Michele Telari -Viterbese artist with a love for New York

 Michele Telari 's  personal  show  at La Quercia's  majestic  cloister until  September  23, 2018

Pictures  are worth a thousand words, so I am letting these photos  speak for themselves and invite you to  visit  the personal show of  Viterbo artist Michele Telari on now until  Sept.  23  in the cloister of the Madonna della Quercia , La Quercia, a section of Viterbo (Viale Trieste).

Papal Palace, Viterbo  at sunset 

Renaissance cloister  for  a modern exhibit

Viterbo's   three  epochs 

Viterbo skyline with artist Michele Telari 

Michele Telari 

Renaissance fountain in a second courtyard/cloister 

The Tower, Viterbo 

Alone  on the Brooklyn Bridge 40cm x 40 cm 

black and white NYC

visitors  to the exhibit 

1600s  frescoes   showing various miracles decorate the  vaulted walls 

Contact www.micheletelari.it             micheletelari@libero.it

Civitavecchia for the day- Voicemap audio guide

having lunch  in Civitavecchia 

Civitavecchia, the port of Rome, with its 2,000 years of history, is a complicated city.


Founded by Emperor Trajan,  it was continuously attacked by  Saracen pirates  during the Middle Ages. This caused the inhabitants  to flee  the coast in favor of  a safer site further inland where Pope Leo had a new town built. But  by the 1500s  it   was beset by malaria and plague  and the  remaining inhabitants returned to their old city  on the sea - "Civita Vecchia"  -which literally means "old city".

Civitavecchia today-   Da Baffone

Heavily bombed  during WWII,  the city  is now undergoing a boom as the top   port of the Mediterranean with over 2 million visitors arriving  during the cruise season of April to November.

The  Visitors' Center and  system of   transportation within the port and the town  are presently being updated  to become  more "user friendly"  just in time for the cruise season of  2018 .

It  was the right time for  an audio guide to help   cruisers and crews  enjoy their day  ashore in Civitavecchia.


 When the voicemap.me   team contacted me from Capetown, South Africa  suggesting I write and produce  an  audio guide to  use  with Smartphone and Google technology, I hesitated since I am not  a techie .

  Thanks to  the technical help  from  my South African team and  a group of local friends who want to promote their city,  the audio guide "Stories and Secrets of Civitavecchia" it is now a reality.

Some of the local fellows  who   helped  with  the audio guide 

The   voicemap.me  app  for Civitavecchia will be a boon to  those who dock in town for   the day and want to explore the city  on their own. 

This is especially  important  during the  hot summer days when  many older cruisers  find it exhausting  to take the bus or train  all the way in to Rome.
 Now they can stay local and enjoy a leisurely   guided walk close to their cruise dock.

visiting the fish market 

One downloads the app on  a Smartphone  and then chooses  the city  and itinerary desired. 



Following the voicemap.me instructions  and map visitors  now have  a new way to explore  the city,  on their own . 

Raphael paintings discovered in a private home. Piazza Leandra 

 My voice  and  Google tehcnology   accompany  visitors  and help them  find  their way as they explore  the hidden corners, courtyards and  markets of  Civitavecchia.

 We will walk through  the quaint historic center, see sites and  hear  stories of Japanese samurai, the artists and architects  (Raphael, Michelangelo,Bramante) who built  its Renaissance treasures, the wars and troubles, as well as the best place for a gelato. 

With archeologist Francesca Pontani (right) , inside the Raphael room.

"Stories and Secrets of Civitavecchia"  with Mary Jane Cryan 
Try  it  now, listen to the first  locations, and bookmark  to download  when you are on your cruise
              Also  available "Stories and Secrets of Viterbo"  

Top Tourist Spots along the Adriatic

During  a  series of cruises along the  Adriatic  coast  I was struck by  the beauty and booming tourism in towns of  former  Yugoslavia,  previously part of the great Venetian marine empire in the 12-18^th centuries. 

"living room" of Hvar-the main piazza 

just like Italy..... pizza break in lively Koper 

The  fortified ports of  Zadar, Koper, Dubrovnik, Kotor and  Hvar strung out along the  Adriatic  coast are now some of the hottest spots for  summer tourism.
 Each has its  unique  character, history and structure  but they also  share  lifestyles  and  traditions  similar to those found here, in  central Italy. For example,  the  use of the main piazza  as  the town’s  elegant living room for the  afternoon  passeggiata.  

artisans in Zadar  offer  their wares  on the street

costumed locals  in Koper/Capodistria

       

By studying  what our neighbors on the Adriatic are doing -and have done-  in the tourism field, we can  discover which mistakes to avoid  and which of their best practices to  follow. Here are some personal  observations and ideas  to help  increase tourism  while protecting   the  quality of life for  residents and visitors.  

shiny stone pavements of Zadar

I noticed  that public spaces in all these lively port towns  were decorated with  street furniture and  flowers and,  most importantly, there were  no graffiti   nor  rubbish  to  be seen.  This  pride in their  spotless  main piazzas  and  streets- such as  Dubrovnik’s  Stradun- is expected also from  visitors. 

