Strassoldo: Castle Parks, Streets and Churches

Castle Parks with a Distinctive Historical Character

The park of the Castello di Strassoldo di Sopra is centuries old and bordered by spring-fed waterways. Its late-Baroque layout can be recognized by a large orangery with artistically carved, preserved columns. The plant life is also part of the character of this park: its most imposing tree is an ancient Magnolia grandiflora. The spring-fed waterways, orangery and Magnolia grandiflora represent three specific components of the park: water management, garden architecture and a single old tree. In this way, the garden spaces acquire their own connection between architecture, water and established nature.

In the park of the Castello di Sotto, water is the predominant design element. Fountains, fountain structures, ponds and fishponds reflect 18th-century statues and, in some cases, rare plant species. At the edge of the park lies a rectangular island surrounded by a moat, which once housed a miniature Italian garden. Also noteworthy are the park's exemplary state of preservation and its early role in the spread of the landscape garden in the region. The two parks combine water and garden spaces in different ways.

Streets and Churches as Cultural Landmarks

The Porta Cistigna leads to a paved street with an old medieval wall and stone buildings from the same period. The Church of Santa Maria in Vineis contains exceptionally well-preserved 14th-century frescoes by Tommaso da Modena and Masolino da Panicale. Both places complement the castle parks with a direct architectural and art-historical perspective: here, you encounter medieval structures as well as Trecento painting. The paved street and the frescoes lead directly from the medieval structure of the town into the art history of the Trecento.

The Chapel of San Marco was probably built in 1575 by adapting a fortified tower. The present form of the Church of San Nicolò dates from the 18th century; a chapel dedicated to the saint is documented as early as the 14th century. San Nicolò also contains an altar made of white Istrian stone, painted in the 15th century by Bernardino da Bissone. San Marco and San Nicolò thus illustrate different historical periods of religious architecture.

Putting Strassoldo in Context by Bike

Strassoldo is connected with the cycling loop “Verso i parchi e i giardini dei castelli di Strassoldo e di Villa Iachia”. It starts and ends at Cervignano railway station. The parks and gardens of the castles of Strassoldo and Villa Iachia are the focus of this cycling loop.

For the higher-level travel overview: Cervignano Del Friuli.