SOME TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF WALSCH-TYROL: TRENT, ITS HISTORY,
COUNCIL, AND BUILDINGS--ROVEREDO AND DANTE--ARCO--RIVA
Trent, which is easily reached from Bozen through the Etschland by the
Bozen-Verona line, which winds through some delightful scenery and
passes many a ruined castle perched high on inaccessible heights, is
not only a large town of upwards of 25,000 inhabitants, but was
anciently one of the wealthiest in Tyrol. It is generally supposed to
have been founded by the Etruscans, and both Pliny and Ptolemy make
mention of it; but whoever designed Trent seized upon a beautiful
situation, and the builders have left behind them in the quaint town,
broad streets, handsome palaces of dead and gone nobles, and a forest
of towers and spires, delightful survivals of mediæval days.
Surrounded by limestone crags, the city itself, notwithstanding its
Italian character and fine atmosphere, gives one at first sight an
impression of lack of colour which is not usually the case with
Italian towns.
Regarding the foundation of the city and the origin of its name, there
is at least a local tradition that it was founded in the time of
Tarquinius Priscus, about B.C. 616, by a body of Etruscans led by
Rhaetius; and these founders, although so far removed from the sea,
instituted the worship of Neptune, from which circumstance the ancient
name Tridentum was derived. Be this as it may, the circumstance is
interesting, as in these Etruscans under the leadership of Rhaetius
one can perhaps discover the origin of the Rhaeti, who ultimately gave
so much trouble to the Empire of Rome. At any rate, Rhaetius gave his
name to the district in the immediate vicinity of Trent. The
interesting Castle Del Buon Consiglio, which forms so dominating a
feature of the town, and possesses a circular and lofty donjon of the
type of Guy's Tower at Warwick, with its fine Renaissance loggia in
the inner or fountain courtyard and several storied arcades in the
older, was once the residence of the Prince Bishops, but now used as
barracks. In it is preserved an ancient inscription relating to the
government of the town, which proves that the regulations and statutes
were very largely modelled upon those of Rome itself.
Those who can do so should certainly endeavour to visit Trent during
the latter part of the month of June, not merely from the fact that
this month is charming by reason of the beauties of nature, the wealth
of tender new foliage and delightful climate, but also because on the
26th of the month falls the Festival of Saint Vigilius, the patron
saint of Trent, and the martyr missionary who anciently did much to
Christianize the country. At this _fête_ the ancient city, whose
by-ways and narrower streets are full of interest, picturesqueness,
and charm, is seen at its gayest and best. All the many churches are
crowded with worshippers, thousands of whom have flocked down from the
surrounding mountains and come in from the various villages of the
Etschland, bound first upon religious observances in honour of their
patron saint and afterwards to take part in the characteristic games
and amusements which give the city for the time being such a festive
and Bank Holiday air. In former days the more violent amusements were
often supplemented by the performance of religious dramas, somewhat on
the lines of the better known and more elaborate plays of
Ober-Ammergau and the Brixenthal, and also by the illumination of the
surrounding hills by huge bonfires, which are said to have had their
origin in the religious observances of even more remote times than
that of the Etruscan occupation.
Saint Vigilius, who was born at Rome, eventually became the Bishop of
Trent, and ultimately suffered martyrdom during one of the many
persecutions which took place, and were similar in character to those
of the fourth century.
The city during its early wars was several times sacked, and more than
once burnt by the Bavarian hordes which overran the country and even
at last reached the gates of Rome itself. Thus Trent came to be built
at various periods upon former foundations, and researches of recent
times have tended to show that, as was the case with Rome itself, the
comparatively modern Trent is built upon soil several feet above the
level of its first site. One Italian authority, indeed, states that
the streets of the original town lie some fourteen feet below the
level of those of the present. Traces of at least three distinct lines
of walls marking the growth of the city at various times have been
excavated, leading also to the discovery of many interesting relics of
Roman days, including tessellated pavements, portions of an
amphitheatre of considerable size, ornaments, household utensils, etc.
The bishops still retain their title of Prince, but they lost their
power as territorial rulers at the time of the secularization which
took place throughout Tyrol, and also in the principality of Salzburg.
