Trent

Trent stands in the Adige valley on a route through the Alps between Italy and the German lands. Its bishops ruled a principality within the Holy Roman Empire, combining spiritual office with temporal authority. The cathedral and the castle of Buonconsiglio gave the city an ecclesiastical and princely character, while merchants and travellers passed through the valley on their way across the mountains.

In the sixteenth century Trent became the meeting place of a council called in response to the Protestant Reformation. Convened by Pope Paul III in 1545, the Council of Trent met in several periods before concluding in 1563. Its decrees addressed Catholic doctrine and church reform, shaping the Counter-Reformation. Prince-bishops Bernardo Clesio and Cristoforo Madruzzo enlarged and embellished the city during these years. Under Madruzzo, a Hebrew printing press also operated in the district from 1558 to 1562, producing dozens of works.