The tourism industry  must  protect this quality of life which is  one of the area’s main attractions, a quality that  the Tuscia Viterbese  has  in common with these colorful  Adriatic ports.

Too much popularity and tourist hoards  can be a strain on ancient historic centers.  Hvar town, a very popular party destination for young British tourists, has had to impose  rules of conduct  and stiff  fines (up to 700 euro)  to control  unruly behavior .

enjoy your stay and obey the rules

On the positive side, thanks to the silent electric  vehicles used   for  rubbish pick up and  deliveries in the pedestrian zones  the only noise is  the hum of  human voices and  instrumental music being played  at  many a street corner. The piazzas of Dubrovnik ,  Koper  and Zadar  resound with classical music played by  street performers  and buskers  often dressed in local costume.  

musician  and salt shop, Koper

Whether  it is  a violinist, a   guitar trio  or  Mozart being  played on musical glasses, a crowd  of people and  a pleasant mood are  always created.

The  huge crowds of rock concerts  are relegated to stadiums outside the delicate historic  centers where amplifiers  would be  a danger and  unnecessary. 
 In the port of Zadar even the sea has been harnessed to make music with the  recently created  sea organ which  plays tunes using the  lapping  waves of the sea .

sea organ, Zadar port 

 This human scale   combined  with beautiful architecture  gives a  sense of peace and  wellbeing that immediately strikes visitors coming from  foreign cities.  This  slower pace and  quality of life  are valuable  elements which no longer exist in giant cities and  suburban sprawl but are still fortunately  alive and well in most  towns of central Italy. 



 What answers  can you give to these  questions about your  town?

Is the main public piazza and/or main street  still an  elegant  public space used for  socialization  or is it   clogged with cars, speeding motorini  or  used primarily for parking?

Are the ancient, medieval and   Renaissance architectural gems  of the  historic   center given pride of place? 

tower in Zadar similar to those of Viterbo 

Are there green areas  and  parks  close to the historic center which are well cared for and used by the residents and visitors?   

SYA  students relax in Valle Faul, Viterbo 

Instead of the  Venetian lion seen  in all the Adriatic  ports, the  area of Tuscia boasts  other symbols on  palaces and castles:  Viterbo’s   lion and palm, the   heraldic  crests  that remind us of past Papal domination  and the local noble families -Farnese, Odescalchi, Monaldeschi -who once ruled the area.  

The construction materials   also differ: our local buildings are constructed of  grey  tufa and peperino  and we walk on cobblestone streets  instead of shiny  Istrian stone. 
Although less spectacular  than the majestic  city walls  surrounding  Dubrovnik and Kotor  those  of Viterbo, Tarquinia  and other local fortified  towns  have  yet to be given the attention they deserve .  

Living near Papal Palaces: Rome and Viterbo

 Viterbo Duomo and Papal Palace (right), painting by Justin Bradshaw

In the 1960s and 70s  I  lived  in Rome  around the corner from the Vatican  and counted St. Peter’s Basilica as my parish church. Several extraordinary events  happened in those years: the  election and death  of two popes  (John Paul I  and  John Paul II) in quick succession and the shooting of John Paul II  in the Piazza in 1981.  

 

sunset, garden side of the Papal Palace

 

 

Duomo seen from the Papal Loggia

 

The Vatican/ Borgo Pio neighborhood was always buzzing with brightly robed  bishops and cardinals and  crowds of pilgrims and clergy from all corners of the world filled the side streets, the religious souvenir shops and  pizzerias surrounding the Vatican  from Easter until late autumn.

The Vatican  post office, the  Library, Museums and  Archives were essential  parts of the neighborhood. In  those  days  many people with passes entered Sant’Anna gate  to shop at the Vatican pharmacy or supermarket and do business at the (in)famous Vatican bank.
You can read more on the Vatican  on past blog entries by writing "Vatican" in the search bar. 
 Many more insider tips on touring in Rome can be found on  my award winning  website  which has been offering free insider information on line since 2000.



Renaissance Windows, Viterbo

 Fast forward  half a century  and I find myself  living near  another  Papal Palace, located  in  Viterbo, where the first Papal Conclave was held in the 12th century . 

approaching the Duomo, Viterbo

 

Due to unhealthy and dangerous  times in Rome the seat of the Papacy  had been  moved from the Vatican to this quieter town  and when Portuguese pope Pope John XXI  died in the collapse of his studio, a group of  cardinals arrived to elect his successor.  But this election  dragged on and on.

 The cardinals  could not come to a decision for they were under political pressures from their home countries. In  the meantime they were wined, dined and housed at the city’s expense. Finally  Capitano del Popolo, Raniero Gatti, decided to put an end to this  free-loading and had the group of cardinals closed  (cum clave=with the key, origin of the word conclave) inside the drafty hall where the elections were being held.

