A 15th CENTURY APPARTMENT IN ITALY

Don't forget the Halloween Party ! Infos see above !

Today I will show you an amazing appartment in an ancient monastery built in 1462. It is attached to the most famous church in Rovereto* (Northern Italy) the Chiesa San Marco.

I saw this appartment for the first time in 1968 when I met Nino and Ileana, Mr. Gattino's oldest friends. They were not married yet and Ileana lived in there with her mother since her birth. When they married a year later as we did too, Ileana's mother moved out and the young couple took the appartment over. It is under protection of historic buildings and monuments. They only pay a very small rent but have to well take care of the place.

Since then a lot of things have changed of course, but the outside is still the same as in 1462.

Window frames had been replaced by modern once in hard plastic and there are also double window glasses. Alarms had been put in, an electric door opener, central heating and airconditionning and other things to make life comfortable.

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This picture I took out of the inside of a historical book about Rovereto. Nino and Ileana are represented in there as occupants of this old place. Nino is a big Motorbike lover therefore the moto had to be on the picture too of course !

and here we go :

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To arrive to the church and the ancient convent you have to go through very small streets.


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and then a lot of very high steps !

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and steps again

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but then you arrive at this beautiful church, the Chiesa di San Marco (1462)

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The inside of the church is very beautiful.

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and just besides the church's entrance is the ancient convent which had housed
the "Ginnasio Roveretano" (academic high school) in 1672, the Library in 1764 and the "Accademia delle Agiati" (The Academy of the affluents) in 1785, before being transformed into appartments.

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The entrance with it's huge and heavy oak door

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Inside a court

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and if you look up you see balconies which are the entrances to the appartments.

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but first you have to climb up the old used stone steps

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and you arrive at the entrance door of Nino and Ileana's appartment

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Just behind the door you find a long corridor

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nicely decorated with old weapons. Nino is the peacefullest man in the world but he likes to collect weapons.

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A glance in the living room

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and the combined kitchen and dining room. The door in the front leans to the guest room where we have spent quite a few nights when we were in Italy. I always remember the church bells ! It rings all hours and when we were there once at easter it rang all 15 min ! Even during the night. I can tell you it's so close that you fall out of your bed ! The bells are just besides !

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The dining corner, here dressed for lunch in the evening the table was pulled out for the supper.

Behind you can see a beautiful acquarium.

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and this is the kitchen. Very comfy and modern nothing is missing to make your life easy ! And both are excellent cooks !

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On the toilet I found this and found it funny.

But this is not all, because deep down in the basement, Nino has transformed his cellar into a party room on one floor and and one floor deeper into a storage room where he keeps his wine and makes his own vinegar.

The monks used these cellars too for storage. And just besides Nino's celler is another one with old skeletons and skulls from the monks. The door is locked and you can't get in but they are there ! (and not only for Halloween !)

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The entrance is located quite deep and these are the steps leading to the door. It is rather cool so deep down with these old thick walls. In summer when it is 30°C ( 86 F) outside it is only about 16° (60F) down there and you have to wear a cardigan. But with good food and wine you quickly warm up !

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Look how thick the walls are !

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He opens the door

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and here we are. There is also a stove for cooking and even a grill

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From there other steps lead down more deeper

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and here he makes his vinegar
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and stores his wine, and food.

The rest of the pictures are shown in this slideshow.

I have to say I was deeply impressed how he had transformed his cellar, it hasn't existed the last time I visited them. The idea that already so many centuries ago monks had their food and wine storages here and even graves made me feeling strange somehow.

I also made this little video, unfortunately it is a little dark but it gives you a little overview of the atmosphere.

There are many appartments of this kind around the church, from outside you still believe to be in the middle age but once inside you have the modernest households.

*The town Rovereto I will show you on a future cruise stop.