[Sidenote: THE COUNCIL OF TRENT]
Although this ancient city, which is characterized nowadays by a
cleanliness and order so often found wanting in Italian towns, has
undergone many vicissitudes and has been the scene of important
historical events, to the Trent folk of to-day and to many of the
visitors who come to it the chief events in connection with its
history will undoubtedly remain the sittings of the famous Council
which commenced in the year 1545. Many may wonder how it came about
that so comparatively small a town should have been chosen as the
meeting-place of a Conference intended to attempt the co-ordination of
the beliefs and doctrines and the regulation of ecclesiastical affairs
of the whole of the then Christian world. Probably the sole reason for
this selection was the geographical position of the city, which lay
then, as it does to-day, a frontier town, so to speak, between Italian
and German influences, and though situated on Austrian soil, yet
containing an Italian-speaking population.
The Council opened on December 13, 1545, and continued its sittings
(with interruptions) until December 4, 1563, the last being the
twenty-fifth in number. The meetings of the Council took place at
various times during the reigns of three Popes, Paul III., Julius
III., and Pius IV., and amongst the enactments of the Council the
Canon of Scripture, including the Apocrypha, was confirmed, and the
Church named as its sole interpreter; that traditions were to be
considered as equal with Scripture, and the seven sacraments of
Baptism, Confirmation, the Lord's Supper, Penitence, extra-Unction,
Orders, and Matrimony were also confirmed; transubstantiation,
Purgatory indulgences, celibacy of the clergy, auricular confession,
and other matters were dealt with.
The first sitting was held under Cardinal Del Monte, the papal legate,
who rose amidst the assembled prelates and representatives and asked
them whether it was their wish, "For the glory of God, the extirpation
of heresy, and the reformation of the clergy and people, and the
downfall of the enemy of the Christian name, to resolve and declare
that the Sacred General Tridentine Council should begin and was
begun?" The whole company, we are told, answered "Placet," a Te Deum
was sung, and it was agreed that the first sitting of the Council
should be held on the 7th of January. The sittings were continued at
various times without any untoward event till the year 1552, when
Maurice of Saxony invaded Tyrol, and although the Council was sitting,
most of its members fled the country after having re-enacted the
various decrees and ordinances which had been previously passed.
Ten years later, what was to all intents and purposes another Council
met at Trent, and a solemn service was again held, at which Cardinal
Gonzaga was elected president. A quarrel seems to have arisen between
some of the archbishops and bishops and one of the French envoys. The
former did not agree to some of the terms of the proposition made by
the Archbishop of Reggio, whilst the latter raised an objection to the
Council being considered a continuation of the first Council.
The building in which the Council sat has been stated at various times
to have been the Cathedral, in the Piazza del Duomo, but there seems
very little doubt now that the place of meeting was not there but in
the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, situated on the Piazza of the same
name. In it on the north wall of the Choir hangs a large picture
representing some three hundred of the various chief dignitaries as
they sat in the Council Chamber. The members numbered nearly a
thousand in all, and in addition to the cardinals, archbishops,
bishops, abbots, chiefs of religious orders, and representatives from
the University, there were also present ambassadors from the Emperor
of Germany, and from the Kings of France, Spain, and Portugal, from
the republic of Venice and Genoa, from Switzerland, and from the
German electors.
There were at first serious disputes regarding the mode of conducting
the business of the Council: what subjects were to be brought up for
discussion, and which of those so brought up should have precedence.
The German prelates and representatives appear to have been favourable
to the discussion of subjects of a more practical nature, realizing as
they did that one of the chief causes of disruption and want of
unanimity in the Church was the presence of practical and easily
located abuses. They therefore strongly urged that the first work of
the Council should be of the nature of reforms affecting these
abuses. On the other hand, the Italian prelates and envoys were most
favourable to the discussion of matters of doctrine and ecclesiastical
observances. These differences of opinion were, however, ultimately
overcome by an agreement that for each session of the Council dealing
with dogma there should be one held to consider the question of
practical reforms.
The first president, Cardinal Del Monte, frankly acknowledged that
many abuses had crept into the Church, and to prove the sincerity of
his reforming proposals voluntarily yielded up his pluralities of
office; and this example was followed by the Prince Bishop of Trent,
who offered to resign the See of Brixen.
