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W E L C O M E T O B A S S A N O D E L G R A P P A

Province of VicenzaTourist Information Office

T O W N O F F I N E A R T S

The inhabitants of Bassano have always beenextremely attached to their land. This fact ismanifest in their everyday activities, whichhave always had the purpose of bringingprosperity and grandeur to their town. Thearchitectonical context of Bassano hasevolved over the centuries from this basicprecept with its ensuing diversity of stylesdating from the medieval era through tomodern times. Jacopo Dal Ponte, Palladio,Marinali, Canova, Dall’Acqua are just some ofthe famous artists who have left their imprinton the town.The streets of the historic centre are proof ofthe town’s firmly entrenched commercial andhandicraft tradition, which developed as aconsequence of its fortuitous geographicalposition. You will enjoy stopping at the shopwindows to admire the famous ceramics, thesplendid creations of the blooming jewellerytrade, the reproductions of preciousRemondini prints, and the remarkable antiquestyle reproduction furniture.

The town is encircled by rolling hills andboasts a mild climate for the North of Italywhich even favours the plantation of olivegroves. Bassano is also famous for its highquality agricultural products, in particular thewhite asparagus, and the distillation ofgrappa. Respect for the natural environmenthas been a major influence in thedevelopment of this well-balanced, human-scaled town.



INFORMATION

Province of Vicenza - IAT(Tourist Information Office):Largo Corona d’Italia, 35Tel. +39 0424.524351 - +39 0424.525065 - Fax +39 0424.525301

PROBASSANO (local events):Piazzetta Guadagnin, 6 int. 1 - Tel. +39 0424.227580 - Fax +39 0424.505162

ASSOCIATION PROMO BASSANO PIÙ:Largo Corona d’Italia, 35 - Tel. +39 0424.523169

BASSANO TOWN COUNCIL (Culture and Tourism Office):Via Vendramini, 35 - Tel. +39 0424.217810 - +39 0424.217807 - Fax +39 0424.217818

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HISTORIC CENTRE

Palazzo Pretorio7Viale dei Martiri1

Palazzo Sturmand Museo dellaCeramica

8Giardini Parolini2

Prato SantaCaterina and “Ragazzi del ’99”Park

9Loggiadei podestàand Town Hall

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PiazzottoMonte Vecchioand Monte diPietà

10Museo Civicoformer Conventodi San Francesco

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Ponte Vecchio11Museodegli Alpini

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Porta delle Grazie12Palazzo Bonaguro6

BASSANO

PADOVA

ROVIGO

VICENZA TREVISO

VENEZIAVERONA

BELLUNO

VICENZAS.S. 11 VICENZA

THIENE

ASIAGO

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PIOVENEROCCHETTE

BASSANODEL GRAPPA

MAROSTICA

RECOARO

VALDAGNO

TRISSINO

MONTECCHIOMAGGIORE

LONIGO

MILANO

VERONAPADOVA

VENEZIAAUTOSTRADA A4

AUTOSTRADA

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VENETO REGION PROVINCE OF VICENZA

Viale dei Martiri1

The visitor driving along theValsugana Highway from Trento toBassano on a warm summer’sevening will enjoy one of the mostbeautiful views of the town. Theboulevard, which stretches from theupper castle to the Porta delleGrazie, is enfolded in a magicalgolden atmosphere. Once thenorthern part of the boulevard wasprotected by medieval walls, whichunfortunately were pulled down in1886 in order to grant the wealthyfamilies, whose magnificentresidences had turned this boulevard

into one of the most prestigiousareas in the city, a more expansivepanorama. This long, tree-linedboulevard was formerly calledContrada delle Grazie, and then itwas named Viale XX Settembre, andis today known as Viale dei Martiri,Martyr Boulevard. The name stemsfrom the 31 partisans who werehung in Bassano, some of them fromthe trees that still overlook theBrenta Valley, on 26 September 1944.On 9 October 1946, the PrimeMinister of the newly formed ItalianRepublic, Alcide De Gasperi, awardedthe town of Bassano a gold medal formilitary valour and each year the citycommemorates the mopping up andmassacre which took place on MountGrappa on 20-23 September 1944.

Giardini Parolini2

Described in a nineteenth centuryguide to the town as a “place ofpleasure”, it is the only botanicgarden in the region outside thesphere of the universities. Apleasant, lush oasis situated in thehistoric centre of Bassano, designedby Alberto Parolini, a local noblemanwho was particularly active in thecultural life of the town at thebeginning of the 19th century.Parolini was greatly influenced byGiambattista Brocchi, but above allby his trip to London which, at thetime, was the hub of naturalistic

activity, and from which originatedthe trend for landscape gardens. In1829, Parolini boasted a cultivationof “3000 species of different plants”;in the last catalogue compiled by hisdaughter, Antonietta, 3200 differentspecies were enumerated. In 1929,the gardens were handed over to theBassano Town Council and eventhough its dimensions were reducedduring the fifties when a part of itwas used for the construction ofvarious buildings, the council hasalways considered it one of thetown’s major cultural locations.Some of the most interesting speciesin the garden include: the popularCedar of Lebanon, the Pinus Parolinii,named after Parolini who discoveredthe species in 1819 in Asia Minor,the Platanus Orientalis whichreaches a height of roughly 30metres, the Taxus Baccata also calledthe “tree of death”, and the CercisSiliquastrum, which according topopular tradition is the type of treefrom which Judas Iscariot hangedhimself, otherwise known as Judas’tree.

