi, were built between 1360 and 1362 by Francesco de’ Schici, at the behest of Francesco I of Carrara. At the time, the fortress had a defensive function, surrounded by a moat and connected to the walls by four drawbridges. The complex, which still stands majestically today, is composed of an entrance hall, a tower or a keep. The entrance hall is a long corridor, barred both at its ends and inside with shuttered drawbridges, and houses cellars and warehouses. There Rocca degli Alberior Porta Legnago, is the symbol of the walled city of Montagnana and is set in the western part of the walls. The suggestive walls, 2 km long, have four entrance doors, of which the last door to have been opened is the Porta XX Settembre to the south. The other gates are respectively the Castle of San Zeno to the east, Porta Vicenza (formerly Porta Nova) to the north and the Rocca degli Alberi to the west, which has a peculiar characteristic: it looks at a precise point towards the setting of the sun. More precisely, the entrance to the Rocca degli Alberi is positioned in such a way as to look towards a specific point on the horizon, in line with the seven towers located in the southern section. Looking at this point at sunset, when the sun enters the zodiac sign of Leo, the sun, the towers and the entrance will be aligned.
Montagnana: what to see in the ancient walled city of Veneto
The medieval walls of the village of Montagnana they are currently among the best preserved in all of Europe. It will be the suggestion of imposing 2km walls, the 24 towers and its gates, but visiting the village is a different emotion than a visit to any other city, discovering, a little dreamily and with upturned eyes, the most important points. Accessing the village from one of the 4 entrance doors, it is possible to discover the heart of the historic center by walking and observing one of the distinctive characteristics of the village of Montagnana, beyond its walls. In fact, in the heart of this medieval village you immediately notice the fascinating painted houseswhich recall the atmosphere of Murano, arranged along a 250 meter road that leads to the main square, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. The square takes its name from the monument here dedicated to Vittorio Emanuele II and also hosts the Cathedraldedicated to Santa Maria Assunta and the Palace of the Loggia. Inside the Cathedral, you can admire the Transfiguration of Christ, the work of Paolo Veronese. But in addition to the works, the Cathedral holds a peculiarity: it is positioned obliquely with respect to the square, oriented according to the cardinal points, thus functioning like a sundial. Beyond its square, in Montagnana, there is an inestimable beauty Ezzelino keep, the defensive heart of the San Zeno Castle, from which you can enjoy a breathtaking view from a height of 40 metres. The Keep is accessible in the summer period from Tuesday to Friday, from 9.30 to 12.30 and from 16.00 to 19.00, on Saturdays from 9.30 to 19.00, while on Sundays and public holidays, the opening hours are from 10.00 to 19.00.
How to get to Montagnana
Montagnana it is undoubtedly an unmissable destination, located just 50 km from Padua, Verona and Vicenza. The medieval village is easily reachable by car through the Regional Road n. 10 “Padana Inferiore”, which connects the big cities with Venice, Padua and Mantua. Furthermore, it is accessible via the A13 Padua-Bologna motorways, Monselice exit, and the A31 Rovigo, S. Margherita d’Adige exit. For those who prefer the train, Montagnana is well connected to various locations via regional trains of Trenitalia, including Legnano, Monselice, Ferrara, Venezia Santa Lucia, Verona Porta Nuova and Padua.