In 1547, owing to an epidemic then raging in Trent, the first session
was closed, and the next sitting took place at Bologna. Charles V.,
who had been a very active promoter of the Council, objected to the
change of venue and insisted upon it being adjourned. It again sat in
1551 at Trent, and an interesting feature of the sitting was the
presence of Protestant delegates and envoys from Maurice, elector of
Saxony, and from the elector of Brandenburg. Queen Elizabeth declined
to send any representative, preferring to accept the decisions of an
English convocation. After transacting a considerable amount of
business the Council was adjourned, and did not again meet for a
period of eleven years. On that occasion many points came up for
discussion, and a considerable number of measures of practical reform
were agreed upon. One of the most important was the suppression of the
alms gatherers, men who were sent for the purpose from Rome to
different countries with power to sell indulgences. It was by this
means that a large amount of the money with which St. Peter's, Rome,
was built was obtained.
[Sidenote: DECREES OF THE COUNCIL]
Amongst other important matters decreed by the Council was that
prohibiting the sale, printing, or keeping of any books whatever on
sacred matters under pain of anathema and fine imposed by a canon of
the last Council of Lateran, unless first approved of by the
ordinary. It also provided that offenders should have their books
burnt; should pay a fine amounting to a hundred ducats; should be
suspended a year from the exercises of their trades; and goes on to
add that they should be visited with a sentence of excommunication;
and, finally, should their contumacy become worse, be so chastised by
their bishop by every means granted by the law that others might take
warning from them and not be tempted to follow their example. It was
also decreed that even those who lent forbidden books, which included
the writings of arch-heretics, such as Luther, Calvin, and others,
even though in MS., should be liable to the same penalties; and all
those who should have any such books in their possession, unless
confessing the author's name, should themselves be regarded as the
author.
Cardinal Lorraine, who attended with fourteen bishops, three abbots,
and eighty learned doctors of divinity on behalf of King Charles IX.
of France, was charged with instructions from that monarch to entreat
the Council to concede the following reforms and benefits: that in
France the sacraments might be administered, the psalms sung, prayers
offered up, and the catechism taught in the language of the people;
and that the sacrament should be fully administered to the laity. Also
that some strenuous means should be taken to check the licentious
lives of the clergy; and that the Council should make any concessions
tending towards peace and the abatement of schism which did not
controvert or interfere with God's word. The French ambassadors also
asked for clear instructions concerning the doctrines governing the
uses of images, relics, and indulgences; and also they were instructed
to urge argument against exacting fees for the sacrament, benefices
without duties, and many other things which the more liberal minded
and progressive of the prelates regarded as grave abuses in the
Church. One astonishing objection which Renaud Ferrier, the then
President of the Parliament in Paris, in company with Lansac, raised
before the Council was to the dogma that the Pope's authority was
supreme, their contention being that the Council was above the Pope!
As we have said, this important Council on religion came to an end in
December, 1563, when the President moved its dissolution. Before the
closing scene, the acts of the Council were finally agreed to and
signed, "the ambassadors also adding their names." Then the President
dismissed the members in the following words: "After having given this
to God, most reverend fathers, go ye in peace." To which all present
replied, "Amen." Then Cardinal Lorraine rose and called down the
blessing of the assembly upon the then reigning Pope, Pius IV., and
also upon his predecessors, Paul III. and Julius III. "By whose
authority," said the Cardinal, "this sacred Council was begun; to them
peace from the Lord and eternal glory and happiness in the light of
the Holy Saints." To which those present answered, "By their memory
ever held in sacred benediction."
Then there were prayers for the reigning monarchs whose ambassadors
were present, for the holy oecumenical synod of Trent, whose faith
and decrees all present declared they would keep for ever. Then came
the final scene, when the Cardinal, standing in the midst of the vast
assembly, declared in a loud voice, "Anathema! anathema! to all
heretics!" To which there came the reply, "Anathema!" And thus ended
not only the Council of Trent, but also the last great general Council
of the Roman Catholic Church.
[Sidenote: THE CHURCHES OF TRENT]
The church of Santa Maria Maggiore, in which the Council held its
sittings--a rather plain red marble building, which, however, has a
fine Lombardian campanile--will always be one of the most interesting
churches amongst the many of Trent. Severe outside, the interior is
exceptionally ornate. The organ-loft, completed in 1534, twenty years
after the commencement of the church, is one of great beauty.
