Slovakia
23 November 2016 - 24 November 2016
Veduta of Bratislava in Palazzo Vecchio in Florence
The objective of the event is to familiarise the general public with a unique fresco which dates back to 1565. The veduta was a wedding present for Joanna of Austria, sister of the Holy Roman Emperor and the first King of Hungary crowned in Bratislava, Maximilian II, who married Francesco I de' Medici. The fresco, known as Possonia, celebrated its 450th anniversary in 2015. It is Europe's oldest fresco depicting Bratislava. This unique fresco remained unknown to the public up to now, as it was not clearly visible or readable before its restoration. The fresco was painted to celebrate the union between two important European courts and families – the House of Habsburg with the House of Medici, rulers of Florence. The Slovak Institute in Rome and the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Rome, together with the Honorary Consulate of the Slovak Republic in Italy, initiated the restoration of the unique fresco in 2005. The town of Florence finished the restoration last year. Bratislava monuments that were unknown to the public in their historical form from the 16th century are now more visible. Historians, restorers, preservationists and many other experts will participate at the expert conference on the story behind veduta Possonia. Contributions presented at the conference will be published in a special publication. A monumental digital photo of the fresco (in a ratio of 1:1) will be on display to the public at the Primate's Palace. The event is co-organised by Bratislava's City Institute of Monuments Preservation, Bratislava city council, the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Rome, the Slovak Historical Institute in Rome, the Municipality of Florence, the Honorary Consulate of the Slovak Republic in Florence and the Italian Cultural Institute in Bratislava.
