Mainland Excursions: Some Locations within Easy Reach of Venice

Verona: photo by Martti Mustonen, 2nd May 2006. Image published under 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. Image published under 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 previous 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: Image published under 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: Image published under 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. Image published under 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. Image published under 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 houses a cafe.

© 2006 LACT Limited. All rights reserved.

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