The Brno City Museum and Špilberk Castle are this year celebrating two important anniversaries with an Italian theme. It has been 200 years since Italian carbonari, including Silvio Pellico and Pietro Maroncelli, were brought to Brno and imprisoned at Špilberk. It is also the centenary of the Italian National Pilgrimage to Brno. To mark these occasions, the Brno City Museum is organizing the Italian Days at Špilberk from 20-22 May. Photo credit: KB / Brno Daily
Brno, May 15 (BD) – The Italian Days will begin on Friday afternoon with a commemorative service at the monument to Italian patriots in Špilberk Park, attended by the Italian Ambassador to the Czech Republic, the Italian Honorary Consul in Brno, the Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Prague, the Mayor of Brno and the Director of the Brno City Museum. As part of this event, the museum’s staff are bringing visitors as close as possible to the life of the poet Silvio Pellico, the composer Pietro Maroncelli, and the fate of other Carbonari.
“Our institution is aware of the strength of the legacy of the Italian Carbonari, who were not afraid to fight for the freedom of their country. On the occasion of this event, the Italian Cultural Institute will also lend us an original Italian cartouche, which will thus return to Brno under the bust of Pellico after 70 years,” said Zbyněk Šolc, Director of the Brno City Museum.
The programme for the following two days includes lecture blocks in the Ogilvy Hall by Italian and national experts on the subject, and a special guided tour in the exhibition “The Dungeon of the Nations”, following the footsteps of Silvio Pellico. There will also be stalls open around the castle grounds serving Italian delicacies and drinks. Musical performances will be held to bring the melodies of sunny Italy, as well as an Italian Sunday Mass in the Baroque Chapel.
These two important anniversaries will not only be celebrated at Špilberk, but also throughout the whole of Brno. More information about this event can be found on the Špilberk Castle website.