Designed by Vincenzo Vicentin, it has a white marble balustrading, the
supports of which are thickly encrusted with decorative work and
statuettes of delicately fine workmanship. In the church are also
several interesting and good pictures, amongst the number one
ascribed, though possibly incorrectly, to Tintoretto.
There are one or two interesting traditional stories connected with
this church. The first relates to the beautiful organ, and runs as
follows: "So fine a tone and so esteemed was the work of the now--so
far as we have been able to ascertain--unknown organ builder, that the
Town Council are said to have determined to blind or maim him so that
it should be impossible for him to construct another instrument like
it for any other city. The unfortunate man, unable to get the
Councillors to give up their diabolical intention, asked as a last
favour to be allowed to play on the instrument he had made ere the
barbarous sentence was carried out. But as soon as he was in the
organ-loft he set to work and irreparably injured the vox humana stop
which he had invented, and which had been the greatest attraction of
the beautiful instrument; and thus he punished the Council who had
determined to reward his genius in such a terrible manner."
The other legend is of the crucifix, still to be seen in one of the
side chapels of the Cathedral, which on the occasion of the final Te
Deum, when the Council was disbanded on December 4, 1563, was seen to
bow down in token of approval of the constitutions and enactments
which had just been signed.
Of the fifteen or sixteen churches of Trent, the Cathedral, which was
commenced in the eleventh century and finished in the fifteenth, in
the form of a Romanesque basilica with a lantern above the joining of
the cross, is the most important. It is built of the same reddish
brown marble as the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, which stone
abounds in the immediate neighbourhood. There are some remnants of
seventh or eighth century carvings, notably the Lombard ornaments of
the three porches, which are of great interest. The interior of the
church, which is dedicated to Saint Vigilius, contains many frescoes
and some good pictures and other objects, including a Madonna by
Perugino, a copy of the Madonna Di San Luca in the Pantheon, which was
presented to a Bishop of Trent whilst on a visit to Rome in the middle
of the fifteenth century, and has ever since been an object of great
veneration to the townsfolk and peasantry of the district round about.
The Museum in the Palazzo Municipale, which, at any rate, a year or
two ago was unfortunately closed during the months of July and August,
when many tourists are in Trent, contains some very interesting Roman
antiquities, including inscriptions, household utensils, ornaments,
coins, pottery, and similar objects, and is well worth an hour or two
for inspection.
[Sidenote: DANTE AND THE VAL SARCA]
Dante's connection with Trent does not appear to be, even at the
present time, very clearly proved, although there would seem to be no
doubt whatever that the poet spent some few months, at least, in the
Trentino. This theory gains some considerable support from references
which occur in the "Divina Commedia" to the Trentino, which (various
authorities state) are so detailed as to be only possible from
personal knowledge. It may, however, be pointed out that, as in the
case of Shakespeare, who described many places quite accurately to
which he could never have been, it is possible Dante's knowledge of
the Trentino was not gained from personal experience, and the theory
advanced of his sojourn in the neighbourhood, based upon references to
the district in his works, is not unassailable. A considerable number
of books, pamphlets, and articles have been written, however, by
Italian, German, and English scholars and students of Dante in support
of different theories regarding his visit to these parts. One of the
most learned and thorough writers upon this subject--Zaniboni--appears
to have no doubt that Dante was in the Trentino, but that the
"Inferno" was not written during his supposed visit to the Castle of
Lizzana, but soon after his return to Italy. Other authorities have
inclined to the view that the Val Sarca, near the tiny village of
Pietra Murata, is the real scene of Dante's "Inferno"; and those who
know this desolate and even terrible spot, where the very ground seems
blighted, the heat intense between the towering and craggy cliffs, and
the whole of the valley the scene of a horrible desolation, with huge
boulders tossed hither and thither, and not a blade of grass and
scarcely a patch of lichen to be seen, will be inclined also to
support this view. But whatever the truth may be, Trent has put in a
claim to Dante in the shape of the magnificent monument to him, from a
design by Zocchi, erected in 1896 in the centre of the Piazza Dante,
near the station. The figures around the base of the column upon which
the statue of the poet stands, with his right arm upraised and
outstretched, and his left pressing a roll of MS. to his breast, are
remarkably well executed, and the whole effect of the memorial, with
its background of craggy mountains and its environment of flower-beds,
is impressive.