Loggia dei podestàand Town Hall

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Podestà is the name given during thelater Middle Ages to a high officialin many Italian cities. The relativeloggia dates from the 15th centuryand the building that is now theTown Hall was built above andbehind it. Construction began in1405, and a few years later thedecision was made to install a dialclock made by Mastro Corrado daFeltre, at a cost of 46 gold ducats.The clock, which was inaugurated on2 February 1430, is consideredsymbolic of the secular passage oftime in the civitas. The current clock

mechanism was made by BartolomeoFerracina in 1747, the engineer afterwhom one of the most interestingstreets in the town, near the bridge,was named. The inside walls arefrescoed with the 120 coat-of-armsof the earliest podestà of the Venetoregion. A fire in 1682 destroyedseveral precious frescoes by JacopoDal Ponte, fortunately, however, afresco depicting St Christopher,patron saint of wayfarers, byFrancesco Bassano Il Vecchio,Jacopo’s father, still adorns thesouthern wall. According to localtradition, if a pilgrim, passing by,glanced at the saint, he would beprotected throughout the day.



Torre Civica20

Tempio Ossario19

Teatro Astra18

Duomo di Santa Mariain Colle

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Chiesa diSan GiovanniBattista

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Chiesa diSan Francesco

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Chiesa diSan Donato

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Porta Dieda13

Chiesa dellaSanta Trinità

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Convento diSan Sebastiano

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Monasteryof Campese

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GrapperiaNardini

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Poli GrappaMuseum

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Museo Civico, formerConvento di San Francesco

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The civic museum of Bassano, isone of the oldest museums in theVeneto region. It was erected in1828 from the bequest of thelocal naturalist, GiambattistaBrocchi. It comprises an artgallery housing the mostextensive collection of paintingsby Jacopo Dal Ponte and variousmembers of his family, as well aspaintings by other famous artistssuch as Guariento andMagnasco; the Council’sHistorical Archives; the librarywhich contains a collection of

prints by the Remondini family,famous eighteenth centuryengravers; an archaeologicalsection with important finds inthe Chini section; and theCanova section, with itscollection of studies and piecesby Antonio Canova. The museumis located in the former conventof St Francis, the only originalparts still remaining being thechurch and the cloister.

Museo degliAlpini

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The Italian Alpine Troops museum wasestablished in 1948 upon the wave ofenthusiasm stirred up by theinauguration of the reconstructedPonte degli Alpini and the firstnational parade of the Penne Nere,after the Second World War(3 October 1948). The building, whichis the property of the MontegrappaSection of the Italian Alpine Troopsassociation, stands on the right bankof the Brenta river, next to the PonteVecchio, and has become theheadquarters of the association, aswell as a museum and tavern open to

the public. The museum started offwith very little: cuttings from oldnewspapers, a few war relics andpieces of the old bridge collectedduring its reconstruction. Over theyears the collection has grown asenthusiastic volunteers gather relicsfrom the two world wars anddonations from association membersand local citizens who have decided toput their historical souvenirs, oftenjealously guarded for years, on showfor the general public. The first majorrenovation of the museum took placein the mid 1970’s: access wasimproved, provisions were made tosecure it against the flooding of theBrenta river and the precious cofferceiling featuring hand paintedinsignias and mottos of the varioustroop units was restored. The latestinnovation involves a realistic combatlocation, which has been set up on thebottom floor, and includes a howitzerbelonging to the mountain artillerysection. Some of the most interestingitems include original photos of theRussian campaign, one of the leafletsair dropped on Vienna by GabrieleD’Annunzio, a flag of the House ofSavoy with wound marks on it, old andnew uniforms, the gold medal corner, avast assortment of all kinds of armsand logistic material from the twoworld wars and the war of liberation.

PalazzoBonaguro

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The palace is located in BorgoAngarano, which is in the westernpart of the town. The name of thissuburb originates from the ancient“fundus Ancharianus”, which up until1812, was a separate municipalityconnected to nearby Bassano by thePonte Vecchio. Construction on thepalace began during the 16th century,it was subsequently renovatedtowards the middle of the 17th centuryas can be seen from the balconies onthe façade, the shape of the interiorarcs and the openings in the uppersection.

The interior walls of the palace aredecorated with magnificent frescoes;the Banquet Scene, which is in themanner of Paolo Veronese, adornsthe walls of the first room on theright. The palace is enhanced by thespacious park at the back and is nowa preferred location for holdingshows and exhibitions.

PalazzoPretorio

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Via Matteotti, which extends fromthe castle to the Town Hall, wasonce the main thoroughfare calledContrada del Palazzo. From 1315onwards the praetorian palace wasthe headquarters of the podestà andlater became the headquarters of theTown Council. The palace is stillsurrounded by a wall section. Accessto the palace is through a whitestone ashlar archway, which featuresin its tympanum the lion of St Markresting a paw on the open book ofpeace, the symbol of Bassano’sallegiance to the Republic of Venice.

In 1722, the loggia from which thepodestà administered justice oncestood next to the entrance; it wasreplaced by a small church,dedicated to the patronage of theVirgin Mary, which is deconsecratedtoday. The stairway in the squaredates from 1552, and halfway up, asmall room displays the coat-of-arms of the families of the Venetianpodestà. On the occasion of the“Ballata del Millenio”, MillenniumBallade, the 1320 trial of the traitorPerenzano dei Blasi, which endstragically with his being beheaded, isre-enacted in the palace courtyard.



