Grado, Friuli Venezia Giulia
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Grado (; ; ; ) is a town and (municipality) of 8,064 residents in the Regional decentralization entity of Gorizia in the north-eastern
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
region of
Friuli-Venezia Giulia Friuli-Venezia Giulia () is one of the 20 regions of Italy and one of five autonomous regions with special statute. The regional capital is Trieste on the Gulf of Trieste, a bay of the Adriatic Sea. Friuli-Venezia Giulia has an area of and a ...
, located on an island and adjacent peninsula of the
Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...
between
Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
and
Trieste Trieste ( , ; ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital and largest city of the Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, as well as of the Province of Trieste, ...
. The territory of the municipality of Grado extends between the mouth of the Isonzo and the
Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...
and the Grado Lagoon, and covers an area of about 90 square kilometers between Porto Buso and Fossalon. Characteristic of the lagoon is the presence of the , which are simple houses with thatched roof used in the past by the fishermen of Grado, who remained in the lagoon for a long time, returning to the island of Grado only during the colder period of the year. Once mainly a fishing centre, today it is a popular tourist destination, known commonly as ("The Island of the Sun"). It is also famous because it is a
spa town A spa town is a resort town based on a mineral spa (a developed mineral spring). Patrons visit spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. Thomas Guidott set up a medical practice in the English town of Bath, Somerset, Ba ...
; from 1873 a maritime hospice for children called Ospizio Marino wanted by the doctor Giuseppe Barellai was established on the island, because the climate and the environment of the island are a good place for the treatment of some childhood diseases. Subsequently, Grado was the chosen destination for marine thermal treatments, especially by the Austrian population. Together with
Marano Lagunare Marano Lagunare () is a (municipality) in the Regional decentralization entity of Udine in the Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about northwest of Trieste and about south of Udine. Marano Lagunare borders the following munici ...
, it is the centre of the Marano-Grado Lagoon, which is famous for its uncontaminated nature. Grado is the birthplace of
Biagio Marin Biagio Marin (; ; 29 June 1891 – 24 December 1985) was a Venetian and Italian poet, best known for his poems in the Venetian language. In his writings he never obeyed rhetoric or poetics. He only employed a few hundred words for his poems. Ea ...
, a poet who sang about the island in the local Venetian dialect.