There are, of course, numberless interesting buildings, and also
several other churches worthy of study and attention; but, perhaps,
amongst all the domestic buildings and palaces of Trent, including the
Palazzi Wolkenstein and Sizzo, and the Tabarelli, in which are
magnificent private collections of pictures and other _objets d'art_,
none exceeds in romantic and legendary interest the Teufelspalast,
which has been known by several other names at various times, and
latterly as the Palazzo Zambelli. This beautiful home (now a bank) was
built by George Fugger, a relative of the wealthy banker, Anthony
Fugger, of Augsburg. The legendary story is as follows:--
George Fugger having become acquainted with one Claudia Porticelli, a
beautiful young woman of Trent, fell desperately in love with her, and
although the fair Claudia does not appear to have discouraged his
suit, she was too proud to yield too readily to his proposals, and in
addition was very patriotic, and inclined to the view that a Tyrolese
maid should marry a Tyrolese man. It was in pursuance of this idea,
when at last her lover pressed her strongly for an answer, that she
told him she would never marry a man who lived so far away from her
beloved home, and that she wondered how any one who did not possess a
tiny _pied à terre_ in Trent, should for a moment think that he could
have any claim upon her affections. This reply to his suit might, one
would think, have discouraged most people, but George Fugger, who
possessed vast wealth, had no intention of yielding up his claim, or
his supposed claim, to the beautiful Claudia without a struggle; and,
moreover, Claudia Porticelli, although discouraging him so distinctly,
had (like a woman) put off the evil day of giving a final answer for a
period of a little more than twenty-four hours. In this delay, George
Fugger saw the solution which great wealth and determination of
character placed within his reach. He determined, therefore, within
the short space remaining before Claudia gave him his final answer, to
build a house "worthy of the human gem whose casket it was to be."
[Sidenote: A SATANIC COMPACT]
Twenty-four hours or so in which to build a palace was, however, such
an impossibly short time that no man could hope to accomplish the task
by human aid alone. Therefore (so the legend goes) he sought the help
from a source to which no good Christian would think of turning,
namely, that of the Devil. In legendary lore there are many stories of
the Devil assisting men and women to an accomplishment of their
desires, but almost invariably at the price of their souls.
George Fugger, however anxious for the Devil's assistance, was too
keen a man of business to wish to endanger his soul; so the object he
set himself to accomplish was to obtain the Evil One's aid without
paying the Evil One's price. The Devil was summoned, and he willingly
enough undertook the task upon the usual condition, of the surrender
at the end of life of the soul of the person he was helping. George
Fugger, without hesitation, signed the bond with his blood, only
stipulating for the insertion of a small clause, which provided that
his Satanic majesty should on his part do Fugger one small service ere
claiming the price of his assistance. The Devil must have been in a
good humour, for he agreed to this quite willingly and unsuspiciously,
and the two parties went their way, each well satisfied with his part
of the bargain.
Teufelspalast was, naturally enough, of magnificent design, and at the
time it was built was furnished with the most luxurious fittings and
decorations that the mind of man or devil could imagine. Marbles of
different kinds entered largely into its construction, and the
gilding, decorations, and carvings were such as to become famous
throughout even a country noted for great and beautiful palaces. When
the building was completed, the Devil summoned the owner, and asked
him to name the little service that he was to do him. George Fugger
had thought out his little scheme of outwitting the Devil, and he took
a bushel of corn and strewed it over the different floors of his vast
mansion. Then he said to the Devil, "See! If you can gather together
all the corn strewn about the palace grain by grain, and deliver it
back to me without the loss of a single grain before morning, then my
soul shall be yours. On the other hand, should you fail to do this, my
soul remains my own as well as the palace you have built."
The Devil, we are told, was not in the least disconcerted by the task
which had been set him, and without doubting for a moment that he
would successfully accomplish it, he set to work to gather up the
grain. In the end, just before sunrise he had completed his task, all
but the finding of five grains of the corn. He searched high and low
for the missing grains, but to no purpose, and ere he could find them
daylight, which was to mark the end of the time allotted for his task,
began to appear; but the Devil, notwithstanding the absence of the
five grains, consoled himself with the thought that Fugger would
never discover the loss of five grains amidst the many hundreds of
thousands of others which he had heaped up in the measure. When Fugger
came to see whether the Devil had performed his task or not, he
counted out the number of grains of corn, and, of course, discovered
the absence of the five, so he asked the Devil where they were.