Palazzo Sturm andMuseo della Ceramica

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The Palazzo Sturm houses one of themost exhaustive ceramic collectionsin the area. The building, one of themost beautiful in Bassano, datesfrom the 18th century and overlooksthe left bank of the Brenta river, justa few steps from the Ponte Vecchio;the terrace offers a magnificent viewof the bridge. The building wasoriginally the residence of the Ferrarifamily, known for their organzine silkfactory; then it came into thepossession of the Vanzo-Bonagurofamily and finally of Baron G. B. Sturmwho bequeathed it to the council to

be used as the ceramics museum.New additional sections are plannedfor future extensions to the museum.A small terrace and an elegantpronaos welcome the visitor.The palace spreads out over sixfloors, which descend along theslope of the riverbank. Thearrangement of the rooms in thebuilding is particularly whimsicaland unpredictable as it follows theunevenness of the land on which itis built. The entrance hall wasfrescoed in 1765 by Giorgio Anselmifrom Verona, with an imposing“Gigantomachy”, and the next roomwith “Venus giving arms to Aeneas”,mythological scenes which, at thetime, were commonly depicted in thehalls of the nobility. The museumhouses collections of majolica ware,porcelain ware, earthen ware, allarranged chronologically: frommedieval fragments of engravedceramics to the famous Mainardimajolica ware, which in the 17th and18th century was produced in afactory located in the nearby street,Via Portici Lunghi, and to thecontemporary section which boastsprestigious items as well as items byfamous artists.

Prato Santa Caterina and“Ragazzi del ‘99” Park

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The spacious park located in thenorthern part of the town, and partof which is now being used as a carpark, was originally used as amilitary training field. Fairs, whichattracted people from all theoutlying areas, were held here; andduring epidemics the bodies of thedead were brought here. In fact, thechurch of St Rocco, patron saint ofpestilence, was built here in 1631.The “Ragazzi del ‘99” Park wascreated on the eastern side, on theinitiative of the national committeeof ex-servicemen born in 1899.

The monument in the park includes aset of bronze bas-reliefs depicting 4critical episodes in the history of theyoung soldiers, who in 1917 and1918 were sent to halt the Austrianadvance on the nearby MountGrappa.

PiazzottoMonte Vecchio andMonte di Pietà

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Bassano’s very first square wasoriginally much more spacious thanit is today. The most importantpublic buildings gave onto it andtoday the town’s ancient coat-of-arms can still be seen on the wallsof the buildings. There was once awell in the middle of the square,which is why the square is oftenreferred to, even today, as “Piazzadel Pozzo”, well square. Over theyears it was also given the name“Piazza del Sale”, salt square andthen “Piazza degli Zoccoli”, woodenclog square, as up until the mid-

twentieth century pedlars used tocome to the market held in thissquare to sell their ‘sgalmare’, a localtype of wooden clogs. In 1264 anumber of Jewish families settled inBassano and the street branching offfrom the square was in fact knownas Jew Street, Vicolo degli Zudei; thelast money-lending transaction isrecorded in archive documents as farback as 1492. The opening of apawnshop coincided with a series ofsermons delivered throughout theVeneto region, and in the localchurch of St Francis in June 1492, byBlessed Bernardino, the sin of usuryworst enemy. The pawnshop was thefirst step towards solving theproblem of usury and even todaymaintains its austerity.

Ponte Vecchio11

Over the years the Ponte Vecchio hasbecome the symbol of the town.Known also as Ponte di Palladio orPonte degli Alpini, this bridge hasalways been of fundamentalimportance to the local inhabitants.References to a bridge spanning theriver at this point date back to the12th century, but the first definitemention is in 1209. In the past itwas vitally important as a means ofcommunication between theterritories of Vicenza and Bassano(the boundary between the twoterritories was signalled at the

western end of the bridge andexercise-men controlled the traffic).Over the centuries the bridge wasdestroyed several times either duringthe various wars or by the sudden,violent flooding of the Brenta river,then always faithfully rebuilt to theoriginal design by Palladio (1569):four trapezoidal breakwater pierssupporting a floor system which iscovered by a trussed roof. The bridgeis constructed in wood to give itgreater flexibility and to make itmore resistant to the rapidly flowingwaters of the river (only one stonebridge was ever erected, but it lastedless than six years). The rhythm ofthe pillars, the wood ribbing and thebalustrades of the parapets modifythe appearance and fascination ofthe bridge with every step and everypassing hour of the day. The"Grapperia Nardini", one of thehundred historical inns of Italy,stands at the western end of thebridge, on the right. Whereas thetavern, Taverna Al Ponte, otherwiseknown as the Taverna degli Alpini,which houses the Italian AlpineTroops museum, stands at theeastern end. The view of theValsugana valley from the bridge isquite spectacular.



