Seven Wonders (Doc Series - ENG SUB)

A 2014 Sky Arte seven part docu series showing seven Italian UNESCO heritage sites. Audio in Italian with English subtitles. Episode 2: https://rumble.com/v496960-seven-wonders-genoa-and-the-palazzi-dei-rolli-episode-2.html Seven Wonders of Italy, seven iconic places of the Italian historical-artistic heritage. The series will offer extraordinary forays into precious, partly inaccessible places, thanks to the editing of video images, artistic illustrations, graphic reconstructions and an engaging story, capable of leading you along historical, aesthetic, sociological, anthropological and architectural paths. Episode 1: The Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi (Italian: Basilica di San Francesco d'Assisi) is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Order of Friars Minor Conventual in Assisi, a town in the Umbria region in central Italy, where Saint Francis was born and died. It is a papal minor basilica and one of the most important places of Christian pilgrimage in Italy. With its accompanying friary, Sacro Convento, the basilica is a distinctive landmark to those approaching Assisi. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. The church was designed by Maestro Jacopo Tedesco on two levels, each of which is consecrated as a church. They are known as the "Basilica superiore" (The Upper Basilica), generally called "The Upper Church" and the "Basilica inferiore" (The Lower Basilica), generally called "The Lower Church". The Lower Church was structurally a large crypt supporting the upper one. In the 19th century a lower crypt was constructed beneath the basilica. Architecturally, the exterior of the basilica appears united with the Friary of St. Francis, since the lofty arcades of the latter support and buttress the church in its apparently precarious position on the hillside. The architecture is a synthesis of the Romanesque and Gothic styles, and established many of the typical characteristics of Italian Gothic architecture. To the left of the church stands a free-standing bell tower of Romanesque design. The Lower Church was built entirely in the Romanesque style, having low semi-circular ribbed cross-vaults over the nave and barrel vaults over the transept arms. However, the space has been greatly extended with a number of lateral and transept chapels added between 1350 and 1400. The main entrance to the nave is through an ornate Gothic doorway built between 1280 and 1300, and later enclosed with a simple Renaissance style porch of 1487 by Francesco di Bartolomeo da Pietrasanta (d. 1494). Set in the tympanum of the Gothic doorway is an ornate rose window which has been called "the eye of the most beautiful church in the world". The Upper and Lower Churches are decorated with frescoes by numerous late medieval painters from the Roman and Tuscan schools, and include works by Cimabue, Giotto, Simone Martini, Pietro Lorenzetti and possibly Pietro Cavallini. The range and quality of the works give the basilica a unique importance in demonstrating the outstanding development of Italian art of this period, especially if compared with the rest of Christian Europe.

Episode 2: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which includes a number of streets and palaces in the center of Genoa, in Northwestern Italy. - The Strade Nuove (Italian for "New Streets") are a group of streets built by the Genoese aristocracy during the expansion of the city at a time when the Republic of Genoa was at the height of its financial and seafaring power. These are Via Giuseppe Garibaldi (1558-1583, formerly Strada Maggiore or Strada Nuova) and Via Balbi (1602-1620, formerly Strada Balbi), later followed by Via Cairoli (1778-1786, formerly Strada Nuovissima). - The Palazzi dei Rolli (Italian for "Palaces of the Lists") are a group of palaces - most of which also date from the late 16th and early 17th centuries - which were associated to a particular system of ‘public lodging’ in private residences, whereby notable guests on State visit to the Republic were hosted in one of these palaces on behalf of the State. On 13 July 13, 2006, forty-two of the 163 palaces originally included in one the five public list called "Rolli" (Italian for "lists") were selected as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. The site includes an ensemble of Renaissance and Baroque palaces along the so-called ‘new streets’ (Strade Nuove), which offer an extraordinary variety of different solutions, achieving universal value in adapting to the particular characteristics of the site and to the requirements of a specific social and economic organization. They also offer an original example of a public network of private residences designated to host state visits. The Rolli di Genova—more precisely, the Rolli degli alloggiamenti pubblici di Genova (Italian for "Lists of the public lodgings of Genoa") were the official lists at the time of the Republic of Genoa of the private palaces and mansions, belonging to the most distinguished Genoese families, which—if chosen through a public lottery—were obliged to host on behalf of the Government the most notable visitors during their State visit to the Republic. Later, these palaces hosted many famous visitors to Genoa during their Grand Tour, a cultural itinerary around Italy. Today, Palazzi dei Rolli as a collective name represents the set of the most prestigious palaces of the historical center of Genoa, especially along the so-called Strade Nuove, the "New Streets" built by the Genoese aristocracy at the peak of Genoa's economic power in the 16th and 17th century (Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, formerly Strada Nuova or Via Aurea, Via Cairoli, formerly Strada Nuovissima, and via Balbi, now the home of the University of Genoa). Some of the Palazzi dei Rolli are used today as public buildings, museums, offices and private residences. Among the palaces open to the public, Palazzo Rosso, Palazzo Bianco and Palazzo Doria Tursi jointly constitute the Strada Nuova Museums located in via Garibaldi. Episode 3: https://rumble.com/v496b9h-seven-wonders-turin-and-the-venaria-reale-episode-3.html