"Oh," said the Devil, "they are there, the measure is piled quite full
up, and you cannot be so particular as all that."
Fugger replied, "That is all very well, but five grains are missing,
and I must have them, or you have not performed your task, and lose
all claim to my soul in return for the palace you have so marvellously
built me."
The Evil One replied, "You have miscounted the number. I have built
your house and picked up all the grains of corn, and I am not going to
be done out of my part of the bargain; besides, you cannot prove that
there are five grains short."
"Oh yes, I can," replied Fugger; "stretch out your right hand." And
the Devil, not seeing that it could be any harm to comply with the
request, forthwith stretched out his great hand. Fugger seized it, and
said, "There lie the five grains under your own claws. The corn I set
you to pick up had been sanctified by being offered before the Holy
Rood, and for this reason you were prevented from fulfilling your
purpose. You have not collected the grains into your measure by dawn,
as agreed, and therefore our bargain is annulled."
The Devil was in a terrible way. He did not see how to escape
conviction of failure, and so he sought to terrify Fugger by an
exhibition of his Satanic wrath. He set to work and began to attempt
to tear down the building which he had so recently completed. But he
no longer had any power over the palace, and only succeeded in
breaking a sufficiently large hole in the wall to enable him to fly
through it and depart.
For many years this hole, which had been bricked up, was shown to
visitors, and was esteemed by many of the Trent people of the lower
class as proof positive of the superhuman origin of the palace and the
truth of the legend.
The end of the story is just what might be expected. The fair Claudia,
who probably never meant to refuse the rich banker, consented to marry
him, now that he had a home in Trent. And there they lived, so it is
said, happily ever afterwards, and in due time died.
[Sidenote: THE MADONNA ALLE LASTE]
In the immediate neighbourhood of Trent are several other buildings
and places of very considerable interest and of great picturesqueness.
One favourite excursion is to the chapel of Madonna Alle Laste, which
lies on the hillside to the east of the city, about half an hour's
stiff walking from the Port Aquila, a little way off the road to
Bassano. From this spot one not only obtains good views of the town,
but can visit on a spur of the mountain the celebrated marble Maria
Bild, to which there is an interesting legend attached. This "picture"
has been an object of veneration with the people of Trent and the
district round about for centuries.
Some time about the middle of the seventeenth century this fine tablet
was sacrilegiously injured and disfigured by a travelling Jew, much to
the rage and indignation of the people of Trent. And although a German
artist, Detscher by name, did his best to restore the carving, it was
impossible for him to entirely obliterate all trace of the injury it
had received. But, so the legendary story goes, by some miraculous
power it was altogether restored in one night, and this miracle so
increased the veneration in which the Maria Bild was held that people
thought there was no kind of disease too desperate that it could not
be cured by prayers at such a holy shrine. Several miracles are
ascribed to this wonderful carving, which became so venerated that
ultimately a chapel was built for it and placed in charge of a hermit;
and later on a community of Carmelites was established on the spot by
reason of the generosity of Field-Marshal Gallas, and this remained
until the secularization, now many years ago.
The convent buildings, however, still stand, and from them there is a
fine view of the distant range of mountains, and the foreground slopes
covered with peach and other fruit trees.
With the many other interesting walks and legends attached to the
scattered villages which lie in the immediate neighbourhood of quaint
and historic Trent there is no space to deal. Most travellers must
leave Trent reluctantly, for it is beautiful in situation and deeply
interesting from all points of view.
To the south and south-west of it lie two interesting towns. The first
is Roveredo, the second Arco; the former, though a less frequented and
less historic town than Trent, is yet one of some importance and
remarkably well situated. It dates from Roman times, and received its
name Roboretum in consequence of the enormous oak forests by which it
was surrounded. The high road which leads to it, owing to the fact
that it was one of the ancient ways into Tyrol, is crowded with ruins
of ancient fortresses and of castles in a state of more or less decay.
Most of these, including Predajo, Castlebarco, Beseno, Lizzana (at the
last named of which Dante lived during the first few years of the
fourteenth century, after his banishment from Florence), and others
took part in the various struggles for the possession of Tyrol which
were waged at different times between the Emperor of Germany, the
Republic of Venice, the Prince Bishops of Trent, and other powerful
families of the district who carried on private and other feuds
throughout the Middle Ages.
