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Vicenza ( , ; or , archaically ) is a city in northeastern Italy. It is in the
Veneto Veneto, officially the Region of Veneto, is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the Northeast Italy, north-east of the country. It is the fourth most populous region in Italy, with a population of 4,851,851 as of 2025. Venice is t ...
region, at the northern base of the
Monte Berico The Church of St. Mary of Mount Berico () is a Roman Catholic and minor basilica in Vicenza, northern Italy. The church is a Marian shrine, and stands at the top of a hill which overlooks the city. Origins According to the tradition, as re ...
, where it straddles the River Bacchiglione. Vicenza is approximately west of
Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
and east of
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
. Vicenza is a thriving and cosmopolitan city, with a rich history and culture, and many museums, art galleries,
piazza A town square (or public square, urban square, city square or simply square), also called a plaza or piazza, is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town or city, and which is used for community gatherings. Rela ...
s,
villa A villa is a type of house that was originally an ancient Roman upper class country house that provided an escape from urban life. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the f ...
s, churches and elegant
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
'' palazzi''. With the
Palladian villas of the Veneto The Palladian villas of the Veneto are villas designed by Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio, all of whose buildings were erected in the Veneto, the mainland region of north-eastern Italy then under the political control of the Venetian Rep ...
in the surrounding area, and his renowned
Teatro Olimpico The ("Olympic Theatre") is a theatre in Vicenza, northern Italy, constructed in 1580–1585. It was the final design by the Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio and was not completed until after his death. The ''trompe-l'œil'' onstag ...
("Olympic Theater"), the "city of Palladio" has been listed as a
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
since 1994. Vicenza had an estimated population of 115,927 and a metropolitan area of 270,000 in 2008. Vicenza is the third-largest Italian industrial centre as measured by the value of its exports, and is one of the country's wealthiest cities, in large part due to its textile and steel industries, which employ tens of thousands of people. Additionally, about one fifth of the country's gold and jewelry is made in Vicenza, greatly contributing to the city's economy. Another important sector is the engineering/computer components industry (
Federico Faggin Federico Faggin (, ; born 1 December 1941) is an Italian-American physicist, engineer, inventor and entrepreneur. He is best known for designing the first commercial microprocessor, the Intel 4004. He led the 4004 (MCS-4) project and the desig ...
, the microprocessor's co-inventor, was born in Vicenza).


History


Roman era

Vicentia was settled by the Italic
Euganei The Euganei (fr. Lat. ''Euganei'', ''Euganeorum''; cf. Gr. ''εὐγενής'' (eugenēs) 'well-born') were a group of populations, difficult to define, settled in the flat and mountainous areas of Northeast Italy, between the Eastern Alps and t ...
tribe and then by the Paleo- Veneti tribe in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC. The
Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
allied themselves with the Paleo-Veneti in their fight against the Celtic tribes that populated north-western Italy. The Roman presence in the area grew exponentially over time and the Paleo-Veneti (whose culture mirrored Etruscan and Greek values more so than Celtic ones) were gradually assimilated. In 157 BC, the city was a de facto Roman centre and was given the name of ''Vicetia'' or ''Vincentia'', meaning "victorious". The citizens of Vicetia received
Roman citizenship Citizenship in ancient Rome () was a privileged political and legal status afforded to free individuals with respect to laws, property, and governance. Citizenship in ancient Rome was complex and based upon many different laws, traditions, and cu ...
and were inscribed into the Roman tribe ''Romilia'' in 49 BC. The city was known for its agriculture, brickworks, marble quarry, and wool industry and had some importance as a way-station on the important road from ''
Mediolanum Mediolanum, the ancient city where Milan now stands, was originally an Insubres, Insubrian city, but afterwards became an important Ancient Rome, Roman city in Northern Italy. The city was settled by a Celts, Celtic tribe belonging to the Ins ...
'' (Milan) to
Aquileia Aquileia is an ancient Roman city in Italy, at the head of the Adriatic at the edge of the lagoons, about from the sea, on the river Natiso (modern Natisone), the course of which has changed somewhat since Roman times. Today, the city is small ( ...
, near ''Tergeste'' (Trieste), but it was overshadowed by its neighbor ''
Patavium Padua ( ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Veneto, northern Italy, and the capital of the province of Padua. The city lies on the banks of the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice and southeast of Vicenza, and has a population of 20 ...
'' (
Padua Padua ( ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Veneto, northern Italy, and the capital of the province of Padua. The city lies on the banks of the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice and southeast of Vicenza, and has a population of 20 ...
). Little survives of the Roman city, but three of the bridges across the
Bacchiglione __NOTOC__ The Bacchiglione (, "Little Medoacus") is a river that flows in Veneto, northern Italy. It rises in the Alps and empties about later into the Brenta River near Chioggia. It flows through and past a number of cities, including Vicenza and ...
and Retrone rivers are of Roman origin, and isolated arches of a
Roman aqueduct The Romans constructed aqueducts throughout their Republic and later Empire, to bring water from outside sources into cities and towns. Aqueduct water supplied public baths, latrines, fountains, and private households; it also supported min ...
exist outside the ''Porta Santa Croce''. During the decline of the
Western Roman Empire In modern historiography, the Western Roman Empire was the western provinces of the Roman Empire, collectively, during any period in which they were administered separately from the eastern provinces by a separate, independent imperial court. ...
,
Heruls The Heruli (also Eluri, Eruli, Herules, Herulians) were one of the smaller Germanic peoples of Late Antiquity, known from records in the third to sixth centuries AD. The best recorded group of Heruli established a kingdom north of the Middle Danu ...
,
Vandals The Vandals were a Germanic people who were first reported in the written records as inhabitants of what is now Poland, during the period of the Roman Empire. Much later, in the fifth century, a group of Vandals led by kings established Vand ...
, Alaric and his
Visigoths The Visigoths (; ) were a Germanic people united under the rule of a king and living within the Roman Empire during late antiquity. The Visigoths first appeared in the Balkans, as a Roman-allied Barbarian kingdoms, barbarian military group unite ...
, as well as the
Huns The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th centuries AD. According to European tradition, they were first reported living east of the Volga River, in an area that was par ...
laid waste to the area, but the city recovered after the
Ostrogoth The Ostrogoths () were a Roman-era Germanic peoples, Germanic people. In the 5th century, they followed the Visigoths in creating one of the two great Goths, Gothic kingdoms within the Western Roman Empire, drawing upon the large Gothic populatio ...
conquest in 489 AD, before being conquered by the
Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...
soon after. It was also an important Lombard city and then a
Frankish Frankish may refer to: * Franks, a Germanic tribe and their culture ** Frankish language or its modern descendants, Franconian languages, a group of Low Germanic languages also commonly referred to as "Frankish" varieties * Francia, a post-Roman ...
center. Numerous
Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...
monasteries were built in the Vicenza area, beginning in the 6th century.