Porta delle Grazie12

This is the north-eastern gatewayinto the town, referred to as eitherPorta Aureola or Porta delle Grazie,the gate of Graces. This gate, whichwas built as part of the 14th centurywalls surrounding the town, retainsclearer evidence of the ancientnobility than the other gates. Twoembedded columns support the largeashlar archway. The architrave, thefrieze and the tympanum emphasiseits classical inspiration. In 1561, alocal architect, F. Zamberlan, one ofAndrea Palladio’s colleagues, wascommissioned to design the gate by

a podestà from the Veneto region.Recent restorations have revitalisedits past splendour. The areasurrounding the gate is calledBelvedere, because of themagnificent view of the BrentaValley, with the Grappa massif onthe right and the Asiago plateau onthe left. In place of the present-dayCaffè Italia there once stood theBelvedere Loggia, with its wallsfrescoed by Gerolamo, son of thefamous Jacopo Dal Ponte. It wasbuilt in the 16th century by thepodestà Priamo da Legge for thepeople of Bassano so that they couldobserve the military drills beingcarried out in the nearbyCampomarzio (now called PratoSanta Catarina) as they strolled outbeyond the walls. Caffè Italia canboast a host of famous patrons, suchas George Sand who wrote thefollowing in her diaries:“If you are ever passing throughthose areas, I highly recommendBassano’s Caffè alle Fosse, near themoat, which is one of the greatestthings that a traveller can comeacross”.

Porta Dieda13

This gate is near the lower castleknown as the Berri Castle, built in1315 by the Paduans to protect thenew hamlets, which had sprung upoutside the town walls.In 1389 the gate was incorporatedinto the wall built by Gian GaleazzoVisconti.The castle eventually fell intodisrepair and was replaced byresidential buildings. The onlyremaining structure is the gate,which was opened in 1541 by thepodestà Domenico Diedo, tofacilitate direct communication with

the increasing number of hamletscrowding the areas outside the townwalls.The southern façade was frescoed in1541 by Jacopo Dal Ponte butunfortunately few traces remain.Above the arch, a fresco depictedthe ancient Roman hero MarcoCurzio Rufo mounted on his rearingsteed, in the act of hurling himselfinto the abyss, a paradigm ofcourage; above it, the mighty wingedlion and the book of peace, thesymbol of Bassano’s allegiance tothe Republic of Venice.

Chiesa diSan Donato

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The church of St Donatus waserected in 1208 on the right bank ofthe Brenta river close to the PonteVecchio, by Ezzelino II, The Monk,upon the authorisation of the Bishopof Vicenza, Uberto II, in order tohinder the propagation of Catharheresy. On 5 July 1221, Ezzelinosummoned his two sons, Albericoand Ezzelino III to this church todivide up his possessions beforeretiring to Oliero. The church waslater extended and turned into aFranciscan convent.According to Father F. Barbarano, the

seventeenth century historian fromVicenza, St Francis of Assis andSt Anthony of Padua both stayedhere, in April 1221 and on 4 October1226 respectively. In 1325 theFranciscans moved into the churchof Holy Mary, subsequently calledthe church of St Francis, in theSquare Piazza Garibaldi. Two yearslater the convent was handed overto the Benedictine Nuns who turnedit into a hospital. In the 15th centuryit was returned to the Franciscansand from the mid-sixteenth centurythe building started to fall into aslow decay. Inside can be found apainting “Our Lady with Christ Childseated on a throne with St Donatusand St Michael the Archangel” byFrancesco Dal Ponte Il Vecchio,Jacopo’s father. In 1900 a longprocess of restructuring work tookplace to exalt the figures of St Francisand St Anthony by restoring the cell,which according to tradition wasused by the two saints. Still today itoffers the visitor an occasion forspiritual and religious meditation.

Chiesa diSan Francesco

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The church of St Francis was built inhonour of the Virgin Mary, duringthe period in which Bassano wasruled by the Ezzelini family, between1158 and 1183. According totradition Ezzelino II, The Stutterer,built the church to fulfil a vow afterreturning from the Holy Land. PiazzaGaribaldi, the square which nowoccupies the space next to thechurch, was once part of the moatwhich encircled the town wall; likemany churches of the time it wasbuilt near the town gates, to makeaccess easier for pilgrims who

arrived after long, and often difficultand dangerous, journeys. Between1287 and 1292 it was home to theFriars Minor Conventual whodedicated it to St Francis. It is aRomanesque-Gothic style buildingwith gable façade, in the shape of aLatin cross; the slender prothyrumwith its rounded arches dates from1306, and in the lunette werefrescoed in 1613 by Luca MartinelliOur Lady, Christ Child, St Anthonyand St Francis. To the right of theprothyrum there is a fresco,completed in the early decades ofthe 15th century by Battista daVicenza, of the Annunciation in thestyle of the valentinian heresy,depicting the Christ Child flying fromthe Holy Spirit towards Mary’sbreast. The single-nave church withtransept is covered with trusses andthe walls still show traces offifteenth century frescoes. On thehigh altar there is a copy ofGuariento’s wooden crucifix, theoriginal being preserved in theadjacent civic museum.



Chiesa diSan Giovanni Battista

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The church of St John the Baptiststands on the southern side ofPiazza Libertà, which was actuallycreated when the moat around thesecond wall was filled in. It wascommissioned by the Blasi family,built in 1308 and reconstructedduring the second half of the18th century by the local architectGiovanni Miazzi, who designed itafter his meeting with FrancescoMaria Preti. The elderly inhabitantsof the area refer to the church as‘buszìa’ (lie) because of the contrastbetween its imposing neoclassical

façade and the very small interiorwhich is parallel to the façade, andhas the high altar placed on the leftside instead of to the front of thechurch. One reason for this unusualchoice was the lack of spaceavailable to the architect. The smallaltarpiece depicting St John theBaptist is an interesting early workby Giambattista Piazzetta (1682-1754); the statues of the angels, theputti and the bas-reliefs are byOrazio Marinali (the street along theleft side of the church is namedafter him). In front of the church, onthe opposite side of the square,stand the buildings which oncehoused the workshop of theRemondini family, who broughtBassano worldwide renown throughtheir prints.

