Udine: the new walks with Elena Commessatti in the heart of the city

UDINE: Sentimental, Cheerful and a Little Rock History is the title of the new 2024 spring tour conceived and led by Elena Commessatti in the heart of the city of Udine. It consists of several walks, organized and carried out in collaboration with PromoTurismo FVG and led by Elena Commessatti, writer, literary journalist and editor of the publishing series of Italian travel guides “Incentro” (published by Odòs). The walks come to life thanks to the collaboration of the Friuli Foundation, the Municipality of Udine and the Civic Museums, under the supervision of Federico Malignani. The writer will lead visitors, sometimes in the company of special guests, to several stops, including the new headquarters of the Friuli Foundation at Palazzo Antonini-Stringher, Casa Cavazzini - a museum of modern and contemporary art, Udine’s Monumental Cemetery and Arturo Malignani’s Torretta. also from the Monte di Pietà collections. “UDINE: Sentimental, Cheerful and a Little Rock History” is a tribute to the memory of Omar Monestier, the unforgettable editor of the Messaggero Veneto who passed away in 2022. It is thanks to Monestier’s fervent vision that Elena Commessatti started the successful “Udine Genius loci” format in 2018, designed for the readers of the Messaggero Veneto in collaboration with the City of Udine. So below is the tour schedule(more information at this link).

1. Antonini Stringher Palace

From April 20 to June 22, 2024, the doors will open to showcase the treasures of Palazzo Antonini-Stringher, the new home of the Friuli Foundation, where the rich art collections will finally be displayed together for the first time. The prestigious palace, originally conceived by Andrea Palladio, was recently restored by the Friuli Foundation and formerly the Bank of Italy. The new venue is housed in an old building dating back to the late 16th century, an integral part of the original villa designed by Palladio between 1550 and 1555. After its destruction prior to 1643, the palace was rebuilt after 1751, as evidenced by the stucco and pictorial decorations found during restoration work by the Giannino Di Betta firm. Its art collections tell stories of objects, paintings and illustrious biographies, such as those of Floriano Antonini and Bonaldo Stringher. For the first time, it will be possible to admire donations and the Mount of Piety’s holdings, including “The Deposition” by Pomponio Amalteo and Palma Il Giovane; the twentieth-century picture gallery, with the prestigious collection of artists such as Giuseppe Zigaina and Afro, the latter with a special tapestry. Works also include those by Marcello D’Olivo, Angilotto Modotto, Carlo Ciussi, Giorgio Celiberti and Luigi Zuccheri with his bestiary. Recently, the collection was enriched by a donation from siblings Stefano and Sandra Tubaro, including more than sixty paintings and works on paper by their father, painter Renzo Tubaro. Tours of the palace will be held on April 20, May 25, and June 22, 2024.

2. Arturo Malignani Turret

The Malignani Turret, located near Udine Castle, is one of the places linked to the figure of Udine inventor and entrepreneur Arturo Malignani (Udine, 1865-1939). Thanks to his contribution, the city is known as the “city of light,” having been one of the first four cities in the world, along with New York, Milan and London, to adopt electric lighting. In January 1889, the city was illuminated with a very white light, thanks to Malignani’s experiments. During the April 30 visit, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the Torretta, which served as the headquarters for the inventor’s meteorological experiments. The structure is nestled in the private garden, kindly made available by Arturo Malignani’s heirs for the #Udinepasseggiaterock initiative. In addition, tourists can visit the Museum of Photography inside the Castle, where the history of the Malignani Family and their connection to photography will be told. The exhibition "Arturo Malignani. With the Future in His Eyes (Private Portrait)," curated by Elena Commessatti, Federico Malignani and the City of Udine, offers an in-depth look at Malignani. Part of it was donated in 2016 by Malignani’s heirs to the city’s Civic Museums.

3. Cavazzini House

Casa Cavazzini, now home to Udine’s Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, is located in the historic heart of the city. Thanks to the will of Dante Cavazzini, the City acquired the building, which underwent a long process of renovation under the guidance of architect Gae Aulenti. Since 2012, it has become a landmark for the public, promoting culture and enhancing Udine’s historic center. The first two floors of the facility house a permanent exhibition with a new arrangement of collections. This artistic itinerary ranges from the late19th century to the present day, presenting important paintings and sculptures. The ground floor, on the other hand, is reserved for temporary exhibitions and other cultural events. From its origin as a workshop to a private residence and finally a museum, Casa Cavazzini now offers visitors the chance to admire the modern and contemporary art collections, recently made accessible to the public again (Astaldi Collection and FRIAM). Among the newest additions is the “Zigaina Room,” which will be officially opened on May 24 in permanent honor of Giuseppe Zigaina (Cervignano del Friuli, 1924 - Palmanova, 2015), on the centenary of his birth. Visits to Casa Cavazzini are scheduled for April 26, May 3 and June 8, 2024.

4. San Vito Monumental Cemetery.

Three appointments will then see the return of Commessatti’s brilliant “Genius Loci” inside the San Vito Monumental Cemetery, where visitors will be guided through the cemetery’s stories and objects, linking the tours to the city’s museums and the stories of the protagonists. Udine’s monumental cemetery, erected in the Neoclassical style beginning in 1816 in response to Napoleonic laws that prohibited burials within the city walls, is a site of great historical and cultural interest. Guided tours of San Vito, one of the first neoclassical cemeteries in Italy, have long been a staple on writer Elena Commessatti’s tours. An experienced conductor, Commessatti takes visitors on a journey through this beloved funerary site, letting objects, monuments, votive statues and stone details that often escape the untrained eye speak for themselves. In his tours this season, Commessatti will integrate the biographical stories of the cemetery’s protagonists with visits to the city’s museums, creating a comprehensive and compelling cultural experience. It will be possible to visit the Monumental Cemetery on the dates of May 18 and June 22, 2024.

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Udine: the new walks with Elena Commessatti in the heart of the city

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