Middle Ages

In 899, Vicenza was destroyed by Magyar raiders. In 1001,
Otto III Otto III (June/July 980 – 23 January 1002) was the Holy Roman emperor and King of Italy from 996 until his death in 1002. A member of the Ottonian dynasty, Otto III was the only son of Emperor Otto II and his wife Theophanu. Otto III was c ...
handed over the government of the city to the
bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
, and its communal organization had an opportunity to develop, separating soon from the episcopal authority. It took an active part in the League with Verona and, most of all, in the
Lombard League The Lombard League (; ) was an alliance of cities formed in 1167, and supported by the popes, to counter the attempts by the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman emperors to establish direct royal administrative control over the cities of the Kingdom of It ...
(1164–1167) against Emperor
Frederick I Barbarossa Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (; ), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death in 1190. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aa ...
compelling Padua and Treviso to join: its , Ezzelino II il Balbo, was captain of the league. When peace was restored, however, the old rivalry with Padua, Bassano, and other cities was renewed, besides which there were the internal factions of the Vivaresi (
Ghibellines The Guelphs and Ghibellines ( , ; ) were factions supporting the Pope (Guelphs) and the Holy Roman Emperor (Ghibellines) in the Italian city-states of Central Italy and Northern Italy during the Middle Ages. During the 12th and 13th centurie ...
) and the Maltraversi (
Guelphs The Guelphs and Ghibellines ( , ; ) were Political faction, factions supporting the Pope (Guelphs) and the Holy Roman Emperor (Ghibellines) in the Italian city-states of Central Italy and Northern Italy during the Middle Ages. During the 12th ...
). The tyrannical Ezzelino III from Bassano drove the Guelphs out of Vicenza, and caused his brother, Alberico, to be elected podestà in 1230. The independent commune joined the Second Lombard League against Emperor Frederick II who sacked the city in 1237, after which it was annexed to Ezzelino's dominions. On his death the old oligarchic
republic A republic, based on the Latin phrase ''res publica'' ('public affair' or 'people's affair'), is a State (polity), state in which Power (social and political), political power rests with the public (people), typically through their Representat ...
political structure was restored – a ''consiglio maggiore'' ("grand council") of four hundred members and a ''consiglio minore'' ("small council") of forty members – and it formed a league with Padua,
Treviso Treviso ( ; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the Veneto region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Treviso and the municipality has 87.322 inhabitants (as of December 2024). Some 3,000 live within the Venetian wall ...
and
Verona Verona ( ; ; or ) is a city on the Adige, River Adige in Veneto, Italy, with 255,131 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region, and is the largest city Comune, municipality in the region and in Northeast Italy, nor ...
. Three years later the Vicentines entrusted the protection of the city to
Padua Padua ( ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Veneto, northern Italy, and the capital of the province of Padua. The city lies on the banks of the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice and southeast of Vicenza, and has a population of 20 ...
, so as to safeguard republican liberty; but this protectorate (''custodia'') quickly became dominion, and for that reason Vicenza in 1311 submitted to the
Scaligeri The House of Della Scala, whose members were known as Scaligeri () or Scaligers (; from the Latinized ''de Scalis''), was the ruling family of Verona and mainland Veneto (except for Venice) from 1262 to 1387, for a total of 125 years. History ...
lords of
Verona Verona ( ; ; or ) is a city on the Adige, River Adige in Veneto, Italy, with 255,131 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region, and is the largest city Comune, municipality in the region and in Northeast Italy, nor ...
, who fortified it against the
Visconti of Milan The Visconti of Milan are a noble Italian family. They rose to power in Milan during the Middle Ages where they ruled from 1277 to 1447, initially as Lords then as Dukes, and several collateral branches still exist. The effective founder of the V ...
. Vicenza came under the rule of the
Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice, officially the Most Serene Republic of Venice and traditionally known as La Serenissima, was a sovereign state and Maritime republics, maritime republic with its capital in Venice. Founded, according to tradition, in 697 ...
in 1404, and its subsequent history is that of Venice. It was besieged by the
Emperor Sigismund Sigismund of Luxembourg (15 February 1368 – 9 December 1437) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1433 until his death in 1437. He was elected King of Germany (King of the Romans) in 1410, and was also King of Bohemia from 1419, as well as prince-elect ...
. In 1496, the ''
podestà (), also potestate or podesta in English, was the name given to the holder of the highest civil office in the government of the cities of central and northern Italy during the Late Middle Ages. Sometimes, it meant the chief magistrate of a c ...
'' Antonio Bernardo expelled the Jews from Vicenza. Maximilian I held possession of Vicenza in 1509 and 1516.


Early modern era

Vicenza was a candidate to host the
Council of Trent The Council of Trent (), held between 1545 and 1563 in Trent (or Trento), now in northern Italy, was the 19th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. Prompted by the Protestant Reformation at the time, it has been described as the "most ...
. The 16th century was the time of
Andrea Palladio Andrea Palladio ( , ; ; 30 November 1508 – 19 August 1580) was an Italian Renaissance architect active in the Venetian Republic. Palladio, influenced by Roman and Greek architecture, primarily Vitruvius, is widely considered to be on ...
, who left many outstanding examples of his art with palaces and villas in the city's territory, which before Palladio's passage, was arguably the most downtrodden and esthetically lacking city in Veneto. After the
Fall of the Venetian Republic The Republic of Venice was dissolved and dismembered by the French general Napoleon Bonaparte and the Habsburg monarchy on 12 May 1797, ending approximately 1,100 years of its existence. It was the final action of Napoleon's Italian campaign ...
in 1797, under
Napoleonic Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led a series of mi ...
rule, it was made a
duché grand-fief As Emperor of the French, Napoleon, Napoleon I created Nobility, titles in a newly established ' (imperial nobility) to institute a stable elite in the First French Empire, after the instability resulting from the French Revolution. Like man ...
(not a grand duchy, but a hereditary (extinguished in 1896), nominal duchy, a rare honor reserved for French officials) within Napoleon's personal
Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy (, ) was a unitary state that existed from 17 March 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 10 June 1946, when the monarchy wa ...
for general Caulaincourt, also imperial Grand-Écuyer. One of the consequences of the city's occupation was the destruction of a prized silver model of the city, the Jewel of Vicenza.


