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GRADO ISLAND
It is
called Gold Island or Sun Island…But it is
impossible to describe Grado, its fascinating nature,
its history, its traditions, the beauty of beaches,
the benefits of thermal treatments…with this
simple words.
The town of Grado has Roman origin (Grado comes
from gradus, i.e. port of call): it was the chief
of its district and where boats sailing along the
Natissa stopped on their way to Aquileia.
Once a square Roman military encampment surrounded
by walls, it became a refuge for people fleeing
from Attila´s hordes (452). In 568, the Lombards
´ invasion lead the bishop of Aquileia, Paolino,
to move here the Episcopal see. |
| His successor,
Elia, completed the building of the cathedral and
embellished the small town with several churches,
strengthening the patriarch´s position and
Grado´s importance, but causing irreconcilable
differences with Aquileia. |
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HISTORY
It was infact supported by Lombard Dukes,
only in 1180 the conflict between Grado and
Aquileia will be sorted out.
In the Middle Ages, new walls were added to
include early Christian monuments renovated
and rebuilt by the bishop Elia.
Grado ended up being the religious capital
of an area going from the Istrian peninsula
to Chioggia, and his economy, trade and arts
boomed. |
| However,
the suppression of the patriarchate in the
15th century and Venice´s growing power
stripped Grado of its old splendour and left
it with the only privilege to have a Count
and a Council made up of local lords. |
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Grado fell into the hands of the Austrians
after the Treaty of Campoformio in 1797 and
remained almost uninterruptedly so till 1918,
when it was annexed to Italy.
Today Grado is a well-equipped seaside and
health resort, where fishing thrives: it owes
its fame to its superb beaches, its charming
landscape, its places of worship and the dialectal
poems by the great late Biagio Marin (1891-1985) |
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