Some 15 homeless people in Padua have
been given a special tour of the frescoes in the Veneto city's
former medieval court, the Palazzo della Ragione.
The visit was organised by the Asilo Notturno del Torresino
night shelter for rough sleepers.
The homeless were accompanied on the visit by the municipal
councilor for culture, Andrea Colasio, and the councilor for
social affairs, Margherita Colonnello. It was the first event in
the cycle called 'appointments with beauty', promoted by the
Asilo del Torresino in collaboration with the city institutions.
"The opening of cultural places to this segment of the public
that is normally excluded, aims to offer people in fragile
situations new opportunities for social inclusion, and to
represent an example of active citizenship," said the city
council.
The street people openly displayed ecstatic glances at the cycle
of frescoes divided into 12 sections that offer a symbolic
representation of the zodiac signs, inspired by the studies of
the astrologer Pietro d'Abano, carried out by Giotto and his
collaborators (1315-17), and on which Giusto de' Menabuoi also
worked.
The entire fresco cycle was redone in the mid-fifteenth century,
after a fire that devastated the palace in 1420, completely
destroying the vault.
photo: other celebrated Giotto frescoes in the Scrovegni Chapel
in Padua
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