19th century and later

After 1814, Vicenza passed to the
Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire, officially known as the Empire of Austria, was a Multinational state, multinational European Great Powers, great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the Habsburg monarchy, realms of the Habsburgs. Duri ...
. In 1848, however, the populace rose against Austria, more violently than in any other Italian centre apart from Milan and Brescia (the city would receive the highest award for military valour for the courage displayed by revolutionaries in this period). As a part of the
Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia The Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia (), commonly called the "Lombardo-Venetian Kingdom" (; ), was a constituent land (crown land) of the Austrian Empire from 1815 to 1866. It was created in 1815 by resolution of the Congress of Vienna in recogniti ...
, it was annexed to
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
after the
Third War of Italian independence The Third Italian War of Independence () was a war between the Kingdom of Italy and the Austrian Empire fought between June and August 1866. The conflict paralleled the Austro-Prussian War and resulted in Austria giving the region of Venetia (p ...
. Vicenza's area was a location of major combat in both
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
(on the Asiago plateau) and
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
(a focal center of the Italian resistance), and it was the most damaged city in Veneto by Allied bombings, including many of its monuments; the civil victims were over 2,000. The end of World War II was followed by a period of depression, caused by the devastation during the two world wars. In the 1960s, the whole central part of Veneto, witnessed a strong economic development caused by the emergence of small and medium family businesses, ranging in a vast array of products (that often emerged illegally) that paved the way for what would be known as the ''"miracolo del nord-est"'' ("miracle of the northeast"). In the following years, the economic development grew vertiginously. Huge industrial areas sprouted around the city, massive and disorganized urbanization and employment of foreign immigrants increased. Vicenza is home to the
US Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...
post Post, POST, or posting may refer to: Postal services * Mail, the postal system, especially in Commonwealth of Nations countries **An Post, the Irish national postal service **Canada Post, Canadian postal service **Deutsche Post, German postal s ...
Caserma Ederle Caserma Ederle (Camp Ederle) is a military complex in Vicenza, Italy, where the United States Army has troops stationed. It is under Italian military control and can be managed anytime by the Italian authorities. The Vicenza Military Communit ...
(Camp Ederle), also known as the U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza. In 1965,
Caserma Ederle Caserma Ederle (Camp Ederle) is a military complex in Vicenza, Italy, where the United States Army has troops stationed. It is under Italian military control and can be managed anytime by the Italian authorities. The Vicenza Military Communit ...
became the
headquarters Headquarters (often referred to as HQ) notes the location where most or all of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. The term is used in a wide variety of situations, including private sector corporations, non-profits, mil ...
of the Southern European Task Force, which includes the
173d Airborne Brigade The 173rd Airborne Brigade ("Sky Soldiers") is an airborne infantry brigade combat team (IBCT) of the United States Army based in Vicenza, Italy. It is the United States European Command's conventional airborne strategic response force for Eu ...
. In January 2006, the
European Gendarmerie Force The European Gendarmerie Force (EUROGENDFOR) is a European rapid reaction force composed of elements of several European police and gendarmerie forces. EUROGENDFOR is tasked with performing policing tasks within the scope of crisis management ope ...
was inaugurated in Vicenza.


Geography

Vicenza lies in the
Veneto Veneto, officially the Region of Veneto, is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the Northeast Italy, north-east of the country. It is the fourth most populous region in Italy, with a population of 4,851,851 as of 2025. Venice is t ...
region, at the northern base of
Monte Berico The Church of St. Mary of Mount Berico () is a Roman Catholic and minor basilica in Vicenza, northern Italy. The church is a Marian shrine, and stands at the top of a hill which overlooks the city. Origins According to the tradition, as re ...
, where it straddles the Bacchiglione River. Vicenza is approximately west of
Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
and east of
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
.


Climate


Demographics

In 2007, there were 114,268 people residing in Vicenza of whom 47.6% were male and 52.4% were female. Minors (children ages 18 and younger) totalled 17.17% of the population, compared to pensioners, who number 21.60%. This compares with the Italian average of 18.06% (minors) and 19.94% (pensioners). The average age of Vicenza residents is 43 compared to the Italian average of 42. In the five years between 2002 and 2007, the population of Vicenza grew by 3.72%, while Italy as a whole grew by 3.85%. The current birth rate of Vicenza is 9.16 births per 1,000 inhabitants compared to the Italian average of 9.45 births. In 2010, 83.5% of the population was
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
. From 1876 to 1976 it has been calculated that over 1,000,000 people from the province of Vicenza have emigrated, with more than 3,000,000 people of Vicentino descent living around the world (most common migrational currents included
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
, the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
,
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
,
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
,
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
,
Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
and
Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
) escaping the devastation left by poverty, war and sickness. Today, almost 100,000 Vicenza citizens live and work abroad and the city has morphed from a land of emigration to a land of immigration. The largest immigrant group comes from the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
(about 9,000 people, partly due to the presence of the
military base A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. A military base always provides accommodations for ...
). Other ethnic minorities comes from other European nations (the largest being
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
,
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
, and
Moldova Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, is a Landlocked country, landlocked country in Eastern Europe, with an area of and population of 2.42 million. Moldova is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. ...
),
South Asian South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia that is defined in both geographical and Ethnicity, ethnic-Culture, cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's populatio ...
(the largest being
Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
and
Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
),
sub-saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa is the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lie south of the Sahara. These include Central Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, and West Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the list of sovereign states and ...
, and
North Africa North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...
(largest is from
Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...
). The city is predominantly
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
, but due to immigration, it now has some Orthodox Christian,
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
and
Sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...
followers.


Government


Architecture

In 1994
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
inscribed "Vicenza, City of Palladio" on its list of
World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
s. In 1996, the site was expanded to include the Palladian villas outside the core area, and accordingly renamed "
City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto is a World Heritage Site in Italy, which protects buildings by the architect Andrea Palladio. UNESCO inscribed the site on the World Heritage List in 1994. At first the site was called " ...
".


Palladio's works

Vicenza is home to twenty-three buildings designed by Palladio. Famous examples include: *
Basilica Palladiana The Basilica Palladiana is a Renaissance building in the central Piazza dei Signori in Vicenza, north-eastern Italy. The most notable feature of the edifice is the loggia, which shows one of the first examples of what have come to be known as the ...
, centrally located in Vicenza's ''Piazza dei Signori'', of which Palladio himself said that "it might stand comparison with any similar work of antiquity" *
Teatro Olimpico The ("Olympic Theatre") is a theatre in Vicenza, northern Italy, constructed in 1580–1585. It was the final design by the Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio and was not completed until after his death. The ''trompe-l'œil'' onstag ...
, designed for the ''
Accademia Olimpica The ("Olympic Theatre") is a theatre in Vicenza, northern Italy, constructed in 1580–1585. It was the final design by the Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio and was not completed until after his death. The ''trompe-l'œil'' onstag ...
'' (Olympic Academy) and begun to be built in 1580, when Palladio died. The wooden scenes are by
Vincenzo Scamozzi Vincenzo Scamozzi (2 September 1548 – 7 August 1616) was an Italians, Italian architect and a writer on architecture, active mainly in Vicenza and Republic of Venice area in the second half of the 16th century. He was perhaps the most importan ...
. * Villa Almerico Capra (also known as "La Rotonda"), located just outside the downtown area *
Palazzo Chiericati The Palazzo Chiericati is a Renaissance palace in Vicenza (northern Italy), designed by Andrea Palladio. History Palladio was asked to design and build the palazzo by Count Girolamo Chiericati. The architect started building the palace in 155 ...
, home of the city pinacotheca * Palazzo Barbaran da Porto, home of the ''Museo Palladio'' * Palazzo del Capitaniato, home of the city council *
Palazzo Porto Palazzo Porto is a palace built by Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio in Contrà Porti, Vicenza, Italy. It is one of two palaces in the city designed by Palladio for members of the Porto family (the other being Palazzo Porto in Piazza ...
* Palazzo Porto in Piazza Castello (incomplete) *
Palazzo Thiene Bonin Longare Palazzo Thiene Bonin Longare is a patrician palace in Vicenza, northern Italy, designed by Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio, probably in 1572, and built after Palladio's death by Vincenzo Scamozzi. It is one of the city '' palazzi'' ...
(built by Vincenzo Scamozzi) *
Palazzo Thiene Palazzo Thiene is a 15th-16th-century palace in Vicenza, northern Italy, designed for Marcantonio and Adriano Thiene, probably by Giulio Romano, in 1542,Andrew Hopkins, 2002. ''Italian Architecture from Michelangelo to Borromini''; p. 21. and revi ...
*
Villa Gazzotti Grimani The Villa Gazzotti Grimani (1542) is a Renaissance villa, an early work of architect Andrea Palladio, located in the village of Bertesina, near Vicenza in the Veneto region of northern Italy. In 1994 UNESCO designated Villa Gazzotti Grimani as pa ...
, in the ''
frazione A ''frazione'' (: ''frazioni'') is a type of subdivision of a ''comune'' ('municipality') in Italy, often a small village or hamlet outside the main town. Most ''frazioni'' were created during the Fascist era (1922–1943) as a way to consolidat ...
'' Bertesina


