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The Catajo Castle
stands tall on the road leading from Padova to
Battaglia Terme.
This overshadowing structure, rich in history,
charm and legends, was built to celebrate the
Obizzi family and, at the time of its maximum
splendour, hosted one of the largest collections
of archaeological finds in the Veneto Region.
There are many peculiar characteristics of this
building, which is a combination of military
lodgings, the lords’ accommodation and a feudal
castle.
Visit the Castle >>
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The Catajo
Castle has always fascinated its
visitors with its intriguing
characteristics: the name, the greatness
which makes it unique, the legends based
on it. |
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Where does
the name Catajo come from? "Was it a
term created in hounour of the legendary
and exotic Katai, referring to China as
Marco Polo knew it?"
For a long time this was thought to be
the reason for such a peculiar name. The
truth is, the Catajo Castle owes its
name to the location where it stands:
“Ca’ del Tajo”. |
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In the
castle there is a stone stained with the
blood of Lucrezia degli Obizzi, savagely
killed on the night of the 4th of
November 1654 by a rejected lover.
The spirit of the unfortunate Lucrezia
wanders in the castle and many say they
have seen a shadow dressed in light blue
looking out of the highest windows of
the castle… |
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After the
Castle’s entrance hall you’ll come upon
a niche containing a female figure, the
Gabrina, and a sign saying: “Gabrina
lies here, old and prurient / brought
here on the back of the vague dandy /
she, although deaf, crazy and
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disabled in the foot /
flirted with love as long as long as she lived.” She was
malicious in life and even after, such that as you get
close to the sign to read it, you’ll be hit by a spurt
of water! |
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The last
representative of the Obizzi family was
Tommaso, a bizarre, violent type who
loved women and mundane life, but who
was also a great collector of art. His
young wife, Barbara Quercini, died after
only two years of marriage because, it
has been said by many, of the worries
and sorrows stirred by her husband. |
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Tommaso, driven by his
regret, built her a cenotaph inside the Catajo Park and
coined a new coin in her honour. He didn’t get married
again and had no children, with him the Obizzi dynasty
was extinguished. |
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CatajoCastle
Via Catajo, 1 - 35041
Battaglia Terme - Padova
■
Telephone: 049/
9100411 ■
www.Castellodelcatajo.it
■ e-mail:
info@Castellodelcatajo.it
Opening Hours
The Catajo Castle is open to visitors
with the following schedule:
■ March, September, October and November – Sunday and
Tuesday from 14.30 to 18.30
■ April, May, June, July, August – Sunday and Tuesday
from 15.00 to 19.00
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