Then he suspended their food and wine and as a last straw the roof was removed, to make it “easier for the Holy Spirit to enlighten” the cardinals and help them to come to a decision. 

conclave hall

Things have changed at the Papal Palace of Viterbo since then. For centuries  the palace and church complex were in disrepair and rarely visited. Now after ten years of  promotion and  museum management  by  Archeoares, the palace and museum  complex count over 20,000 visitors annually making it  Viterbo’s  best known   tourist attraction.

This multi-building  site and the historic characters connected with it come alive during the 45 minute guided  tours offered by Archeotuscia’s guides, Elena, Sara and others. 

 Besides the Papal Palace, the Conclave Hall,  the frescoed Gualterio hall and  newly opened  audio visual room in the tower, tourists can now explore corners of the Duomo once off limits to visitors : the Baroque Choir  and Sacristry as well as the Museum complex opened in  Holy year 2000.

frescoed ceiling of the hidden Baroque choir 

a bust of Letizia Bonaparte greets visitors to the Museum..

Among past visitors were Nathaniel Hawthorne and his wife Sophia  who passed through Viterbo in 1858. Both of them disliked the town: the waiters at their hotel cheated them and  they avoided the unsavoury San Pellegrino medieval quarter  but  spoke well  of the sunny resting spot at  the Papal Palace where they  relaxed and sketched the  airy loggia and  fountain.  Discover more about early  visitors to the Viterbo area in  my books  which are available  directly from the website or in bookshops in Italy. Some are also available through amazon.com
More about visiting the Papal Palace of Viterbo can be found on Archeoares website:  http://www.archeoares.it

..while Chiara and Barbara greet visitors at the adjacent bookshop

You are cordially invited to my next presentation, Friday  March  4th in Vetralla's Library .

Venerdì 4 marzo 2016 alle ore 16.30

PRESENTA 

      “I NOSTRI CASTELLI …                    ….VERI GIOIELLI”

di

    Mary Jane Cryan                

  

                       Storia, curiosità e turismo

 

More  info: Biblioteca Comunale di Vetralla – Via Brugiotti 41, 01019 Vetralla

Email: biblioteca@comune.vetralla.vt.gov.it        -     telefono  

 

Signs and Colors of Spring

van Gogh scarf 

For all of you who are still in the grip of winter cold  and snowdrifts in northern Europe and USA, here is a bit of local color and Italian sunshine to warm up your day.

  Hopefully these pictures taken around Vetralla and Viterbo in the past couple of days will convince you that spring is just around the corner.

Sunday  market in Piazza  della Rocca with  colorful household goods, historic costumes  and a crowd on the museum’s loggia.

The regular Tuesday market in Vetralla with locally  grown produce.

The sunshine  allows  for  2 or even 3  loads of wash to dry during the day.

For those in the area here are the upcoming  talks and tours  I will be doing  in the next couple of weeks. 

Hope to see you at one of them!

Friday, March   6^th  at the Prefecture   “Tuscia nelle Antiche Carte: curiosità, valori, ladri”  with special visitor Chief Inspector Felice Orlandini  5 p.m.

Thursday, March  19^th at the Museo Civico, Viale R. Capocci (in front of Porta della Verità)  presentation of latest book “Etruria Storie e Segreti”  5 p.m.

Friday, March  27 -Visit to  the Viterbo Antiques Show (we get a discount on tickets)  11 a.m. at the Papal Palace, Viterbo. Train from Rome to Porta Romana station in Viterbo. Meeting place  Papal Palace  11 a.m.

Just in case you missed it, here is my latest article  published today on Italian Notebook  about Rome's newest art library. 

For more information see my website www.elegantetruria.com , blog http://50yearsinitaly.blogspot.it   or Facebook page

Chocolate and Cinema in old Viterbo

Viterbo's main street 

chocolate show at the cinema 

 The Italians  love for chocolate  and cinema is celebrated together at an historic theatre located  in the center of Viterbo. 

King Kong in chocolate 

ticket booth unchanged since 1948 

The Genio theatre was one of the first  examples of post-war reconstruction and its moderistic style is evident in every  detail: the ticket booth, the glass showcases, original chairs and the curved lines of the ceilings. 

Older residents tell me that it was the town’s favored place for entertainment  in the days before TV. 

Many were  introduced to rock and roll music  in the 1950s  thanks to films seen at  this  elegant movie house. 

salami, cheese and eggs made from chocolate 

During this month  Viterbo's chocolate  shop Casantini  (I wrote about their  erotic themed chocolates here) has filled the vintage foyer  with giant chocolate creations  based on  films  such as King Kong.   The exhibit and sale of chocolate masterpieces  continues throughout the Christmas season.

This historic cinema can be hard to locate  for it is hidden away inbetween two narrow medieval lanes. 

1950s vintage jewellery 

The easiest way is to take Via Roma (see first photo)  to  central Piazza delle Erbe and  then  follow the red carpeting flanked by stalls selling vintage jewellery, handmade  art and clothing set up especially for the event. 

  At the end of the tiny Via S. Maria Ezigiaca  you will find   Cinema  Genio, surrounded by medieval buildings.