Other sights


Churches

Some of the main historical churches: *
Cathedral of Vicenza Vicenza Cathedral (, ''Duomo di Vicenza'') is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Vicenza, Veneto, northern Italy. It is the seat of the Bishop of Vicenza, and is dedicated to the Annunciation, Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. History Construction of t ...
(church of Santa Maria Annunciata), dating from early in the 11th century, and restored in the 13th, 16th, 19th and after the ruinous destruction of
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, possesses a number of paintings and sculptures, nearly all of them by Vicentine artists; the dome and north side door were designed by
Andrea Palladio Andrea Palladio ( , ; ; 30 November 1508 – 19 August 1580) was an Italian Renaissance architect active in the Venetian Republic. Palladio, influenced by Roman and Greek architecture, primarily Vitruvius, is widely considered to be on ...
. * Basilica Sanctuary of Saint Mary of
Monte Berico The Church of St. Mary of Mount Berico () is a Roman Catholic and minor basilica in Vicenza, northern Italy. The church is a Marian shrine, and stands at the top of a hill which overlooks the city. Origins According to the tradition, as re ...
: the structure was completed in two stages, creating two churches in different styles: the first in 1428 in Gothic style, the second in 1703 by
Carlo Borella Carlo Borella was an Italian architect of the 17th century. He designed churches in Vicenza and is thought to have been the architect responsible for the completion of Palladio's Palazzo Chiericati. One of Borella's notable works is the church at ...
, designed as a late-baroque style
basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica (Greek Basiliké) was a large public building with multiple functions that was typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek Eas ...
. The adjacent convent, houses ''The Supper of Saint Gregory the Great'', a large canvas by
Paolo Veronese Paolo Caliari (152819 April 1588), known as Paolo Veronese ( , ; ), was an Italian Renaissance painter based in Venice, known for extremely large history paintings of religion and mythology, such as ''The Wedding at Cana (Veronese), The Wedding ...
. The bell tower (1826) was designed by Antonio Piovene. The basilica commemorates two apparitions of Our Lady to Vincenza Pasini, a pious woman who lived in a village in the province, and the liberation of the city from a terrible plague. * Basilica of Santi Felice and Fortunato: church built in the 4th century within a Roman cemetery and expanded in the 5th century to house the relics of the martyrs Felice and Fortunato. In the 9th century, the city, and the church, were razed by the
Hungarians Hungarians, also known as Magyars, are an Ethnicity, ethnic group native to Hungary (), who share a common Culture of Hungary, culture, Hungarian language, language and History of Hungary, history. They also have a notable presence in former pa ...
; by the 10th century, the church had been re-erected by the bishop Rodolfo with the support of
Emperor Otto II Otto II (955 – 7 December 983), called the Red (), was Holy Roman Emperor from 973 until his death in 983. A member of the Ottonian dynasty, Otto II was the youngest and sole surviving son of Otto the Great and Adelaide of Italy. Otto II was ...
. It has the layout of a
paleochristian Early Christianity, otherwise called the Early Church or Paleo-Christianity, describes the History of Christianity, historical era of the Christianity, Christian religion up to the First Council of Nicaea in 325. Spread of Christianity, Christian ...
basilica, initially rectangular, then doubled in width and divided into three naves. After the Hungarian invasions, the
Benedictines The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly Christian mysticism, contemplative Christian monasticism, monastic Religious order (Catholic), order of the Catholic Church for men and f ...
built a new baptistery and the semicircular apse, adding the bell tower and the rosette, as well as a series of blind arches and a Byzantine cross in front. In later centuries, the interiors underwent a radical alteration, enriching it with Baroque altars and decorations. A 20th century restoration removed many of these embellishments. Next to the church there is a small museum exhibition with archaeological finds from the church and from the nearby Roman
necropolis A necropolis (: necropolises, necropoles, necropoleis, necropoli) is a large, designed cemetery with elaborate tomb monuments. The name stems from the Ancient Greek ''nekropolis'' (). The term usually implies a separate burial site at a distan ...
. * Santa Corona: one of the oldest and most important churches of the city, this 13th century church first endowed by the bishop of Verona, the Blessed Bartholomew of Breganze, to shelter one of the thorns from Christ's crown. It was under the purview of the
Dominicans Dominicans () also known as Quisqueyans () are an ethnic group, ethno-nationality, national people, a people of shared ancestry and culture, who have ancestral roots in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican ethnic group was born out of a fusio ...
after the death of
Ezzelino III da Romano Ezzelino III da Romano (25 April 1194, Tombolo, Veneto, Tombolo7 October 1259) was an Italian feudal lord, a member of the Ezzelini family, in the March of Treviso (in modern Veneto). He was a close ally of the emperor Frederick II, Holy Roman ...
. It houses paintings by Montagna (''The Magdelene''), Bellini (''Baptism of Christ'') and others; the
crypt A crypt (from Greek κρύπτη (kryptē) ''wikt:crypta#Latin, crypta'' "Burial vault (tomb), vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, Sarcophagus, sarcophagi, or Relic, religiou ...
hosts the Valmarana chapel by Palladio. The church underwent a major restoration in 2012. * San Giorgio in Gogna: one of the oldest churches in the city, built before the year 1000 with a Romanesque façade. The outer walls consist of agglomerates of different materials (brick, stone, marble salvaged from other buildings) are clearly a demonstration of the origin of the construction craft, which can be seen especially in the polygonal apse. It was restored by the diocese in 2011. * San Lorenzo (1280): church built by Conventual Franciscans, also known as
minorites The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor being the largest contem ...
, in mixed Gothic and Lombard Romanesque styles. Located along Corso Fogazzaro facing the central Piazza San Lorenzo, it hosts the tombs of illustrious Vicentines and is served by the Conventual Franciscans. *
Santa Maria Nova Santa Maria Nova or Santa Maria Nuova may refer to: Churches in Italy * Santa Maria Nuova, Cortona * Santa Francesca Romana, Rome * Santa Maria Nuova, Fano, a church in Fano * Monreale Cathedral (), Palermo * Santa Maria Nuova, Pistoia * Santa Ma ...
: late 16th-century church is the only religious architecture designed and built by Palladio in Vicenza, apart from the Valmarana chapel and the limited interventions in the cathedral. * Santa Maria in Araceli (1244): church later refurbished by Guarini in Baroque style, formerly belonged to the