Episode 3: In this episode the Venaria Reale, the surprising palace built by Carlo Emanuele II, Duke of Savoy. Venaria Reale (Piedmontese: La Venerìa) is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 8 kilometres (5 mi) northwest of Turin. Founded in Roman times and previously known as Altesssano (Autsan in the Piedmontese language), it was divided into Altessano Superiore and Altesssano Inferiore in the sixteenth century. The upper town was chosen by the House of Savoy as a location for a hunting palace, and its modern name is derived from the Latin for hunting, ars venatoria. It is the only Piedmontese municipality, in addition to Turin, to be able to boast on its territory the presence of more than one Savoy residence: the seventeenth century Royal Palace of Venaria (included in the UNESCO Heritage List in 1997) and the nineteenth-century royal apartments of Borgo Castello, located in La Mandria Regional Park. The palace of Venaria was designed by the architect Amedeo di Castellamonte. It was commissioned by Duke Carlo Emanuele II who intended to make it the base for hunting trips in the Turin moorland. Subsequently enlarged with countless buildings and buildings where the most important architect of the House of Savoy, Filippo Juvara, also worked. Episode 4: https://rumble.com/v496e4f-seven-wonders-castel-del-monte-episode-4.html

Episode 4: In this episode, the imposing Castel del Monte: perhaps the best known of the castles built in Apulia by Frederick II of Swabia. Castel del Monte (Italian for "Castle of the Mountain"; Barese: Castìdde du Monte) is a 13th-century citadel and castle situated on a hill in Andria in the Apulia region of southeast Italy. It was built during the 1240s by King Frederick II, who had inherited the lands from his mother Constance of Sicily. In the 18th century, the castle's interior marbles and remaining furnishings were removed. It has neither a moat nor a drawbridge and some considered it never to have been intended as a defensive fortress. However, archaeological work has suggested that it originally had a curtain wall. When the castle was built, the region was famously fertile with a plentiful supply of water and lush vegetation. The castle is famous for its bold octagonal plan, and classicizing details of the architecture. In 1996, Castel del Monte was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, which described it as "a unique masterpiece of medieval military architecture". Because of its relatively small size, it was once considered to be no more than a "hunting lodge", but scholars now believe it originally had a curtain wall and did serve as a citadel. Frederick II was responsible for the construction of many castles in Apulia, but Castel del Monte's geometric design was unique. The fortress is an octagonal prism with an octagonal tower at each corner. The towers were originally some 5 m (16 ft) higher than now, and they should perhaps include a third floor. The octagonal plan is unusual in castle design. Historians have debated the purpose of the building and it has been suggested that it was intended as a hunting lodge. Another theory is that the octagon is an intermediate symbol between a square (representing the earth) and a circle (representing the sky). Occasionally used as a hunting lodge under Manfred of Sicily, the castle become a state prison under the latter's victor, Charles I of Anjou: here Manfred's sons Henry, Azzo and Enzo were kept as prisoner after 1266, as well as other Hohenstaufen supporters. In the 18th century, the castle's marbles and other ornamentation were looted. Members of the House of Bourbon took the marble columns and window frames and reused them at their palace in Caserta. What remains now includes fragments of a knight and a reused Roman relief, while in the Provincial Gallery of Bari there is a head fragment and a cloaked, headless bust, sometimes interpreted as Frederick II. After having been abandoned for a considerable length of time, the castle was purchased in 1876 for the sum of 25,000 lire by the Italian State, which began the process of restoration in 1928. During the Allied occupation of WWII, the United States 15th Army Air Force headquartered a secret navigational aid station called Big Fence at the Castel. Central to the plot of Umberto Eco's novel The Name of the Rose is an old fortress known as the 'Aedificium'. This was almost certainly inspired by Castel del Monte. It was also the set for the film Tale of Tales. Episode 5: https://rumble.com/v497z90-seven-wonders-lecce-and-the-baroque-episode-5.html