Duomo diSanta Maria in Colle

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The Cathedral of Holy Mary on theHill, the town’s cathedral, standswithin the first wall and inside theupper castle. This is the highest partof the town, where the originalsettlement was established andaround which proliferated the typicalsmall hamlets. On the right, beforestepping through the gate that leadsinto the castle’s courtyard, standsthe Ser Ivano Tower, named after thehead of the Ezzelini family troops, awatchtower, situated diagonally withrespect to the position of the walls.This parish church is mentioned in a

decree dating from 998, which wasdrawn up during a judicial assemblychaired by Count Azeli and Oberto,Bishop of Verona. In 1998 the townof Bassano inaugurated the “Ballatadel Millenio”, Millennium Ballade, anevent to be held biennially inSeptember, to celebrate this occasionthrough a series of theatricalperformances held in significantlocations throughout the historiccentre. Over the centuries the parishchurch of the Holy Mary on the Hillwas modified and extended until itachieved its present-day appearance,which dates from the 17th century,with its obvious Baroque influence.The interior is rectangular in design,with Corinthian pilasters lining itswalls at regular intervals. The highaltar altarpiece was created byLeandro Dal Ponte, son of thefamous Jacopo, in 1595; the sameartist painted the “Lapidation of StStephen” on the second altar to theright.The sculptures are by OrazioMarinali, completed around 1704.The magnificent organ was made byFrancesco Antonio di Giacomo Dacciin 1796.The ceiling is decorated with threepaintings by G. B. Volpato, thefamous local artist (1633-1706),one of which depicts St Bassiano,the town patron.

Teatro Astra18

Once a council theatre, and now acinema, the Astra Theatre is themost prominent edifice in the longrow of buildings overlooking Vialedei Martiri. The ancient neoclassicalfaçade remains intact, with its deepthree-arched entrance loggia. It wasdesigned by the local architectGiacomo Bauto and inaugurated in1811. During the 17th centurytheatrical performances were held ina hall in the praetorian palace andreserved strictly for the podestà andnobility. It wasn’t until the end ofthe 18th century that the need arose

to create a new space accessible toeveryone. The theatre’s popularitygrew also thanks to the rich musicalseasons held here. In 1949 theengineer Bonfanti designed thetheatre’s conversion to a cinema. TheMuses on the proscenium werepainted by one of the majorcontemporary local artists, DaniloAndreose.

Tempio Ossario19

The first mention of the ossuary is foundin a circular issued on 1 July 1861in which the parishioners are askedto donate funds for the constructionof a church, which would becomethe centre of the town’s religiouslife. Monsignor Gobbi was themotivator behind the project and thefirst stone was blessed on13 September 1908. During the FirstWorld War many soldiers weretemporarily buried in the variouscemeteries around the foothills ofMount Grappa, but there was aneed to find a permanent and

dignified final resting place for thosesoldiers. The church was chosen tofulfil this purpose and wassubsequently turned into an ossuary.The exterior of the building is in theGothic-Venetian style with aRomanesque influence; the massivestructure rises up from eight Povestone steps; it is surmounted by thesevere octagonal base of the cupola,streamlined by two slender 60 metrehigh bell towers. The interior is aLatin cross shape measuring 75 m inlength with a nave and two aislesseparated by 10 marble columns.Roughly 6,000 soldiers (236 ofwhom were decorated) are buriedhere. On 8 February 1945, a numberof bombs exploded in front of thefaçade uncovering many of theburial niches; photos of thesedreadful scenes still remain. InAugust 1936, General GaetanoGiardino, whose monument stands atthe beginning of Viale delle Fossefacing Mount Grappa, was interredhere in accordance with his wishesto be buried “amongst my men” ashe clearly stated in writing.



Torre Civica20

Also called Torre Grande or Torredella Piazza, the civic tower, islocated in Piazza Garibaldi, oppositethe church of St Francis. It ismentioned for the first time in adocument dating from 1349. Beforethis date there are only a series ofhypotheses, but it is commonlybelieved to have been erected at thesame time as the second wall in1312, in order to protect the newdwellings, which had sprung uparound the old village. Its originalpurpose is also shrouded in mystery:its imposing dimensions and the lack

of decorative embellishments (theclock dates from 1746 and thedecorative work from 1823) seem toindicate that it was used for militarypurposes, however, from 1349 it wasmainly used for civil purposes. It wasprobably erected by the Paduansaround 1315, midway between thetwo castles as a strategic point forthe defence of the new and oldaccess points to the town. The towerhas a pyramidal trunk, 40 metreshigh and 14 metres wide; it is higherthan the church of St Franciscomplex and consequently a perfectcontrol point. The tower was recentlyrestored and it is now possible toclimb to the top and enjoy amagnificent view of Bassano. Alongthe climb to the top, the history ofthe tower and the town are narratedthrough a series of illustrative panelsand photos.

