Monselice - Main Sights

Main Sights

The modern town lies in a wide valley between the Montericco (312 m) and the Rocca (110 m) hills (part of the Euganean Hills).

The oldest part of the town lies around the Rocca hill.

In medieval times the Rocca was heavily fortified with five girdle walls that are partially still visible today.

Important points for tourists can be the central square Piazza Mazzini with the medieval Torre Civica (Civic Tower) and the Palazzo del Monte di Pietà(Public Pawn Palace). This building hosts the local touristic promotion board (Pro Loco), that provides information for visits to the town's historical attractions.

Piazza Mazzini square is also the starting point for the promenade walk along Via del Santuario, leading to the most interesting sites of the town, which include:

• The Castle of Monselice (or Castello Cini), which houses one of the most important collections of European medieval weapons and armors.
• Villa Nani.
• The Romanesque church of Santa Giustina (12th century).
• The Seven Churches Sanctuary (Santuario delle Sette Chiese or Via Romana) with paintings by Palma il Giovane. Pietro Duodo (1554-1610), a Venetian patrician, committed to architect Vincenzo Scamozzi the project for the Santuario delle Sette Chiese. In 1606, Pope Paul V issued a papal bull that granted to pilgrims visiting the Sanctuary the same Catholic indulgencies granted to pilgrims visiting the seven main churches (basiliche) of Rome, hence the "Romanis Basilicis Pares" inscription on the portal of the sanctuary.
• Villa Duodo, designed by Scamozzi.
• The Keep (Mastio or Torrione), still standing on the Rocca hilltop. It is a massive tower built with huge regular trachyte blocks from local quarries.

Monselice is an ideal starting point for excursions to the Euganean Hills (Colli Euganei).