Page 65 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

THE HIST OR Y OF IT AL Y  63

Where to See
Baroque Italy

Trial of Galileo
The great astronomer was often in trouble with the
Inquisition. He was summoned to Rome in 1633
and forced to deny that the Earth and planets
moved round the sun.
Lepanto was the last
major sea battle in which The Ecstasy of St Teresa
Venetian galleys played St Ignatius Loyola by Bernini (p416) has the
an important role. The Spanish saint dynamic theatricality
was the founder characteristic of the
best Baroque sculpture.
of the Jesuits –
sanctioned by the The Baroque is strongly associated
pope in Rome with Rome and in particular with
in 1540. its great public spaces such as
Piazza Navona (pp402–3) and the
many churches by Borromini and
Bernini. Other cities and towns
with striking Baroque architecture
include Lecce (pp516–17) in Puglia,
Palermo (pp530–33), Noto (p547)
and Siracusa (pp546–7) in Sicily,
and Turin (pp224–7).

Cherubs, a favourite
motif in Baroque
decoration

Revolt of Masaniello (1647)
High taxes made Spanish rule in Naples
The turban, symbol of unpopular. A proposed tax on fruit
the defeated Turks sparked off this failed revolt.

1626 New St Peter’s 1669 Venice loses 1694 Andrea Pozzo completes
consecrated in Rome island of Crete to ceiling fresco for the church of
the Turks Sant’Ignazio in Rome
1631 Duchy of Urbino
absorbed by Papal States 1678 Birth of Vivaldi
1600 1625 1650 1675
1633 Galileo 1647 Revolt in Naples in 1674 Revolt
condemned by 1642 response to tax on fruit against Spanish
papal authorities L’Incoronazione di rule in Messina 1693 Eastern Sicily ruined by
Poppea by 1669 Major eruption earthquake that kills 5 per cent
Monteverdi of Mount Etna of the island’s population

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