Chiesa dellaSantissima Trinità

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The church of the Holy Trinity,founded by members of the Order ofthe Holy Trinity at the beginning ofthe 13th century, was most probablyput up next to a hospital orpoorhouse for wayfarers and thesick. The façade was designed byGiovanni Miazzi (1698-1797) withan obvious neopalladian influence:four semicolumns, resting on hugebases, support an entablature toppedby a classical triangular tympanum,decorated with a denticulate cornice.Above this can be seen the threetheological virtues: Faith, Hope and

Charity. One of the masterpieces ofsixteenth-century art, JacopoBassano’s Holy Trinity (1546-47), isfound in this church; at the time, theartist was paid for his artwork partlywith money, and partly in kind(wheat and sulphur). Typical of hisstyle, an essential component of thepainting is the landscape, the classicview of Bassano enlivened by scenesof everyday life, with its towers inthe distance and with the Grappamassif in the background. The artistplaced the episode of St Augustineand Christ Child, taken from TheGolden Legend, in the middle of theBrenta river, surrounded by sailingboats.

Convento diSan Sebastiano

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The convent of St Sebastian issituated in one of the oldest hamletson the left bank of the Brenta river.Ancient Roman finds date back tothe “fundus Margnanus”. Just belowthe parish church of Holy Mary onthe Hill there are still traces of thePorta Margnana, Margnana Gate.The area included a ford for crossingthe Brenta river. The current conventcomplex began as a country churchdedicated to St Pancras. In the1480’s the Augustinian Nunsdedicated the renovated andenlarged complex to St Sebastian,

the patron saint associated with theplague. Some frescoes from the15th century remain, including, in theconfessional area, the Eternal Fatherholding his Son’s cross; the bottompart shows obvious signs of wear asfor years visitors have rubbed theirhands on it before making the signof the cross. As a result of theNapoleonic suppressions the conventwas closed in 1810, then in 1823 itwas given in perpetual usufruct tothe Capuchin Monks. The monks arestill present and very active in thelife of the town, and they continueto make the convent one of themain spiritual religious centres ofBassano. By appointment, touristscan visit the large collection ofapothecary’s pots and a collection ofarchaeological relics discovered bythe monks within the convent area.

Monastery ofCampese

23

The monastery was founded by thefamous Cluniac abbot, Ponzio, in1128. Upon returning from the HolyLand and in a moment of deepreflection, he decided to set up asmall monastery on the right bank ofthe Brenta river together with agroup of monks and under theprotection of the Da Romano family,to rediscover those values whichseemed to be slowly disappearingfrom his beloved Congregation ofCluny. The most remarkable parodicand realistic macaronic poet TeofiloFolengo, better known as Merlin

Cocai (1492-1544), well known forhis brazen, light-hearted andburlesque poetry, retired here in1543. He is buried in the chapel tothe right of the high altar. The fameof Campese, picturesque hamlet atthe entrance of the Valsugana, isparticularly linked to his presencehere. The beauty and wholesomenessof the location turned the conventinto a haven of peace for thereligious in search of a retreat; onthe other hand its secludedness,especially during the period of theLutheran schism, transformed it intoa place of internment for monkssuspected of having unorthodoxsympathies.



Grapperia Nardini24

Since 1779 the Grapperia Nardini islocated at the entrance of the PonteVecchio (Old Bridge) and it meansHistory and Tradition. Inside, sincethen nothing has changed and timeseems to stop, showing that for theNardini Family memory is veryimportant.

LE BOLLE DI NARDINITo celebrate 225 years of activity,the Nardini Family addressed itselfto the Lithuanian-origin architectMassimiliano Fuksas to create a newauditorium and space for research.

For this structure, the architectimagined two elliptic glass spaces.The structures, called “Bolle”(bubbles), represent two alembicssoflty floating in the air. The “Bolle”are supported and joined by onediagonal steel structure and white“paws” which seem to sink into awater veil hiding the auditoriumunderground.It was a bet to insert such anarchitectural project into a medievaltown contest; at the time we cansurely assert to have succeeded inmatching future forms andlandscape of a strong historicalidentity. Looking at the “Bolle” isalways astonishing, their forms andlight are every time exciting.

The Nardini’s “Bolle” are situated 3km from Bassano del Grappahistorical centre, direction Padua,after the hospital, on the right side.

The Poli Grappa Museum

25

In 1898 GioBatta Poli, who producedstraw hats, decided to follow hisgreatest passion: grappa. So, in that year he built a small still,put it up on a small cart and, goingdoor to door through the village,started to distil grape pomaces. Fromthis year on, Family Poli dedicates itslife to distillates.In 1993 the idea of a GrappaMuseum came out, strongly wantedby Jacopo Poli, set up inside a ‘400noble palace in front of the famouswooden bridge “Ponte Vecchio”.In a small but suggestive area, inside

the Museum it is possible to followan interesting educational tour intwo rooms: in the first you discoverthe distillation origin withdocuments and instruments, in thesecond, thanks to copper stills andillustrations, you can feel the realdistillation process atmosphere, andthe reasons why it is considered anantique and modern art at the sametime.That is possible because the museumprovides specific multimedialequipment which creates a friendlyatmosphere full of history andelegance. In addition to the museum,it is possible to visit also the Polidistillery, located in Schiavon, 12 kmfrom Bassano direction Vicenza.