Episode 5: In this episode we go to Lecce, a jewel in the heart of Salento, and at the end of the 16th century the center of diffusion of a particular interpretation of the Baroque. The Lecce Baroque is an artistic and architectural form developed between the end of the 16th century and the first half of the 18th century, particularly in Lecce and the rest of Salento; it is recognizable for its bright decorations that characterize the cladding of the buildings. The style, influenced by Spanish Plateresque, spread in Salento from the mid-17th century thanks to the work of local architects such as Giuseppe Zimbalo (1617-1710) and Giuseppe Cino (1644-1722). The flowering of Baroque art in Lecce began in 1571, when, with the battle of Lepanto, the threat of incursions by the Turks was definitively removed. This artistic movement exploded in its most significant characteristics only in the second half of the 17th century and lasted for a good part of the 18th century. It spread throughout the province, favored not only by the historical context, but also by the quality of the local stone used; Lecce stone, a soft and compact limestone with warm, golden tones suitable for working with the stonemason. The new style, at first, only affected sacred and noble buildings, but subsequently the baroque exuberance, floral motifs, figures, mythological animals, friezes and coats of arms also triumphed in private architecture, on the facades, balconies and on the portals of buildings. Various factors contributed to the birth and development of the Lecce Baroque: a period of peace and political stability, the presence of Counter-Reformation religious orders in the provincial city, a "Spanish" mentality and taste. The wealth of agricultural and floral decorative elements is a naturalistic and sunny metaphor of the "grace of God". Among the most recurring fruits are the pine cone, a symbol of fertility and abundance; the apple, symbol of temptation but also of redemption; the pomegranate, symbol of the Resurrection, of the Church (the seeds are the faithful), of fertility; the vine, attribute of Christ, Eucharistic symbol, blood of Christ in his passion. Lecce together with Salento was enriched with Baroque buildings and palaces, thanks to the talent of local architects such as Giuseppe Zimbalo, Giuseppe Cino, Gabriele Riccardi, Francesco Antonio Zimbalo, Gustavo Zimbalo, Cesare Penna, Mauro Manieri and Emanuele Manieri (Lecce, 1714 – therein , 1780). The most important Baroque works in Lecce are the Basilica of Santa Croce (1548-1646) and the nearby Government Palace, from the seventeenth century; the scenic Piazza del Duomo overlooked by the Cathedral (1659-1670) and the Seminary (1694-1709), in whose courtyard there is a well with rich sculptural ornamentation, the work of Giuseppe Cino and the churches of Santa Irene, Santa Chiara , San Matteo; the basilica of San Giovanni Battista al Rosario, a late work by Giuseppe Zimbalo but finished by Giulio Cesare Penna the Younger (1691-1718), with the impressive balustrade adorned with flower trophies; the eighteenth-century church of Carmine by Giuseppe Cino (1711-1733). Episode 7: https://rumble.com/v498ii0-seven-wonders-siena-and-piazza-del-campo-episode-6.html

Episode 6: In this episode Piazza del Campo: a unique place of undisputed wonder, through which passes the entire history of Siena. Piazza del Campo is the main public space of the historic center of Siena, a city in Tuscany, Italy, and the campo regarded as one of Europe's greatest medieval squares. It is renowned worldwide for its beauty and architectural integrity. The Palazzo Pubblico and its Torre del Mangia, as well as various palazzi signorili surround the shell-shaped piazza. At the northwest edge is the Fonte Gaia. The twice-a-year horse-race, Palio di Siena, is held around the edges of the piazza. The piazza is also the finish location of the annual road cycling race Strade Bianche. The piazza was paved in 1349 in fishbone-patterned red brick with eight lines of travertine, which divide the piazza into nine sections, radiating from the mouth of the gavinone (the central water drain) in front of the Palazzo Pubblico. The number of divisions is held to be symbolic of the rule of The Nine (Noveschi) who laid out the campo and governed Siena at the height of its mediaeval splendour between 1292-1355. The campo was and remains, the focal point of public life in the city. Eleven narrow, shaded streets radiate from the piazza into the city. At the foot of the Palazzo Pubblico's wall is the late Gothic Chapel of the Virgin built as an ex voto by the Sienese, after the terrible Black Death of 1348 had ended. The Fonte Gaia ("Joyous Fountain") was built in 1419 as an endpoint of the system of conduits bringing water to the city's centre. It replaced an earlier fountain that had been completed about 1342 when construction of the water conduits was completed. Under the direction of the Committee of Nine, many miles of tunnels were constructed to bring water in aqueducts to fountains and thence to drain to the surrounding fields. A center of attraction for the many tourists, the present fountain is in the shape of a rectangular basin that is adorned on three sides with many bas-reliefs featuring the Madonna surrounded by the Classical and the Christian Virtues, emblematic of Good Government under the patronage of the Madonna. Episode 7: https://rumble.com/v498ryr-seven-wonders-the-appian-way-the-queen-of-roads-episode-7.html