Clarisses The Poor Clares, officially the Order of Saint Clare (Latin: ''Ordo Sanctae Clarae''), originally referred to as the Order of Poor Ladies, and also known as the Clarisses or Clarissines, the Minoresses, the Franciscan Clarist Order, and the Sec ...
, contains statues by
Orazio Marinali Orazio Marinali (24 February 1643 – 6 April 1720) was an Italian late-Baroque sculptor, active mainly in the Veneto or Venetian mainland. Biography Orazio Marinali was born in Angarano, near Bassano del Grappa, on 24 February 1643. He trained ...
and Cassetti, and the reproductions of original altarpieces by
Piazzetta Giovanni Battista Piazzetta (also called Giambattista Piazzetta or Giambattista Valentino Piazzetta) (February 13, 1682 or 1683 – April 28, 1754) was an Italian Rococo art, Italian Rococo painter of religious subjects and Genre works, genre s ...
and
Tiepolo Giovanni Battista Tiepolo ( , ; 5 March 1696 – 27 March 1770), also known as Giambattista (or Gianbattista) Tiepolo, was an Italian painter and printmaker from the Republic of Venice who painted in the Rococo style, considered an importa ...
(now at the Pinacotheca Civica). * Santa Maria of the Servites (Vicenza), Santa Maria of the Servites: church in Piazza Biade adjacent to the Piazza dei Signori, was commissioned in the early 15th century by the order of the
Servants of Mary The Servite Order, officially known as the Order of Servants of Mary (; abbreviation: OSM), is one of the five original mendicant orders in the Roman Catholic Church. It includes several branches of friars (priests and brothers), contemplative nun ...
. The church portal was executed in the studio where Andrea Palladio worked at the beginning of his career and would be one of his earliest works. In the
cloister A cloister (from Latin , "enclosure") is a covered walk, open gallery, or open Arcade (architecture), arcade running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle (architecture), quadrangle or garth. The attachment of a cloister to a cat ...
, in 1319, the miracles of St.
Philip Benizi de Damiani Philip Benizi (sometimes Saint Philip Benitius, and in Italian Filippo Benizzi) (August 15, 1233 – August 22, 1285) was a general superior of the Order of the Servites, and credited with reviving the order. Biography Philip Benizi was born on ...
took place. * Santa Maria Etiopissa (1154): a simple stone and brick structure church. *
San Marco in San Girolamo The Church of San Marco in San Girolamo (''Mark the Evangelist, St. Mark in St. Jerome'') is a baroque parish church in Vicenza, northern Italy, built in the 18th century by the Discalced Carmelites. It houses various artworks by artists of the ...
(early 18th century): late baroque church built by the
Discalced Carmelites The Discalced Carmelites, known officially as the Order of the Discalced Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel () or the Order of Discalced Carmelites (; abbreviation, abbrev.: OCD; sometimes called in earlier times, ), is a Catho ...
on a previous convent and church of the Jesuati. The architect is unknown, but inside it is clear the influence of the style of the Venetian
Giorgio Massari Giorgio Massari (13 October 1687 – 20 December 1766) was an Italian late-Baroque architect from Venice. He designed the Villa Lattes near Treviso in 1715, the church of Santo Spritito in Udine, the church of Santa Maria della Pace, Brescia, Sa ...
. After the Napoleonic abolition of the religious orders and their convents, it became in 1810 the church of San Marco, one of the oldest parishes in the city. It hosts many works by Vicentine and Venetian artists of the early 18th century, including some masterpieces. The sacristy preserves the complete original furniture of the time. * San Vincenzo: church dedicated to Saint
Vincent of Saragossa Vincent of Saragossa (also known as Vincent Martyr, Vincent of Huesca or Vincent the Deacon), the Protomartyr of Spain, was a deacon of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Zaragoza, Church of Saragossa. He is the patron saint of Lisbon, Algarve, a ...
– ancient patron of Vicenza – overlooks Piazza dei Signori, facing the Basilica Palladiana, interrupting the smooth texture of the Palazzo del Monte di Pietà. The church was built between the 14th and the 18th centuries. The baroque façade (1614–1617) hosts two lodges with three arches, in Corinthian and composite style. The lodges are surmounted by a crown with Christ mourned by angels by Giambattista Albamese, also author of the five statues in the
pediment Pediments are a form of gable in classical architecture, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the cornice (an elaborated lintel), or entablature if supported by columns.Summerson, 130 In an ...
. Behind the lodge there is the ancient church of 1387, offset in relation to the building that has incorporated, with the altar facing east. The interior of the church, as amended in 1499 and again in the 18th century by
Francesco Muttoni Francesco Muttoni (January 22, 1669 – February 21, 1747) was an Italian architect, engineer, and architectural writer, mainly active near Vicenza, Italy. Biography He was born in Lacima, near Porlezza, on Lake Lugano, but his family moved to Vi ...
, was restored in the 1920s. It hosts the ark of Simone Sarego (14th century), the impressive altar,
rococo Rococo, less commonly Roccoco ( , ; or ), also known as Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and dramatic style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpte ...
work of Bernardo Tabacco, and the altar of Pietà, masterpiece of a young
Orazio Marinali Orazio Marinali (24 February 1643 – 6 April 1720) was an Italian late-Baroque sculptor, active mainly in the Veneto or Venetian mainland. Biography Orazio Marinali was born in Angarano, near Bassano del Grappa, on 24 February 1643. He trained ...
(1689). Within the porch, a red marble stele is engraved with the ancient official linear measures of the Community of Vicenza. * Sant'Agostino: church built upon older buildings in the 14th century, the ancient convent of Saint Augustine is located on the western outskirts of the city, giving its name to the parish and to the ''frazione''. The abbey church was rebuilt in Romanesque style during the rule of
Cangrande della Scala Cangrande (christened Can Francesco) della Scala (9 March 1291 – 22 July 1329) was an Italian nobleman, belonging to the della Scala family that ruled Verona from 1308 until 1387. He was indeed one of the most important characters at the time ...
between 1322 and 1357. The church has a rich decoration and a large altarpiece of 1404 by Battista da Vicenza. * Oratory of San Nicola da Tolentino: finished in 1678 on commission of the fraternity of St. Nicholas, it is a chapel that houses a series of paintings focused on the life of the saint, among the highest levels of the measured Baroque of Vicenza. * The Churches of the Carmini (1372) and St. Catherine (1292), formerly belonging to the Humiliati, possess notable pictures. * Santa Croce (1179) * Santi Filippo and Giacomo (12th century) * Church and Monastery of St. Peter