History

In Roman times the city, known as ''ad Aquae Gradatae'', was the first port for ships entering the Natissa (
Natisone The Natisone (; ; ) is a river in Slovenia and Italy. It flows for some time as a border river between Slovenia and Italy, continues in Slovenia and then crosses the border and continues in Eastern Friuli, in northeastern Italy. It is the main tri ...
), headed upstream to
Aquileia Aquileia is an ancient Roman city in Italy, at the head of the Adriatic at the edge of the lagoons, about from the sea, on the river Natiso (modern Natisone), the course of which has changed somewhat since Roman times. Today, the city is small ( ...
. During the late years of the
Western Roman Empire In modern historiography, the Western Roman Empire was the western provinces of the Roman Empire, collectively, during any period in which they were administered separately from the eastern provinces by a separate, independent imperial court. ...
many people fled from Aquileia to Grado in order to find a safer place, more protected from the invasions coming from the east. In 452, Nicetas, Bishop of Aquileia, took refuge briefly at Grado; of the same period is the earliest construction of Grado's first cathedral, the first church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, and the baptistery. Grado was the home base of the patriarchate's fleet. In 568, after the invasion of the
Lombards The Lombards () or Longobards () were a Germanic peoples, Germanic people who conquered most of the Italian Peninsula between 568 and 774. The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written betwee ...
who captured neighboring
Aquileia Aquileia is an ancient Roman city in Italy, at the head of the Adriatic at the edge of the lagoons, about from the sea, on the river Natiso (modern Natisone), the course of which has changed somewhat since Roman times. Today, the city is small ( ...
, metropolitan
Paulinus I of Aquileia Paulinus I was the first Patriarch of Aquileia, serving from 557 to 571. Background When he took over the see was in schism with Rome. When the Lombards invaded northern Italy in 568, Paulinus fled Aquileia Aquileia is an ancient Roman city in I ...
found refuge in Grado that remained under
Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...
rule. Since Aquileia remained in Lombard hands, Grado became permanent residence of Aquileian metropolitans-patriarchs, and the transfer of Aquileian see to Grado was formalized in 579. Thus Grado became also known as the ''New Aquileia''. At the beginning of the 7th century, a rival patriarch was elected in the old Aquileia, and since that time two lines of Aquileian patriarchs continued throughout the middle ages, one in New Aquileia (Grado) with jurisdiction over the Byzantine-controlled coastal regions (including the
Venetian Lagoon The Venetian Lagoon (; ) is an enclosed bay of the Adriatic Sea, in northern Italy, in which the city of Venice is situated. Its name in the Italian and Venetian languages, ' (cognate of Latin ' ), has provided the English name for an enclosed, ...
), and the other in old Aquileia (later moved to
Cormons Cormons or Cormòns (; ) is a (municipality) in the Regional decentralization entity of Gorizia in the Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about northwest of Trieste and about west of Gorizia, on the border with Slovenia. Cor ...
, and then to
Cividale Cividale del Friuli (, locally ; ; ) is a town and (municipality) in the Province of Udine, Regional decentralization entity of Udine, part of the Northern Italy, North-Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The town lies above sea-level in th ...
), with jurisdiction over the Lombard-held interior. A long-lasting dispute over the authority of the two patriarchs ensued. In 993, the patriarch Popo of the old Aquileia conquered Grado but was unable to keep possession of it. The matter was settled only in 1027 when the pope confirmed jurisdiction of the See of new Aquileia over Grado and the Venetian province. The seat of the patriarchate was transferred from Grado to
Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
in 1451 by
Pope Nicholas V Pope Nicholas V (; ; 15 November 1397 – 24 March 1455), born Tommaso Parentucelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 March 1447 until his death in March 1455. Pope Eugene IV made him a Cardinal (Catholic Chu ...
. Reduced to a minor hamlet, Grado was sacked by the
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...
, who burned the city archives in 1810 and by the
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
in 1812. Grado was acquired by Austria in 1815, to which it belonged until 1918 when it was ceded to Italy after its victory in World War I. In the Belvedere area where the land is interrupted and gives way to the lagoon, it was possible to embark to reach the island of Grado. Subsequently, there was a tourist and urban development and in 1905 a road was built in the middle of the lagoon to connect the two parts of the territory. In 1936 Grado was definitively connected to the mainland through the construction of a swing bridge which put an end to the isolation of the island.


Main sights

Today there are frequent finds of inscriptions, sarcophagi, marble sculpture and small bronzes that once furnished its villas. The remains of one of these villas have been excavated on the islet of Gorgo in the lagoon. Modern landmarks include: *The ''Basilica of Sant'Eufemia'' (
Cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...
), with the octagonal Baptistry (late 5th century). The church was once preceded by a quadri-
portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cu ...
, one of the columns of which is now in the centre of the Patriarch's Square. The current appearance of the church dates from the reconstruction by Fra Elia (579), with a simple hut façade and a bell tower (15th century) on the right side, which is surmounted by a statue portraying
St. Michael Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel and the warrior of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second- ...
and known as the ''Anzolo'' (1462). The interior has a nave and two aisles. The main point of interest is the mosaic pavement from the 6th century, restored in 1946–48. *The basilica of ''Santa Maria delle Grazie''. Begun in the 4th to 5th centuries, it was renovated in the 6th century and restored in
Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
in 1640. *The '' Barbana Sanctuary''. It is located in a small island in the Grado Lagoon called Barbana, which can be reached in 25 minutes by motorboat, the service is offered by the boat "Nuova Cristina" from Riva Zaccaria Gregori, Grado. The original church was erected in 582 and was since rebuilt and enlarged. The current sanctuary was built in Neo-Romantic style and houses numerous vestiges of the buildings that have succeeded each other over the centuries, including two columns that probably date back to the original church. Inside there are very different works: the main altar has a relief with the lagoon surmounted by a wooden statue guarded by an aedicule of the Madonna, a large canvas representing the union of Venetians in a brotherhood, two Venetian altars dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua (on the right) and St. Francis of Assisi (on the left). Furthermore, near the entrance to the bell tower, it is possible to see capitals and marble from the early Middle Ages. Of the ancient fortress only a tower, turned into a private residence, and parts of the walls can still be seen. Under the Town Hall are remains of the Palaeo-Christian basilica of Piazza Vittoria. The Valle Cavanata Nature Reserve is a
protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural or cultural values. Protected areas are those areas in which human presence or the exploitation of natural resources (e.g. firewood ...
situated in the easternmost part of the Grado Lagoon.