Episode 7: Among the splendid streets of Rome, only one was the absolute "Queen": the Appia Antica. Let's find out her story. The Appian Way (Latin and Italian: Via Appia) is one of the earliest and strategically most important Roman roads of the ancient republic. It connected Rome to Brindisi, in southeast Italy. Its importance is indicated by its common name, recorded by Statius, of Appia longarum... regina viarum ("the Appian Way, the queen of the long roads"). The road is named after Appius Claudius Caecus, the Roman censor who began and completed the first section as a military road to the south in 312 BC during the Samnite Wars. The Appian Way was a Roman road used as a main route for military supplies for its conquest of southern Italy in 312 BC and for improvements in communication. The Appian Way was the first long road built specifically to transport troops outside the smaller region of greater Rome (this was essential to the Romans). The few roads outside the early city were Etruscan and went mainly to Etruria. By the late Republic, the Romans had expanded over most of Italy and were masters of road construction. Their roads began at Rome, where the master itinerarium, or list of destinations along the roads, was located, and extended to the borders of their domain – hence the expression, "All roads lead to Rome".

Rome is the protagonist of the 2019 Sky Italia Rome TV Programme series "Sette Meraviglie" (Seven Wonders), which offers a journey through the beauties and most extraordinary places of the Eternal City. From fountains to catacombs, from imperial forums to ancient early Christian churches, passing through iconic places such as Castel Sant'Angelo and the Pantheon, accompanied by the narrative voice of Filippo Timi. Audio i Italian with English subtitles. Each episode is dedicated individual themes: the water of the ancient aqueducts and fountains; the fascinating early Christian churches; the treasures hidden underground: catacombs, mithraeums, columbaria; the grandiose Castel Sant'Angelo; the architectural miracle of the Pantheon; the splendor of the Aventine Hill and finally the Markets and Trajan's Forum, an evident demonstration of how the power of a brilliant and courageous emperor could have transformed the face of the capital of the empire. Episode 1: Founded on the banks of the Tiber, Rome has built its fortune on water since ancient times, so much so that it was nicknamed Regina Acquarum, the Queen of Waters. Thanks to the extraordinary monumental aqueducts in the City, numerous public and thermal baths arose, such as those of Trajan and the grandiose ones of the emperor Caracalla. However, the use of the Spa stopped during the Gothic War - which pitted the Byzantine Empire against the Ostrogoths from 535 to 553 AD. - when Vitiges cut the Roman aqueducts, putting the thermal facilities out of use. Water once again became the protagonist in Rome with the Renaissance, during which new aqueducts and magnificent fountains arose in the heart of the city. From Nicola Salvi's Trevi Fountain, to Pietro Bernini's Barcaccia, from Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Fountain of the Rivers, to the Neoclassical style fountains of Piazza del Popolo. Powering these splendid sculptures is the Acqua Vergine, the sixth aqueduct of Rome, still active for centuries, testifying to an uninterrupted link between Rome, beauty and water. Episode 2: https://rumble.com/v4u8g35-seven-wonders-rome-the-paleo-christian-churches-episode-2.html

Episode 2: The Edict of Constantine of 313 AD put an end to the persecutions of Christians who, from that moment on, were able to erect buildings of worship. The first churches built in Rome, called Paleo-Christian Basilicas, survived the centuries hidden by sacred buildings of subsequent eras which incorporated them, protecting their ancient heart. They are twilight and fascinating churches like the Basilica of San Clemente al Laterano which, under its 12th century guise, hides the structures of the primordial church underground with splendid frescoes on the exploits of San Clemente, a warehouse and a Mithraeum. Equally astonishing is the church of Saints Cosma and Damiano, in the Fori Imperiali, the first built in the Fori area. On the Aventine there is the Basilica of Santa Sabina, one of the best preserved early Christian churches in Rome, built in the 5th century on the tomb of Santa Sabina, which later became, around 1220, the headquarters of the order of Domenico de Guzmàn, founder of the Dominican order. Episode 3: https://rumble.com/v4u8k1e-seven-wonders-rome-underground-rome-episode-3.html

Episode 3: The underground of Rome is a fascinating journey into a great variety of environments, some born underground, others buried and guarded for centuries, which tell the other half of the story of what happened on the surface. These secret places are the result of centuries of stratification, construction and reconstruction: tuff and pozzolana quarries, sumptuous buried buildings, such as Nero's Domus Aurea, temples of initiatory cults, labyrinthine Christian cemeteries. Underground Rome is a real time machine whose surface hides stories of common men and emperors, of saints and gods, of ancestral religions, of magical cults. You will see the most varied environments: from the intimate Colombario Di Pomponio Hylas, to the mysterious Nymphaeum of Via Livenza, to the sumptuous Barberini Mitreum. The journey can only end with the largest and most complex underground architecture of the capital: the Catacombs of San Callisto and those of Domitilla. Episode 4: https://rumble.com/v4u8pat-seven-wonders-rome-castel-santangelo-episode-4.html