Secular buildings

* The Torre Bissara (clock tower) (1174), at 82 meters high, is one of the tallest buildings. * The
Biblioteca Civica Bertoliana The Biblioteca Civica Bertoliana is a main public library of the municipality of Vicenza, Italy. Inaugurated at the dawn of the 18th-century, and now the third largest library in the Veneto, after the Biblioteca Marciana of Venice and the Univers ...
, a public library founded by Count Giovanni M. Bertolo and opened in 1708 * Casa Pigafetta (1440), house of
Antonio Pigafetta Antonio Pigafetta (; – c. 1531) was a Venetian scholar and explorer. In 1519, he joined the Spanish expedition to the Spice Islands led by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, the world's first Magellan's circumnavigation, circumnavigation, ...
* The Pinacotheca Civica houses mainly Vicentine paintings in the Palladian
Palazzo Chiericati The Palazzo Chiericati is a Renaissance palace in Vicenza (northern Italy), designed by Andrea Palladio. History Palladio was asked to design and build the palazzo by Count Girolamo Chiericati. The architect started building the palace in 155 ...
.


Libraries

*
Biblioteca Civica Bertoliana The Biblioteca Civica Bertoliana is a main public library of the municipality of Vicenza, Italy. Inaugurated at the dawn of the 18th-century, and now the third largest library in the Veneto, after the Biblioteca Marciana of Venice and the Univers ...
, a public library founded by Count Giovanni M. Bertolo and opened in 1708 *
International Library La Vigna Centro di Cultura e Civiltà Contadina - Biblioteca Internazionale La Vigna is an institute of documentation specialised in studies concerning agriculture and wine. It is considered as the most important reference point for ampelographic researc ...
, a specialized library


Economy and infrastructure

The surrounding country is predominantly agricultural. Major products are wine, wheat, corn, olive oil (in the Barbarano area) and cherries and asparagus are a particularity of Bassano. There are also quarries of marble, sulphur, copper, and silver mines, and beds of lignite and kaolin; mineral springs also abound, the most famous being those of Recoaro. Massive industrial areas surround the city and extend extensively in the western and eastern hinterland, with numerous steel and textile factories located in the
Montecchio Maggiore Montecchio Maggiore () is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, Italy. It is situated approximately west of Vicenza and east of Verona; SP 246 provincial road passes through it. Montecchio Maggiore borders the following muni ...
,
Chiampo Chiampo is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula t ...
and Sovizzo area in the west and Camisano Vicentino and
Torri di Quartesolo Torri di Quartesolo is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, northern-eastern Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of I ...
in the east, areas characterised by a disorganised and extensive cementifaction. Elite sectors are the jewelry and clothing factories. Important vicentino clothing firms include:
Diesel Diesel may refer to: * Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression * Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines * Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine ...
, Pal Zileri,
Marzotto The Marzotto Group is an Italian textile manufacturer, based in Valdagno. Created in 1836 as the ''Lanificio Luigi Marzotto & Figli''. In 2005 Marzotto Group's textile business separated from Valentino Fashion Group. The Group manufactures woo ...
,
Bottega Veneta Bottega Veneta S.r.l () is an Italian luxury fashion house based in Milan, Italy. Its product lines include ready-to-wear, handbags, shoes, accessories, jewellery and fragrances. Bottega Veneta is headquartered in Milan, Italy, with its main at ...
, Marlboro Classics etc. The Gold Exposition is world-famous and it takes place in Vicenza twice a year (January and September). Other industries worthy of mention are the woollen and silk, pottery, tanneries, and musical instruments. The headquarters of the bicycle component manufacturer
Campagnolo Campagnolo is an Italian manufacturer of high-end bicycle components with headquarters in Vicenza, Italy. The components are organised as groupsets (gruppi), and are a near-complete collection of a bicycle's mechanical parts. Campagnolo's flagsh ...
and the protective wear for sports manufacturer Dainese are located here.


Transport

Vicenza railway station, opened in 1846, forms part of the
Milan–Venice railway The Milan–Venice railway line is one of the most important railway lines in Italy. It connects the major city of Milan, in Lombardy, with the Adriatic Sea at Venice, in Veneto. The line is state-owned and operated by the state rail infrastructu ...
, and is also a
junction Junction may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Junction'' (2012 film), an American film * ''Junction'' (2024 film), an American film * ''Jjunction'', a 2002 Indian film * ''Junction'' (album), a 1976 album by Andrew Cyrille * Junction (E ...
of two branch lines, to Schio and Treviso.


Sport

Vicenza is home t
Vicenza Hurricanes
American Football team which currently plays in League 2. Founded in 2009, the Hurricanes have a junior team and a senior team with a roster of 35+ athletes. Vicenza is home to football club
L.R. Vicenza Virtus L.R. Vicenza S.p.A. (acronym for ''Lanerossi Vicenza''), better known as Vicenza or Lanerossi, is an Italian football club based in the city of Vicenza. It plays in Serie C, the third division of the Italian football league. Founded on 9 March ...
, formerly Lanerossi Vicenza and Vicenza Calcio, which currently compete in
Serie C The Serie C (), officially known as Serie C NOW for sponsorship purposes, is the third-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie B and Serie A. The Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico (Lega Pro) is the governing ...
. Their home venue is the Stadio Romeo Menti. Vicenza is home to Rangers Rugby Vicenza, a rugby union team who compete in Serie A Elite.


Cuisine and popular dishes

Vicenza's cuisine reflects its humble, agricultural past: simple, hearty meals made with fresh local ingredients that reflect the province's geographical diversity. Unlike Venetian cuisine where fish reigns supreme, game meat, cheeses and vegetables take center stage accompanied by polenta, soft from the stove or day-old sliced and grilled over the fireplace embers, better yet cooked in a pan under the spit where it lightly fries in meat drippings to create a crunchy golden outer crust. Vicenza is known for its simple dishes, and often famous cheeses, fruits, ingredients and wines, such as sopressa vicentina,
Asiago cheese Asiago ( , , ) is a cow's milk cheese, first produced in Asiago in Italy, that can assume different textures according to its aging, from smooth for the fresh Asiago (called , which means "pressed Asiago") to a crumbly texture for the aged che ...
,
Marostica Marostica (; ), is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, northern Italy. It is mostly famous for its live chess event and for the local cherry variety. History Between the 11th and 13th centuries, the locality was greatly ...
cherries, Nanto truffles, Bassano del Grappa asparagus and Breganze Cabernet wine. * ''
Baccalà alla vicentina ''Baccalà alla vicentina'' (; ) is a Venetian dish originating in the city of Vicenza. It is made with stockfish (''stoccafisso'' in Italian), onions, anchovies, milk, and a mature cheese such as Parmesan Parmesan (, ) is an Italian cui ...
'' * ''Risi e bisi'' (rice and green peas) * ''Polenta e Osei'' * ''Bigoli all'arna'' (thick fresh egg noodles with duck ragout) * ''Putana'' (in this case not the vulgar term meaning "whore", but a fruit cake traditionally made with poor ingredients such as old bread or polenta and dried fruit such as raisins) The inhabitants of Vicenza are jokingly referred to by other Italians as ''mangiagatti'', or "cat eaters". Purportedly, Vicentini turned to cats for sustenance during times of famine, such as during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.