Resort town

Today, Grado attracts scores of tourists each year to its hotels and campgrounds. The main attractions are its two large and sandy beaches, as well as its well-preserved pedestrian-only centre, in which many shops, bars, and restaurants are located. Grado also offers facilities for many sporting activities, including tennis, wind-surfing, and golf. Excursions by boat to the Grado Lagoon are available, where one can visit the many dozen islands inside it (like Barbana). Laguna di Grado (in Italian)
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Twin towns

*
Sankt Lorenzen bei Knittelfeld Sankt Lorenzen bei Knittelfeld is a former municipality in the district of Murtal in Styria, Austria. Since the 2015 Styria municipal structural reform The Styria municipal structural reform (German: ''Steiermärkische Gemeindestrukturreform' ...
, Austria *
Sankt Marein-Feistritz Sankt Marein-Feistritz is a municipality since 2015 in the Murtal District of Styria, Austria. The municipality, Sankt Marein-Feistritz, was created as part of the Styria municipal structural reform, at the end of 2014, by merging the former town ...
, Austria


Image gallery

File:July2006_Grado old town II.JPG, Many restaurants can be found in the oldest part of the town. File:Cathedral_S_Eufemia,_Grado_IMG_0717_bordercropped.jpg, Basilica di Sant'Eufemia by night File:July2006_Grado old town III.JPG, The harbour File:Santuario-madonna-di-barbana.jpg, Barbana island, the Marian sanctuary File:Grado kanal.JPG, Channel in Grado


See also

*
List of islands of Italy This is a list of islands of Italy. There are nearly 450 islands in Italy, including islands in the Mediterranean Sea (including the marginal seas: Adriatic Sea, Ionian Sea, Libyan Sea, Ligurian Sea, Sea of Sardinia, Tyrrhenian Sea, and inland is ...
* Grado Lagoon *
Friuli-Venezia Giulia Friuli-Venezia Giulia () is one of the 20 regions of Italy and one of five autonomous regions with special statute. The regional capital is Trieste on the Gulf of Trieste, a bay of the Adriatic Sea. Friuli-Venezia Giulia has an area of and a ...
* Battle of Grado


Notes


Bibliography

* * * * Benedetti, Graziano. "Lagune del Friuli-Venezia Giulia: itinerari, tradizioni & antichi sapori. Alla scoperta di una natura affascinante.", in LEGUIDE MAGNUS, 1994. * Bisconti F., ''Temi di iconografia paleocristiana'', Vatican City, 2000. * Bovini G., "Grado paleocristiana", in ''Archeologia Cristiana'', Bologna 1973. * Farioli R., "Mosaici pavimentali dell'alto Adriatico e dell'Africa settentrionale in età bizantina", in ''Antichità Altoadriatiche'', vo. V.paleocristiana, Ravenna 1975. * Farioli R., '' Pavimenti musivi di Ravenna'', Ravenna 1975. * Marocco, Ezio. "Grado: guida storico artistica", Bruno Fachin Editore - Trieste. * Rentetzi, Efthalia. "Un'inedita figura di pesce. Parentele stilistiche tra i mosaici pavimentali di s. Maria delle Grazie e s. Eufemia a Grado", in ''Artonweb. Punti di visa sull'arte.''

* Rentetzi, Efthalia. "Un frammento inedito di S. Eufemia a Grado. Il pavimento musivo del Salutatorium", in
Arte Cristiana
, fasc.. 850 (Gennaio - Febbraio 2009), Volume XCVI, p. 51-52.


External links


Official institutional website of City

Official tourist website of City

Scuola Insieme, a local Italian language school
offers details on history, travel, and activities in and around Grado.
Richard Stillwell, ed. ''Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites'', 1976:
"Ad Aquas Gradatas (Grado), Italy" *Information abou
Grado

{{Authority control Cities and towns in Friuli-Venezia Giulia