Maretsch Castle
Some historical details
The strategic fortress dating back to the beginning of the 13th century is characterized by large walls made of stones taken from the river and laid in horizontal layers. At the time it belonged to the Maretsch family, whose members achieved nobility in the second half of the 13th century.
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Some curiosities you find in the castle
Horned Moses
In art Moses is often represented as horned. However, this representation was based on a mistake in translation: when the Old Tesament was translated from Hewbrew the word “keren” was translated as horns and not as radiated. From th XVI century onwards the Church banned this kind of depiction.
Peter Spetsker
Under the name of Peter Spetsker hides the famous humanist and Protestant reformator Pietro Speziale from Cittadella (1478-1553). The name Peter Spetsker is indeed the exact translation of italian Peter=Pietro, Spetsker = Speziale. Because of his affinity to Protestantism, in the year 1543 he was arrested and imprisoned for eight years by the Holy Inquisition. His motto can therefore be read as an invocation of martyrdom: Vanam gloriam pendo nihili, falsam infamia flori = I barely consider vainglory and I judge as a decoration undeserved infamy.
Patience!
In the Römer room both cardinal virtues and theological virtues are depicted as allegories. This group of classical virtues is related to the representation of patience. Lukas Römer, who commissioned the frescoes, was indeed forced to use patience in order to endure hostilities due to his Protestant sympathies.
Pyramus and Thisbe
During the 16th century the old walkway was turned into a typical Renaissance loggia. Amont the latter it is easy to recognize the story of Pyramus and Thisbe by the famous Roman author Ovid.
From their dramatic story Shakespeare took inspiration for his Romeo and Juliet.
O Fortuna
This inscription is dedicated to Fortune, the Goddess who rules human destiny. Curiously this pessimistc poem is located on one of the merlon of the curtain wall where soldiers found shelter during sieges.
SATOR AREPO
The magic square: the earliest example was found in Pompeii before 79 A.D. However, it was also found in other parts of the world and dating back to different epochs. Many attempts have been done in order to understand its meaning. Nevertheless, it is still not clear wheter it is a prayer, a blessing, a curse or something else.
Photo: Augustin Ochsenreiter