Vicentine Alps and Berici Hills

<< Veneto

A large portion of the Province of Vicenza is occupied by hills and mountains. Just south of the provincial capital are the Berici Hills (Colli Berici), while to the west and north are the Vicentine Alps (Prealpi Vicentine). Various towns with interesting attractions are located at the foot of the mountains, most notably Bassano del Grappa. The Vicentine Alps also feature a few famous massifs, and here is also the Asiago Plateau, known for its natural beauty.

Montecchio Maggiore

Montecchio Maggiore is a town located just a few kilometers west of Vicenza, between the Vicentine Alps and the Berici Hills. It was inhabited since ancient times and it has always followed the history of the capital of the province, but it is noted as the place in which the famous history of Romeo and Juliet was born.

Castles of Romeo and Juliet

Two medieval castles stand on top of a hill overlooking Montecchio Maggiore. The southern one is Castello della Bellaguardia, while the northern one is Castello della Villa, and they are also respectively known as Castle of Juliet (Castello di Giulietta) and Castle of Romeo (Castello di Romeo). According to a popular belief, the sight of the two opposing castles inspired Luigi da Porto to write the story of Romeo and Juliet, then made famous by William Shakespeare.

Villa Cordellina

Villa Cordellina is a large patrician residence built in the 18th century just outside of Montecchio Maggiore. The richly adorned villa is surrounded by a park and features a series of frescoes by Tiepolo.

Bassano del Grappa

Bassano del Grappa is a city in Veneto at the foot of the mountains of the Province of Vicenza, not far from Monte Grappa. It was inhabited in the pre-Roman and Roman period, but it truly developed in the the Middle Ages, growing into an important regional center and eventually becoming part of the Republic of Venice and finally Italy. Bassano del Grappa was on the frontline during World War I and also suffered damage in World War II. Now Bassano del Grappa is a developed industrial city at the center of conurbation that includes various neighboring towns.

✪ Ponte degli Alpini

Also known as: Ponte Vecchio

The symbol of Bassano del Grappa is the covered wooden bridge over the Brenta river, known as Ponte degli Alpini (“Bridge of the Alpini”) or Ponte Vecchio (“Old Bridge”). The first bridge here was erected in the 13th century but it was replaced with the current design, by Andrea Palladio, in 1569. This bridge was destroyed and rebuilt three times. It collapsed after a flood in 1748, it burned down in a fire in 1913, and finally ruined by an explosion in 1945. The current structure was built again in 1948 following the Palladian design, and since the firm responsible for the work was linked with the Alpini military corps, it became known as Ponte degli Alpini. One end of the bridge now features the Museo degli Alpini, a military museum dedicated to the Alpini.

Palazzo Sturm

Palazzo Sturm is a large 18th-century decorated palace located along the Brenta river, hosting two museums. One is the Ceramics Museum (Museo della Ceramica), showcasing the long history of ceramics production in Bassano del Grappa. The other one is the Remondini Printing Museum (Museo della Stampa Remondini), focused on the history of printing and the related industry.

Castle of the Ezzelini

Also known as: Upper Castle (Castello Superiore)

The Castle of the Ezzelini (Castello degli Ezzelini) is a fortified complex located on a hill in Bassano del Grappa. Built during the Middle Ages, the castle later lost its military importance. The main religious building of the city, the Duomo, is inside the former castle and it hosts various artworks.

Piazza Garibaldi

Piazza Garibaldi is the historic central square of Bassano del Grappa. The north side of the square is dominated by the medieval Civic Tower, while the southern part houses the Romanesque Church of San Francesco and its former adjacent monastery which hosts the Civic Museum of Bassano del Grappa (Museo Civico di Bassano del Grappa). This museum features an interesting collection focused on local art, architecture, and archaeology.

Piazza della Libertà

Piazza della Libertà is one of the two main squares of Bassano del Grappa. Along with some monuments, it hosts the Neoclassical Church of San Giovanni Battista and the 16th-century Loggia del Comune.

Poli Grappa Museum

The Poli Grappa Museum (Poli Museo della Grappa) is a small museum focused on grappa, the famous local alcoholic beverage. The museum is located inside a distillery in Bassano del Grappa, and features exhibitions on the history and the production of grappa.

Marostica

Marostica is a town in Veneto located at the foot of the mountains just west of Bassano del Grappa. The city developed during the Middle Ages, growing into an important military post with its walls and castles, and it keeps its medieval atmosphere to this day. Marostica is famous for hosting a human chess event in its main square.