MAROSTICA

A medieval town dating from theScaliger period (14th century); theoriginal town wall with its merlonsand towers still climbs the hill fromthe lower castle to the upper castle,from where you have an impressivepanorama. Marostica is otherwiseknown as the “Chess Town” becauseof its Chessboard Square set outright in front of the lower castle.According to legend two youngnoblemen, Rinaldo d’Angarano andVieri da Vallonara, were both in lovewith the beautiful Lionora, daughterof Taddeo Parisio, Lord of Marostica

Castle. The Lord forbade the twosuitors to fight a duel, but orderedthem to ‘fight it out’ in a game ofchess; the winner would wed the fairLionora but the loser would also jointhe family by marrying her youngersister, Oldrada. The event is re-enacted on the huge Chessboard inthe square every two years (evenyears) and attracts thousands ofvisitors from all around the world.The lavish period costumes, thecolourful parades, the multicolouredgonfalons are all reproduced exactlyas they were at the time of theoriginal chess game, and the chessmoves are still announced in theancient language of the Republic ofVenice. Over 550 people take part inthe event and the game lastsroughly 2 hours.Marostica is also renowned for itscherries and its Spring festival heldto celebrate its most famousproduct.

THE HILLS OFBASSANOBassano is situated at the foot ofMount Grappa, but it is surroundedby colourful and poetic hills, perfectfor long walks along the endlessmule tracks and for carefree days inthe midst of nature. In recent yearslocations providing refreshment andovernight accommodation haveproliferated in these hills and haveconsequently made the area evenmore accessible to visitors who wishto enjoy the peace and beauty ofnature. Jacopo Dal Ponte loved towander around these hills; heabsorbed the colours and the

atmosphere and the views from thehills, and expressed them in thelandscapes of his paintings. Ancienthamlets and churches enveloped insilence, aristocratic villas and warmtaverns give the visitor anunderstanding of the history andculture of the people of Bassano,who love to maintain thegenuineness and hospitality whichhave always been theirdistinguishing characteristics.As well as their famous cherries, thehills of Bassano are also gainingrespect for their oil and wineproduction thanks to the enthusiasmand professionalism of a fewdevoted producers.



MOUNTGRAPPA“Mount Grappa you are myhomeland …” says the famous refrainof an Alpini song. And the people ofBassano still become emotionalevery time they hear these words.Grappa is a massif situated betweenthe Brenta and the Piave rivers, withits peak reaching a height of 1775 m.The main road starts at Romanod’Ezzelino, just a few kilometresfrom the centre of Bassano, and iscalled Cadorna Highway in memoryof General Francesco Cadorna whobuilt it in 1916-17. The VictorEmmanuel III tunnel bears witness to

the heroism of these lands – itpenetrates beneath the peak foralmost one and a half kilometres,before joining a five-kilometrestretch with a series of secondarybranch offs. The Military Memorialstands on the peak (12,615 Italianfallen soldiers, 10,322 of whom areunknown), surmounted by GeneralGiardino’s tomb and the chapel ofOur Lady of Mount Grappa,consecrated in 1901 by the Patriarchof Venice, Giuseppe Sarto, the futureSt Pius X. For the great andcourageous feats carried out on thismountain, the entire area above1700 m has been declared a nationalmonument and sacred zone.

VALSUGANA

The Brenta river winds its way alongthis valley, which is full of surprise, awealth of picturesque views andfascinating landscapes, of ancientlegends and age-old traditions. Itoffers endless opportunities forentertainment. Studded with townssteeped in history, such as Pove,Campolongo, Oliero, Valstagna, SanNazario, Cismon del Grappa, Solagna,each of which has its own particularattractions. Attractions ranging fromsports, such as canoeing on therapids of the Brenta, to the religious,such as the quinquennial biblical

procession which has been re-enacted through the streets of Povesince medieval times; from theartistic, contained in theStonemason Museum in Pove, to thehistorical, such as the Brenta CanalMuseum in Valstagna or the CarpanéTobacco Museum in San Nazario. Thepark and the caves of Oliero arefascinating, as are Covolo delButistone and the Calà del Sasso, aterrace built in the 15th century with4,444 steps leading from Valstagnato the Asiago Plateau.

CERAMICS

Bassano and nearby Nove becamefamous throughout Europe for theirprestigious production of ceramics inthe 16th and 17th centuries. Thanks tothe local clay and white earthdeposits, the Brenta river, whichdrove the mills used for crushing thequartz and calcium carbonate, thegreat spirit of enterprise whichalready distinguished the inhabitantsof the area, some of the biggestnames in the ceramics world, suchas Manardi and Antonibon, movedinto the area. The light majolicaware with its white milky glaze,

produced by Manardi, is particularlywell known. The history of ceramicsin the area is expertly portrayed bytwo extensive collections, onehoused in Palazzo Sturm in Bassano,and the other in the Civic Museumof Ceramics, in Nove. The productionof ceramics is still a thriving activityand is now protected by a qualitylabel; there are currently over 400workshops employing almost 3,000workers, including entrepreneurs andartists-handicraftsmen, whoseimagination and skill remain afascinating experience for theonlooker.

BASSANO’SASPARAGUSThe symbols of the town of Bassanoare the bridge, grappa, ceramics andits highly regarded white turion.Cultivation of the asparagus in Bassanobegan back in the 19th century, andtoday it is known throughout the worldfor its distinguishing features: its milkywhite colouring, its straight fat stalkand the absence of stringy fibres.The vegetable was selected anddeveloped over time, aided by theideal climate of the area. During theasparagus season, which runs fromApril through May, a number ofevents take place in the town and its

surrounding areas including festivalsand gourmet exhibitions, and acompetition for the most beautifulbunch of asparagus, which is judgedduring the festivities held in thetown centre. The words of Emanuele Zuccato, thepharmacist from Vicenza, set downin the local dialect express theimportance of the asparagus for thepeople of Bassano:“Bassano is famous for its bridge,for ceramics grappa and Mount Grappa,and for the glory given to it by the Dal Ponte family.But another glory (you’ll be sorry if you miss out!) is its asparagus:the best in the world!And when they’re served, with hard boiled eggs arranged like a crown around themin a soup plate,they turn a poor man into a rich man”.



