Facts about Vicenza

Hot Mediterranean sun on your face, tall domes and sculptured archways, cobbled streets with tunnels and little hidey-hole, street markets and hawkers, pasta and wine.. Buongiorno, welcome to Italy! This jewel of the Mediterranean is a treasure house for the art and culture fanatics, a dream come true for foodies and foodholics and one of the most beautiful and romantic destinations on Earth.

While there are many interesting facts about this Mediterranean country, one bellissimo and artistic city of Italy is Vicenza. Read on, to learn some fascinating trivia and facts about Vicenza, city of architecture and asparagus.

Interesting Facts about Vicenza

Location: North Eastern Italy, Veneto or Venetia region
Neighboring Cities - Venice (60 km or 37 miles west), Milan (200 km or 124 miles east)
Adjoining Geography - At the joining of the Retrone and Bacchiglione rivers. Surrounding hillsides are the Berici Hills.
Population - 115,927
Vicenza is a economic and bustling hub among the different cities of Italy. Its industries include textile (cotton, wool, silk), steel, gold and other jewelry, pottery, musical equipment and computer parts. Agricultural practices and farming is also a key economic factor, with wine, wheat, olive oil as the main products.
The number of industries and their exports as well as the high rate of employment, ranks Vicenza as one of the wealthiest cities in Italy. It is the 3rd largest industrial hub of Italy. An approximate 20 thousand billion lire is the sales figure from purely Vicentini industries.
The rich and hearty traditional Italian cuisine is of course present in Vicenza, with a special Vicentini twist. Typical Vicentini fare includes the baccalà alla vicentina, cooked stockfish or cod in sauce and the risi e bisi, risotto with Lumignano peas. The food is varied in ingredients, with equal dedication given to meat, fish and vegetable dishes.
Certain foodstuffs and items are Vincentini specialties, such as
Asiago cheese Sopressa sausage Nanto Truffles Rotzo potatoes Marostica cherries	Rubbio celery Bassano white asparagus Montecchio Maggiore mostardo Torcolato wine Breganze Cabernet wine
The city of Vicenza has featured in the following Hollywood films
Don Giovanni (1979) I Dreamed of Africa (2000), starring Kim Basinger Ripley's Game (2001), starring John Malkovich and Ray Winstone The Merchant of Venice (2004), starring Jeremy Irons and Al Pacino Casonova (2005), starring Heath Ledger
Some famous Vicentinis are:
Vincenzo Scamozzi - 15th century Italian architect Federico Faggin - CEO and founder of Zilog, designed the first microprocessor Roberto Baggio - Famous footballer Giacomo Zanella - Italian poet and priest

Facts about Vicenza - Key Landmarks

The Patron Saint of Vicenza is Madonna of Monte Berico or the Blessed Virgin. One of the key highlights of the city is the Roman Catholic Basilica di S. Maria di Monte Berico, located on the Monte Berico hillside. The city was suffering from a devastating plague, around 1426-1428 and The Blessed Virgin visited the town twice on the Monte Berico hill, instructing the townsfolk to build a church on the hill. In return, she would heal them of the plague. Vicentinis rallied together and built the church on top of the hill and it remains there to this day.

Italian master of architecture, Andrea Palladio, centered most of and perhaps his best work in the city of Vicenza. In the main city, there are 23 buildings built by Palladio. On the outskirts and borders of the city lie 10 Villas, designed by Palladio. Due to the significance of the buildings and Villas being major works of Palladio, the City of Vicenza has been certified by UNESCO, as a World Heritage Site. The outlying villas are collectively termed as the Palladian Villas of the Veneto and they are also certified as a World Heritage Site.

The Teatro Olimpico (Olympic Theater) is another Palladio masterpiece. It is the last work of the architect, who died before it could be completed. It is also the oldest covered or enclosed theater (amphitheater) in the world and is a signature piece of Renaissance architecture. The presence of so many Palladio masterpieces gives Vicenza, the apt moniker of "Palladio's City".

The Palazzo Chiericati is another Vicentini sight to look for. This building houses the city's art and historical artifacts, dating back to the last 7 centuries and is also called the Museo Civico. For a long, picturesque walk or trek, visit the surrounding Bercici hills to enjoy a serene and beautiful view of the Italian countryside.

Vicenza may seem like a small snapshot of the complete and massive portrait of Italian cities but there's no denying its rustic and Old-World charm and atmosphere. Walking through archways, the domes and towers and the beauty of the churches, one can only marvel at the wonders of architecture and the masters that created such fine works of art. And the delicious Vicentini cuisine doesn't hurt too! The best way to soak up culture is through food, so if you are not the architecture fan, take along some cheeses and truffles, to make the sight-seeing more enjoyable! Viaggio sicuro!