Italy from the Alps to Mount Etna . was renowned especially for its Muraglia, a fortress wall which extended to Valeggio, a distance of six kilometres. This,too, was erected by the Scaligers in the fourteenth century, and defended by battlements,turrets, and gateways. Borghetto is famous for the ruined bridge which spans the Mincio;Gian Galeazzo Visconti built it to defy the princely house of the Gonzagas, and to turnaside the waters of the Mincio which defended Mantua. He did not succeed in this aim, VERONA, 47 although he expended more than a hundred thousand zeccJiini on the work. The whole
Italy from the Alps to Mount Etna . was renowned especially for its Muraglia, a fortress wall which extended to Valeggio, a distance of six kilometres. This,too, was erected by the Scaligers in the fourteenth century, and defended by battlements,turrets, and gateways. Borghetto is famous for the ruined bridge which spans the Mincio;Gian Galeazzo Visconti built it to defy the princely house of the Gonzagas, and to turnaside the waters of the Mincio which defended Mantua. He did not succeed in this aim, VERONA, 47 although he expended more than a hundred thousand zeccJiini on the work. The wholeof the deep valley which divides Borghetto from the castle of Valeggio, was bridged across;the length of the erection was five hundred metres, the breadth, twenty-five and a half;and fourteen great towers rose threateningly above it. The conflict which thesebattlements appeared designed to call forth was not wanting ; but battles raged fiercesthere in the time of Bonaparte,—not the great, taciturn, soldier-Emperor, but that fiery. CASTLE OF VILLAFRANCA. youth who crossed the Alps as General of the Republic, and stood on the bridge at Areolawith flying banner and flying hair ! On examining closely the crumbling masonry of the bridge at Borghetto, fragmentswere found precisely similar to the Roman buildings at Sirmio, and in the neighbourhoodof the Lake of Garda; deep down amongst the rubbish of the embankment, coins werefound bearing the image of Consuls and Emperors ; in a word, it can scarcely bedoubted that the bridge is erected on the ruins of an ancient Roman viaduct. Longbefore Bonaparte led his legions into battle, Ave, Caesar! had been uttered here byRoman lips. Ave, Caesar ! Word of evil omen which has drenched the soil of Veronawith blood ! BASSANO.
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Keywords: ., bookauthorcavagnasangiulianidig, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870
