Mainland Excursions: Some Destinations within Easy Reach of Venice
Verona: photo by Martti Mustonen, 2nd May 2006, GNU Free Documentation License, version 1.2 or later
The historic town of
Verona is located on the River Adige near Lake Garda.
Verona possesses the world's third largest amphitheatre, the “Arena",
which hosts operatic recitals during the summer. It is also the home
town of the fictional Romeo and Juliet.
Shakespeare borrowed the plot of his play from the Veronese writer Luigi
da Porto, who in turn modelled his characters on local Veronese youth.
Juliet’s balcony is now Verona's principal tourist attraction.
Verona has been declared a UNESCO world heritage site because of its
impressive architecture. Many of its buildings are constructed from
alternate layers of white Veronese stone and red brick.
The interior of the Basilica di San Zeno in Verona which is constructed from alternate layers of white Veronese stone and red brick. Copyright 2004 David Monniaux: GNU Free Documentation License, version 1.2 or later
The skyline of Verona is
dominated by the 72 metre campanile of the monumental Basilica di San
Zeno, a 12th century church constructed on the site of a 4th century
shrine.
Verona also possesses several Roman gates and arches. The 1st century
Arco dei Gavi, named after a distinguished Roman family, was demolished
by the French in 1805. The present arch, completed in 1932, is a
reconstruction of the original.
The Porta dei Borsari, a third century gate with an impressive
three-tiered arrangement of arches, once formed part of the city's
defences.
Porta dei Borsari photo by Pentti Helenius, 30.08.2001: Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5 License
PADUA
Padua is located on the Bacchiglione River, forty kilometres to the west
of Venice, near the volcanic Euganaean Hills which are famous for their
hot springs.
Padua was the setting for Shakespeare's play, the "Taming of the Shrew".
The city centre consists of a series of colonnaded streets and elegant
piazze.
The great hall of the Palazzo della Ragione, one of the city's principal
landmarks, possesses the largest European roof unsupported by pillars.
The hall is over 800 metres long and 30 metres wide.
A clever arrangement of arches evenly distributes the downward force so
as to prevent the 25 metre high ceiling from collapsing. The hall is a
15th century amalgamation of three previous halls, and is decorated with
frescos by Nicolo Miretto and Stefano da Ferrara.
The Basilica di San Antonio, Padua. Photo by Schubbay: GNU Free Documentation License, 1.2 or later version
The city's principal
church is the Basilica di San Antonio. Also known as "Il Santo", it
possesses an exquisite shrine which houses Saint Antony's relics and
several impressive marbles by Sansovino, Falconetto and others.
Work commenced on the basilica in 1230, and the project took over one
century to complete. The architect, Nicholas Pisano, incorporated seven
cupolas, two shaped like pyramids.
Donatello's bronze equestrian statue of the Venetian general, Erasmo da
Narni, is located immediately outside the cathedral. The general was a
mercenary who fought for several Italian cities before he became the
dictator of Padua in 1437.
Padua's principal square, the Prato della Valle, covers an area of
90,000 square metres. It is Europe's second largest elliptical square
after Moscow's Red Square. It comprises an ornamental garden surrounded
by a moat and ringed by 78 statues of former local dignitaries.
The Prato della Valle, Padua. Photo by Julien Lagarde, November 2004, Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike License v. 2.5
The nearby 5th century
abbey of San Giustina was closed by Napoleon in 1810 and did not reopen
again until 1919. It contains the tombs of several saints, including the
Apostle Luke, and several major works of art including Veroneses'
Martyrdom of Justine, the 5th century saint to whom the church is
dedicated.
The 13th century church of the Eremitani is notable for the tombs of the
Carrera family, who ruled Padua for much of the 15th century, and also
contains the fragments of several frescos by Mantegna which were damaged
during the Second World War. The Augustine monastery, formerly attached
to the church, now houses Padua's municipal art gallery.
The nearby Scrovegni Chapel, famous for its frescos by Giotto, is one of
Padua's finest treasures.
The foundations of Padua's oldest place of worship, the Santa Sofia,
whose crypt dates from the 10th century, have partially subsided so that
the church now has a slight tilt.
VICENZA
Vicenza is located on the Bacchiglione River, sixty kilometres to the
west of Venice, on the northern side of the Berici mountain range.
Vicenza is the capital of the Veneto region. It is the birthplace of
Andrea di Pietro della Gondola, better known as Palladio, and has been
declared a UNESCO world heritage site because of its splendid
renaissance architecture.
La Rotonda, 14.09.2006, picture by Philip Schaefer: GNU Free Documentation License, version 1.2 or later
Vicenza possesses one of
Palladio's most inspirational buildings, the Villa Capra, also known as
the "Rotunda". It consists of four facades symmetrically arranged around
a central domed hall. Each facade possesses a magnificent portico with
six Ionic columns topped by a triangular pediment decorated with
sculptures of classical deities.
Another famous Palladian building, the Basilica Palladiana, is located
in Vicenza's main square, the Piazza dei Signori. It was reconstructed
by Palladio after the original building partially collapsed in 1549.
Palladio added a classical facade in the form of a symmetrical loggia
and portico which completely overshadows the original Gothic design.
The Palazzo Chiericati, Vicenza
Palladio also designed
Vicenza's municipal museum, the Palazzo Chiericati. The principal facade
consists of two recessed wings and one protruding central bay. Its three
sections are unified by two harmonious tiers of columns, and its
roofline is decorated with a series of classical statutes.
Vicenza's Olympic Theatre was the last building designed by Palladio. It
is widely regarded as the world's first covered theatre. The stage
design by Vincenzo Scamozzi cleverly exploits perspective by
incorporating a series of recessed hallways. Plays are performed to
small audiences during the summer months, but the wood and stucco
decorations are too delicate to withstand central heating.
TREVISO
Bridge over the River Sile, Treviso. Picture by Gary Houston, 28 May 2005
Treviso is located in the
plain between the Venetian Lagoon and the Alps, at the point where the
Rivers Sile and Botteniga converge.
The headquarters of the Benetton clothing company are located at Treviso.
The city's cathedral is dedicated to Saint Peter. It is an extension of
an original Roman church of which only the gate remains. The design
incorporates seven domes and the interior is decorated with paintings by
Titian and Giovanni Antonio de' Sacchis, otherwise known as Il Pordenone.
The 13th century church of San Francesco is notable for its grand Chapel
with frescos by Tommaso da Modena, and its 13th century Byzantine fresco
depicting Saint Christopher. The church also houses the tomb of Dante's
son, Pietro Alighieri. The San Francesco was used as a stable for
several decades following Napoleon's conquest of Treviso in 1797.
The 13th century church of San Nicolo also contains frescos by Tommaso
da Modena and a wall painting of Saint Christopher which includes the
oldest known depiction of glass in Europe.
Palazzo Pretorio in the Piazza dei Signori, Treviso, picture by Gary Houston, 16 August 2005
The 15th century Palazzo Pretorio is located in the city's main square, the Piazza dei Signori, and incorporates a loggia enclosed by a series of arches which now house a cafe.
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