GRAPPA

An ancient proverb says: “Grappa islead in the morning, silver at noon,gold in the evening”. Grappa wasonce produced by local farmers andused for medicinal purposes and as adisinfectant. Even though, at somepoint in time, the Veneto Republicinstituted an obligatory distillers’licence, illegal production continuedand over the centuries thedistillation process became sorefined that it eventually yielded aproduct that has become world-famous. The product is so wellknown that often tourists visiting

Bassano del Grappa assume that thename of the town actually derivesfrom the name of the spirit. Themost famous ‘grapperia’ (grappatasting bars) are clustered aroundthe Ponte Vecchio, whereas thedistilleries are located on the outsideof town. Two of the most interestinggrappa-related attractions includethe Grapperia Nardini, which is listedas one of the hundred historical innsof Italy, and Grapperia Poli’s grappamuseum, which offers a fascinatingvoyage through the world andaromas of grappa.

See points 24 and 25.

ITINERARYJ. DAL PONTENext to Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese,among the great names in sixteenth-century art, shines the name ofJacopo Dal Ponte, one of the mosthumane and complex artists in thehistory of that art period. Son of aminor artist, Francesco Bassano IlVecchio, Jacopo (approx.1510 -1592)studied in Venice but soon foundthat his homeland was the trueinspiration for his art. His artconveys his love of nature, hissensitivity towards every-day life, ofwhich he manages to capture themost poetic and fascinating aspects;

his art is concerned with the subtleplay of light and colour yet at thesame time expresses simply the mostcomplex religious mysteries. DalPonte’s greatness and thedevelopment of his art over theyears can be experienced throughthe vast collection of his workshoused in the civic museum. For amore complete overview of his artmany examples can be viewed inplaces other than the museum, suchas in the Church of the Holy Trinityin Bassano, the Church of St Anthonyin Marostica, the parish churches inCassola, Mussolente, Pove, Borso, thefrescoes in the church of Cartigliano,in Lusiana and in Enego, on theAsiago Plateau.

THE VILLAS

The Bassano territory abounds inexamples of villas. Villa Bianchi-Michiel (can only be visited externally)is located on Campesana Highway, theroad that stretches from the PonteVecchio to Campese, on the right bankof the Brenta river. The villa wasconstructed on the will of GiacomoAngarano in 1548 from the design byA. Palladio, but he only managed tocomplete the barns. In the 18th centurythe Venetian Domenico Margutticompleted the central structure for theGradenigo family, but with a differentdesign. The end result is a villa which

is both heterogeneous yet harmoniousand the park at the back helpsmaintain the villa’s charmingatmosphere of secludedness. Fieldssurround the villa, just as GiacomoAngarano desired and which was acommon characteristic of the nobleresidences of the Veneto region.Arriving from Padua, before actuallyentering the town, you find the VillaRezzonico-Borella on the left, whichwas built between 1691 and 1713 byan unknown architect who was surelygreatly influenced by the architectonicconceptions of Baldassarre Longhena.The four towers and the oratory of StJohn the Baptist belong to anothergreat Venetian architect, GiorgioMassari, who worked on the buildingsfrom 1733 onwards. The painting“Jupiter striking the Titans withlightning” by Giambattista Volpato canbe found here as well as four largesymbolic paintings, including AntonioCanova’s embodiment of Faith on theground floor; Canova was a frequentvisitor to the villa and an admirer ofthe ornate stuccoes, which adornedthe interior of the villa. Otherinteresting villas in the area includeVilla Morosini Cappello in Cartigliano,Villa Negri Piovene in Mussolente, VillaCornaro in Romano d’Ezzelino, VillaComello in Rossano, and Villa DolfinBoldù in Rosà.

CAR MUSEUM

The Car Museum “Bonfanti-VIMAR”was founded in 1991 by a smallgroup of members of the famous“Circolo Veneto Automoto d’Epoca”.This club, set up in Bassano in 1961,today is the second oldest one inItaly. It is the only european museumwhich organizes thematic exhibitionsevery six months. As a matter offact, in spring and autumn theypropose new and stimulatingthemes, regarding various aspectssuch as tech, sport, society.The Car Museum “Bonfanti-VIMAR”imposes itself for its dynamism and

for its style, not limited to theinnovative exhibitions, but open toevents and debates, so becoming ameeting point for sectorpersonalities.

The museum is located 5 km fromBassano del Grappa, direction Treviso,in Romano d’Ezzelino.

Publishing coordination:Consorzio Vicenza è



Province of VicenzaIAT Bassano del Grappa(Tourist Information Office)

Largo Corona d’Italia, 35 - 36061 Bassano del Grappa (VI)Tel. +39 0424.524351 - 525065 - Fax +39 0424.525301

[email protected]

Convention and Visitor Bureau Vicenza è

Via E. Fermi, 134 - 36100 VicenzaTel. +39 0444.994770 - Fax +39 0444.994779

[email protected] - www.vicenzae.org



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