I have mostly done day trips on this visit to Bagni di Lucca. I have several wonderful places close by, Lucca, Florence, Pietrasanta and Forte dei Marmi. I was looking for somewhere to go for an overnight stay. I decided on Vicenza, a town I have not been to…a good reason to go there to explore something new for me.
The trip involved a few train changes along the way. Vicenza is in northeastern Italy in the Veneto region. It is 60 kilometres west of Venice and 200 kilometres east of Milan.
Vicenzo is well known for its Palladian architecture. The town is home to 23 buildings designed by Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio, 1508 – 1580. There are another 24 villas in the Veneto area. He was influenced by Roman and Greek architecture and is widely considered to be one of the most influential individuals in the history of architecture. He was born in nearby Padova.
Vicenza is a thriving modern city in a historic setting. It is the third largest Italian industrial city and one of the wealthiest. Its textile and steel industries employ tens of thousands of people. One fifth of Italy’s gold and jewellery is made in Vicenza.
All this points to a very stylish city. The main piazza surrounded by Palladian buildings is stunning, even with part of it under scaffolding.
The view in the evening when the work vehicles have left is a better representation of the piaza.
The Basilica Palladiana with its clock tower and stunning loggias takes up almost one side of Piazza dei Signori. It was built on an existing 15th century Gothic building. Palladio was commissioned in 1549 to work on the building. He added the marble loggias. The copper lined roof, shaped like an inverted ship’s hull, was inspired by the Palazzo della Ragione in Padova.
Today it is a cultural centre hosting exhibitions and events.
Andrea Palladio stands guard at the end of the building in a small piazza.
Opposite is the Palazzo del Capitaniato, or Loggia Capitanio. It was designed by Palladio in 1565 and built in 1571 – 1572. It is currently used by the town council. It did not appear to be open when I was there.
There are 2 columns at one end of Piazza dei Signori. The older one dates from 1464 when Vicenza was controlled by the Venetian Republic. It is topped with the winged lion, the symbol of St Mark and of Venice. The second column dates from 1640 and it topped with a statue of Christ the Redeemer.
The first church I walked into was at the end of the piazza. Chiesa di Santa Maria in Foro. It was begun in 1404.
Chiesa San Lorenzo in Corso Fogazzaro, facing Piazza San Lorenzo, was begun in 1280 in a mix of Gothic and Lombard Romanesque styles.
It looks especially lovely at night.
There are lots of architectural delights in the streets of Vicenza.
This is one of the main entrances to the historical centre of the town, the way I walked into from the station.
Nearby is the entrance to the Salvi Garden. The garden is quite small, but there were lots of people circling the running track and school children exercising in groups. It is a well used park.
There is a small canal with another 2 Palladian buildings beside it.
Lots of water birds were enjoying this tranquil location. An orange duck thought he had found a treat, but decided against it.
I found some fun places to have coffee, aperitivo and dinner. I also found a delightful street lined with elegant shops. I will share those in the next post.