✪ Piazza degli Scacchi

Piazza degli Scacchi (“Chess Square”) is the main square of Marostica, and it is famous for its chessboard painted on the ground, which hosts a human chess game every two years. The square is surrounded by porticoes and historic buildings, dominated by the Lower Castle to the south, and Palazzo del Doglione on the northern side.

✪ Marostica Castle

The Marostica Castle is a series of medieval fortifications surrounding the city center of Marostica. The complex was built during the 14th century and it is formed by the Upper Castle (Castello Superiore), located on top of a hill, and the Lower Castle (Castello Inferiore), facing Piazza degli Scacchi. The Lower Castle hosts a museum displaying the history of the live chess game of Marostica. The two castles are connected by some well preserved walls which feature various city gates.

Thiene

Thiene is a city in the Province of Vicenza that has its origins in the Middle Ages, probably developing around an ancient castle. Since the 19th century it has been a relevant industrial center.

Thiene Castle

Also known as: Palazzo Porto Colleoni Thiene

The Thiene Castle is a fortified noble residence built in the 15th century in the center of Thiene. Despite not being a proper castle, it is surrounded by defensive walls featuring some towers. The richly decorated internal halls are adorned with various Renaissance frescoes.

Schio

Schio is a town in the Province of Vicenza situated at the foot of the Pasubio massif. The city developed during the Middle Ages, and has been a relevant regional center ever since. While Schio was under the rule of Venice it became an important site for wool manufacturing, and has been a remarkable industrial center since the 19th century.

Duomo of Schio

Also known as: Duomo of San Pietro

The Duomo is the main religious building in Schio. It is a large Neoclassical church built between the 18th and 19th century on an elevated platform, and it dominates the city center. The interior hosts a few intersting artworks.

Pasubio

The Pasubio is a massif in the Vicentine Alps, along the border between Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige. Due to its strategic position and relevant height, it was a site of fierce fighting between Italy and Austria during World War I. Now it hosts various historic attractions and memorials of the war, among a beautiful mountain environment.

✪ Strada delle 52 Gallerie

The Strada delle 52 Gallerie (“Road of 52 Tunnels”) is a military mule road that runs for kilometers across the Pasubio massif. The road was built during World War I by the Italian soldiers to allow communication and transfer of supplies toward along the top of Pasubio. It features 52 tunnels that cut through the mountain forming now a spectacular, and hard, hiking path.

Military Memorial of Pasubio

Also known as: Pasubio Ossuary (Ossario del Pasubio)

The Military Memorial of Pasubio (Sacrario Militare del Pasubio) is one of the most important ossuaries in Italy, housing the remains of over 5,000 soldiers who died in World War I. The large monument was built during the 1920s on the Pasubio massif, one of the most contested areas during the war. A small military museum stands near the ossuary.

Monte Cimone di Tonezza

Monte Cimone di Tonezza is a mountain in the Vicentine Alps, famous for the fierce fighting that took place here during World War I. The area suffered heavy damage and some of the tunnels and trenches built here during the war still survive to this day.

Ossuary of Monte Cimone

The Ossuary of Monte Cimone (Ossario del Monte Cimone) is a military memorial located on top of Monte Cimone di Tonezza. Inaugurated in 1929, it hosts the remains of over 1,000 soldiers who died in an explosion that destroyed the summit of the mountain in 1916.

Asiago

Asiago is a town located at the center of the tall Asiago Plataeu, at the foot of the Alps. It came to prominence during the Middle Ages, as the capital of the Federation of the Sette Comuni, a loose confederation of villages on the plateau. The area was later ruled by Venice before eventually becoming part of Italy. During World War I, it was at the frontline and it suffered heavy damage in the battles between the Italian and Austrian armies. Now it is a popular tourist destination both in winter and in summer.

Asiago War Memorial

The Asiago War Memorial (Sacrario Militare di Asiago) is a large monument located just outside the city center of Asiago. One of the most important war memorials in Italy, it houses the remains of over 50,000 Italian and Austrian World War I soldiers. It was built in the 1930s, and it also hosts a museum with relics and memorabilia of the fallen soldiers.

Asiago Astrophysical Observatory

The Asiago Astrophysical Observatory (Osservatorio Astrofisico di Asiago) is an astronomical observatory near Asiago run by the University of Padua. Founded in 1942, at that time it housed the largest telescope in Europe. Now, the largest telescope in Italy is hosted in another facility, located on a nearby mountain, the Cima Ekar Observing Station (Stazione Osservativa di Cima Ekar), but its control center is at the Asiago Astrophysical Observatory. The complex, which also houses a museum of astronomical instruments, is one of the main research facilities focused on space science in Italy.