Virtuoso Insights - October/November 2008 - (Page 22) Hvar’s fruitful plain. stari grad Plain (croatia) The largest, most fertile agricultural area on Hvar — indeed, on any of the Adriatic archipelago — the Stari Grad Plain has been continually harvested since it was first colonized by Ionian Greeks in the 4th Century bc, and stands as a testament to the Greek geometrical system of land division. Bounded by dry stonewalls since ancient times, its oldest plots — collectively called the chora — have remained almost virtually intact, dotted by beehive-shaped stone shelters. Also designated as a natural preserve, this fruitful plain produces the classic Mediterranean grape vines and olive trees. The Romans also left their imprint here, building leisure villas (the best known is at Kupinovik) and water cisterns, some of which are still in use. mantua and sabbioneta (italy) Located in the Po Valley of northern Italy’s Lombardy region, these two historic towns are stunning representatives of Renaissance town planning. Surrounded on three sides by lakes, Mantua (also known as Mantova) was an ancient Etruscan settlement and Roman town that flourished under the Gonzaga family, who ruled the entire Mantua province from 1328 to 1708. The town was recognized by UNESCO as an outstanding example of “the renewal and extension of an existing city” while, 20 miles away, Sabbioneta was conceived and designed entirely in the 16th century under the visionary rule of Vespasiano Gonzaga Colonna and represents, according to the UNESCO committee, the “implementation of the period’s theories about planning the ideal city.” Both towns offer important architectural and artistic examples of Renaissance culture. The perfect plan: Mantua’s palazzo del Te. Mount Titano’s “Most Serene” view. san marino historic centre and mount titano (san marino) Located in the Apennine Mountains, the Most Serene Republic of San Marino is a landlocked enclave, completely enveloped by Italy. Founded in ad 301 by a stonemason fleeing religious persecution from Rome, San Marino — just 23 square miles in size — boasts the world’s oldest written constitution, dating to 1631, still in effect. The UNESCO designated area comprises both the historic city center and Mount Titano, San Marino’s highest mountain recognized for its triple peaks, each of which features fortification towers. San Marino — which Napoleon III refused to conquer, calling it a “model republic” — is still inhabited and features a number of architectural attractions, including a neo-classical basilica, convents dating from the 14th and 16th centuries, and the 18th-century Titano Theatre. more uNescO on page 24 P 22 Virtuoso insights
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.