People

*
The Bloody Beetroots The Bloody Beetroots is an Italian electronic music project of musician and producer Bob Rifo (also Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo and SBCR, born Simone Cogo). Established in late 2005, the Bloody Beetroots were initially a DJ duo consisting of Bob Rifo ...
, band *
Amy Adams Amy Lou Adams (born August 20, 1974) is an American actress. Known for both her comedic and dramatic roles, she has been featured three times in annual rankings of the world's highest-paid actresses. She has received List of awards and nom ...
, American actress * Lewis Albanese,
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...
recipient during Vietnam War *
Giovanni Maria Angiolello Giovanni Maria Angiolello was a Venetian traveller, author of an important historical report on the Aq Qoyunlu and early Safavid Persia. Born around 1451 or 1452 in Vicenza, under the rule of Venice since 1404, Angiolello left Venice in 1468, too ...
, traveller and historian * Francesco Aviani, painter * Giuseppina Bakhita, saint *
Roberto Baggio Roberto Baggio (; born 18 February 1967) is an Italian former professional footballer who mainly played as a second striker, or as an attacking midfielder, although he was capable of playing in several offensive positions. He is the former pr ...
, football player *
Valerio Belli Valerio Belli (c. 1468–1546), also known as Valerio Vicentino, was a celebrated medallist, gem engraver, goldsmith, who with Giovanni Bernardi, who was twenty years younger, was the leading specialist in intaglios engraved in rock crystal, a ...
, sculptor and engraver *
Maria Bertilla Boscardin Maria Bertilla Boscardin (6 October 1888 – 20 October 1922) was an Italian nun and nurse who displayed a pronounced devotion to duty in working with sick children and victims of the air raids of World War I. She was later canonised a saint by ...
, saint *
Miki Biasion Massimo "Miki" Biasion (born 7 January 1958) is an Italian rally driver, two-time World Rally champion. Career Biasion was born in Bassano del Grappa, Veneto. Biasion came to prominence in the early 1980s, winning both the Italian and Europea ...
, rally driver * Marzia Bisognin,
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
celebrity *
Gelindo Bordin Gelindo Bordin (born 2 April 1959) is an Italian former Long Distance Runner, winner of the marathon race at the 1988 Summer Olympics. He is the first Italian to have won an Olympic gold in the marathon and the only male to win both the Boston M ...
, athlete *
Roberto Busa Roberto Busa (November 28, 1913 – August 9, 2011) was an Italian Jesuit priest and one of the pioneers in the usage of computers for linguistic and literary analysis. He was the author of the '' Index Thomisticus'', a complete lemmatization of ...
, religious and informatic engineer *
Aulus Caecina Alienus Aulus Caecina Alienus ( 40 – 79) was a Roman general active during the Year of the Four Emperors. Biography Caecina was born in Vicetia (modern Vicenza) around 40 A.D. He was ''quaestor'' of Hispania Baetica (southern Iberia) in 68 A.D. On the d ...
, Roman general * Gentullio "Tullio" Campagnolo, bicycle component maker and inventor *
Francesco Chieregati Francesco Chiericati, also written Chieregati or Chieregato (1479, Vicenza – 6 December 1539, Bologna), was a papal nuncio and bishop, member of the house of Chiericati from Vicenza. Life and career Sent by Pope Leo X as papal nuncio to Engl ...
, papal nuncio and bishop * Bartolomeo Cittadella, painter *
Carlo Cracco Carlo Cracco (born 8 October 1965) is an Italian chef and television personality. Cracco in Galleria, his restaurant located in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan, has three "forks" from ''Gambero Rosso'', one star in the ''Michelin Guide ...
, chef and television personality * Luigi Da Porto, writer *
Alby Sabrina Pretto Sabrina Sophie Pretto (born Alberto Pretto) is an Italian ballet dancer. She was formerly a soloist with Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo ballet company. She was previously a company member with Stadtheater Koblenz and Les Ballets Grandiva, ...
, ballerina *
Ilvo Diamanti Ilvo Diamanti (born September 4, 1952) is an Italian political scientist. Early life and education Diamanti was born in Cueno and graduated from the University of Padua with a degree in Political Science, and completed his Doctorate in Sociolog ...
, political scientist *
Federico Faggin Federico Faggin (, ; born 1 December 1941) is an Italian-American physicist, engineer, inventor and entrepreneur. He is best known for designing the first commercial microprocessor, the Intel 4004. He led the 4004 (MCS-4) project and the desig ...
, inventor *
Adolfo Farsari Adolfo Farsari (; 11 February 1841 – 7 February 1898) was an Italian photographer based in Yokohama, Japan. His studio, the last notable foreign-owned studio in Japan, was one of the country's largest and most prolific commercial photograp ...
, photographer * Ferreto dei Ferreti, historian (14th century) * Antonio Fogazzaro, writer *
Jessie James Jessica Rose James Decker (born April 12, 1988) is an Italian-born American country pop singer. At age 15, after auditioning for and being rejected by most of the country labels in Nashville, Tennessee, Decker began working with Carla Wallace ...
, singer *
Niccolò Leoniceno Niccolò Leoniceno (; 1428–1524) was an Italian physician and humanist. Biography Leoniceno was born in Lonigo, the son of a doctor. He studied Ancient Greek, Greek in Vicenza under Ognibene da Lonigo (in Latin language, Latin: ''Omnibonus Le ...
, medic *
Paolo Lioy Paolo Lioy (31 July 1834, Vicenza – 27 January 1911, Vancimuglio di Grumolo delle Abbadesse) was an Italian naturalist, redshirt patriot and politician. Career After graduating from high school, Lioy studied law in Padua. In 1853 he demons ...
, naturalist *
Luigi Meneghello Luigi Meneghello (16 February 1922 – 26 June 2007) was an Italian contemporary writer and scholar. Biography Luigi Meneghello was born in Malo, a small town in the countryside near Vicenza, on 16 February 1922.Giulio and Laura Lepschy, ‘Luigi ...
, writer (professor at
University of Reading The University of Reading is a public research university in Reading, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1892 as the University Extension College, Reading, an extension college of Christchurch College, Oxford, and became University College, ...
) *
Romeo Menti Romeo Menti (; 5 September 1919 – 4 May 1949) was an Italian people, Italian Association football, footballer who played as a Forward (association football), forward. He scored 145 goals in a career that spanned fifteen years. Career Born in V ...
, football player of the
Grande Torino The was the historic Italian football team of Torino Football Club in the 1940s, five-time champions of Italy, whose players were the backbone of the Italy national team and died on 4 May 1949 in the plane crash known as the Superga air di ...