[Sidenote: A BURIED CITY]
At the time of Dante's banishment from Florence Castle Lizzana was the
home of the Scaligers, who gave shelter to the poet during his exile.
Not far from the Castle is that famous Sclavini (or land slip) di San
Marco, which is in reality a vast "_steinmeer_," and is probably
rather of the nature of a great and possibly pre-historic moraine,
than a land slide. But be this as it may the locality of this immense
accumulation of huge rocks thrown hither and thither no doubt provided
the poet with at least the inspiration of the descent into the
Inferno,[19] which runs as follows:--
"The place, where to descend the precipice
We came, was rough as Alp; and on its verge
Such object lay, as every eye would shun.
As is that ruin, which Adice's stream
On this side Trento struck, shouldering the wave,
Or loosed by earthquake or for lack of prop;
For from the mountain's summit, whence it moved
To the low level, so the headlong rock
Is shivered, that some passage it might give
To him who from above would pass; e'en such
Into the chasm was the descent: and there
At point of the disparted ridge...."
CARY'S Translation.
There is a legend that a beautiful city, once known as San Marco,
which was destroyed by a landslip that took place at the beginning of
the ninth century, lies buried under the gigantic rocks. At any rate,
in the Middle Ages this belief prevailed, with the result that the
peasants of the district were for ever digging amidst the _débris_ in
the hope of finding some of the vast treasure which tradition said had
been buried with the city. The story, which possesses an almost
Boccaccian touch of humour, goes on to say that on one occasion a
peasant, whilst thus excavating, came across a vast boulder, on which
was written in letters of fire in Italian, "Fortunate will they be who
turn me over." Naturally enough, the peasant was in a state of great
delight; surely this was an indication that the riches for which he
sought would be found hidden underneath the stone. Calling his
neighbours together, and, doubtless, promising them a share of the
spoil, after almost superhuman exertions, the great rock was rolled
over; but instead of finding in the cavity disclosed the treasure
which they expected, they found but another inscription on the under
side of the rock of a jocular and taunting nature, also in Italian,
which, literally translated, ran as follows: "Thanks for turning me
over; I had a pain in my ribs." As the Italian peasant, of all others,
cares little for unremunerative toil, and is easily depressed by such
sarcasm, we are told, "From that time forth the supposed ruined city
of San Marco and its buried treasures were left in peace."
Not far from this spot, too, on the other bank of the river, is the
home of another legend of a deep cavern, concerning which there is a
tradition that years and years ago it was the retreat of a cruel,
white-bearded hobgoblin who lived on human flesh--children by
preference--and that whoever should have the courage to explore the
cavern to its depths would find at the end of it the remains of the
hobgoblin, and that his spirit would reward the adventurer by telling
him where a vast treasure lies hidden.
Possibly the legend had some origin in the fact that the district
close here was once infested by a fierce band of robbers, who
plundered and robbed, not only travellers, but the people of the
country round about. Towards the end of the twelfth century the band
became so formidable that the then Bishop of Trent despatched a force
against them and destroyed the robbers' lair, building on the spot
where it was, and from whence they were accustomed to attack
travellers, a hospice for the protection of wayfarers, the chapel of
which was dedicated to St. Margaret.
[Sidenote: ROVEREDO]
Some dozen miles southward from Trent, down the pleasant valley
through which the Adige wends its tortuous way, lies Roveredo or
Rovereto, a busy and prosperous town famous for its silk culture,
situated on both sides of the river Leno, and dominated by the ancient
castle, which, built by the Venetians, has withstood many a fierce
siege. The silk trade, that gives Roveredo its chief importance, was
introduced into the town as far back as the middle of the sixteenth
century, and has contributed very greatly to its continuous
prosperity. Strangely enough, the principal family of Roveredo at the
beginning of the eighteenth century established business relations
with England, and a prosperous trade was the result.
The town is prettily situated, and from the hillside above it presents
the usual characteristics of red roofs and white walls which
distinguish most Italian towns. It has many charming by-ways, flights
of cobble-paved steps leading up through quaint arches into zig-zag,
narrow streets of great picturesqueness, in exploring which one is
tempted to spend much time, particularly if possessing a camera. Its
chief streets, however, are wide and handsome, notably the Corso
Nuovo, planted with shady trees, leading from the railway station to
the town.
Although there are seven or eight churches in Roveredo, none of them
are of any great moment, but there is a good altar-piece, supposed to
be the work of Giovanni da Udine, in the church of St. Rocchus, a
building erected in the middle of the seventeenth century owing to a
vow made by the inhabitants to do this during a visitation of the
Plague if the scourge was stayed. Although not a place to stay in for
any considerable length of time, Roveredo is undoubtedly worth a visit
from those who like picturesque architecture, and also on account of
its pleasant situation.
Arco, which is on the way to Riva, lies almost due west of Roveredo,
but is reached by rail circuitously, via Mori, Nago, and Vignole, and
is picturesquely situated in the midst of laurels, palms, and olives,
dominated by the large and ancient castle situated on a pine-clad rock
high above the town. This castle was bombarded by the French, and
destroyed during the War of the Spanish Succession in 1703. The
church, a prominent object of the pretty town, is of considerable
interest, and amongst other places worthy of note is the château of
the late Archduke Albert, which has a remarkably fine winter garden.
Arco has of recent years gained some note as a health resort for
invalids with a consumptive tendency and, in consequence, possesses
quite a number of excellent hotels.
From Arco to Riva is but a few miles, and, if possible, these should
be travelled by carriage in preference to the train, as the road lies
through the most delightful meadowland, fertile, and stretching upward
on either hand to the towering heights which shut in the valley. Riva,
which is the Tyrolese port of charming Lake Garda, is one of the most
delightful spots in all Tyrol. As one stands on the promenade, far
towards the south stretches the beautiful lake, whose deep-blue waters
and exquisite environment of mountains have been sung by poets and
described by travellers in every language of Europe. At the head of
the lake there is a very busy scene of coming and going
tourist-steamers, sailing craft piled with merchandise, hay, and other
produce, giving the little harbour quite a business-like air, which,
combined with unusual picturesqueness, cannot fail to charm every one
who comes to it.
The town itself is situated chiefly at the foot of the precipitous
Rocchetta, on the sides of which olive trees, figs, palms, aloes, and
other vegetation grow; whilst above one hangs a deep-blue Italian sky,
luminous in summer with the brilliant sunshine of northern Italy. A
wanderer in the quaint streets and by-ways, some of the former of
which are arcaded, will come across many a picture and many a piece of
charming architectural detail for canvas and camera, whilst close to
Riva, on the shore of the lake, is the little village of Torbole, the
resort of artists, who find in its primitive character of a
fisherman's hamlet a veritable mine of delightful subjects for
pictures.
The Parish Church of Riva deserves attention; it is really a handsome
building, and has much of interest in its interior. On the outskirts
of the town is the church of the Immaculate Conception, which was
built by Cardinal von Madruzz for the purpose of enshrining a
wonder-working picture of the Blessed Virgin. Two churches which have
their origin in times of plague, those of San Roch and San Sebastian,
erected in 1522 and 1633, are found in the town. The district round
about has the distinction of supplying the whole of Tyrol with the
branches of olive which are used on Palm Sunday; and Riva was long
considered the most northerly limit at which olive trees would
flourish. This idea, however, has of recent years proved to be
erroneous, as they are now cultivated as far north as Bozen.
[Sidenote: A WONDERFUL VIEW]
The ascent of the Altissimo di Nago, although a tough climb for all
save practised walkers, is well worth the trouble, as the panorama of
the lake obtained from the summit is one of astonishing beauty. Many
visitors to Riva also go to San Giacomo for the purpose of seeing the
sun rise, just as the ascent of the Rigi is made. Behind one extend
mountain range upon mountain range, and lofty peak upon peak of rocky
and snow-clad Alps; whilst to the south lies the beautiful Lake Garda,
of royal blue in the growing light, and the widespread plains of
Lombardy on either hand studded with fair cities, of which number
Milan, if the atmosphere be clear, will seem--though actually far
distant--to be so close that a good before-lunch stroll should enable
one to reach it.
This favoured town not only takes one to the southern limit of Tyrol,
but provides a charming rest-place, from which many interesting
excursions may be made before setting one's face, reluctantly it will
surely be, northward once more, through perhaps the grander but less
soft and rest-provoking scenery of wilder Tyrol.
FOOTNOTE:
[19] Dante's "Inferno," Canto XII., lines 1-12.