, died in the
Superga air disaster The Superga air disaster (, "Tragedy of Superga") occurred on 4 May 1949, when a Fiat G.212 of Avio Linee Italiane (Italian Airlines), carrying the entire Torino F.C., Torino association football, football team (popularly known as the ''Grande ...
*
Francesco Muttoni Francesco Muttoni (January 22, 1669 – February 21, 1747) was an Italian architect, engineer, and architectural writer, mainly active near Vicenza, Italy. Biography He was born in Lacima, near Porlezza, on Lake Lugano, but his family moved to Vi ...
, architect *
Andrea Palladio Andrea Palladio ( , ; ; 30 November 1508 – 19 August 1580) was an Italian Renaissance architect active in the Venetian Republic. Palladio, influenced by Roman and Greek architecture, primarily Vitruvius, is widely considered to be on ...
, architect *
Goffredo Parise Goffredo Parise (8 December 1929 in Vicenza – 31 August 1986 in Treviso) was an Italian writer, journalist, and screenwriter. He won the Viareggio Prize in 1965 for his novel ''Il padrone'' ''(The Boss)'' and the Strega Prize in 1982 for ''S ...
, writer *
Marco Pelle Marco may refer to: People Given name * Marco (actor) (born 1977), South Korean model and actor Surname * Georg Marco (1863–1923), Romanian chess player of German origin * Jindřich Marco (1921–2000), Czechoslovak photographer and numismati ...
, choreographer, director *
Antonio Pigafetta Antonio Pigafetta (; – c. 1531) was a Venetian scholar and explorer. In 1519, he joined the Spanish expedition to the Spice Islands led by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, the world's first Magellan's circumnavigation, circumnavigation, ...
, explorer, companion of
Ferdinand Magellan Ferdinand Magellan ( – 27 April 1521) was a Portuguese explorer best known for having planned and led the 1519–22 Spanish expedition to the East Indies. During this expedition, he also discovered the Strait of Magellan, allowing his fl ...
*
Guido Piovene Guido Piovene (27 July 1907 – 12 November 1974) was an Italian writer and journalist. Biography Born in Vicenza into a noble family, Piovene graduated in philosophy in Milan and then devoted himself to journalism, notably collaborating with ...
, journalist and writer *
Joseph Pivato Joseph Pivato (born February 1946, in Tezze sul Brenta, Italy) is a Canadian writer and academic who first established the critical recognition of Italian-Canadian literature and changed perceptions of Canadian writing. From 1977 to 2015 he was ...
, Canadian writer and academic, born in
Tezze sul Brenta Tezze sul Brenta () is a town in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that ...
*
Orlando Pizzolato Orlando Pizzolato (born 30 July 1958) is a retired long-distance runner from Italy. Biography He represented his native country in the men's marathon at the 1988 Summer Olympics, finishing in 16th place (2:15:20). His biggest success was twice w ...
, athlete * Sergio Romano, diplomat and historian *
Paolo Rossi Paolo Rossi (; 23 September 1956 – 9 December 2020) was an Italian professional association football, footballer who played as a Striker (association football), striker. He led Italy national football team, Italy to the 1982 FIFA World Cup t ...
, football player *
Mariano Rumor Mariano Rumor ( ;16 June 1915 – 22 January 1990) was an Italian politician and statesman. A member of the Christian Democracy (Italy), Christian Democracy (DC), he served as the 39th prime minister of Italy from December 1968 to August 1970 an ...
, politician *
Sonia Gandhi Sonia Gandhi (, ; ; born 9 December 1946) is an Indian politician. She is the longest-serving president of the Indian National Congress, a big-tent liberal political party, which has governed India for most of its post-independence history. ...
, Indian politician, wife of former Indian Prime Minister
Rajiv Gandhi Rajiv Gandhi (20 August 1944 – 21 May 1991) was an Indian statesman and pilot who served as the prime minister of India from 1984 to 1989. He took office after the Assassination of Indira Gandhi, assassination of his mother, then–prime ...
*
Flo Sandon's Mammola Sandon, known by the stage name of Flo Sandon's (29 June 1924 – 17 November 2006), was an Italian singer who was popular in the post-World War II years. She won the Sanremo Music Festival in 1953 with the song ":it:Viale d'autunno, V ...
, singer *
Vincenzo Scamozzi Vincenzo Scamozzi (2 September 1548 – 7 August 1616) was an Italians, Italian architect and a writer on architecture, active mainly in Vicenza and Republic of Venice area in the second half of the 16th century. He was perhaps the most importan ...
, architect *
Sharon Tate Sharon Marie Tate Polanski (January 24, 1943 – August 9, 1969) was an American actress and model. During the 1960s, she appeared in advertisements and small television roles before appearing in films as well as working as a model. After receiv ...
, American actress and model. She attended Vicenza American High School. * Tiziano Treu, politician * Vitaliano Trevisan, writer and actor *
Gian Giorgio Trissino Gian Giorgio Trissino (8 July 1478 – 8 December 1550), also called Giovan Giorgio Trissino and self-styled as Giovan Giωrgio Trissino, was a Venetian Renaissance humanist, poet, dramatist, diplomat, grammarian, linguist, and philosopher. ...
, humanist and poet *
Antonio Turra Antonio Turra (25 March, 1730 - 6 September 1796) was an Italian physician and botanist. Antonio was born in Vicenza but studied medicine in the University of Padua. His Venetian wife, Elisabetta Caminer, published biographical entries in a con ...
, botanist and physician * Guido Vedovato, painter *
Nicola Vicentino Nicola Vicentino (1511 – 1575 or 1576) was an Italian music theory, music theorist and composer of the Renaissance music, Renaissance. He was one of the most progressive musicians of the age, inventing, among other things, a microtonal keyb ...
, theorist and composer * Bruno Zamborlin, AI researcher *
Giacomo Zanella Monument to Giacomo Zanella Giacomo Zanella (9 September 1820 – 17 May 1888) was an Italian poet. Biography He was born at Chiampo, near Vicenza, and was educated for the priesthood. After his ordination he became professor at the lyceum o ...
, writer and priest


International relations


Twin towns – sister cities

Vicenza is twinned with: *
Annecy Annecy ( , ; , also ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of the Haute-Savoie Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, regi ...
, France, since 1995 *
Pforzheim Pforzheim () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city of over 125,000 inhabitants in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, in the southwest of Germany. It is known for its jewelry and watch-making industry, and as such has gained the ...
, Germany, since 1991 *
Wuxi Wuxi ( zh, s=无锡, p=Wúxī, ) is a city in southern Jiangsu, China. As of the 2024 census, it had a population of 7,495,000. The city lies in the southern Yangtze delta and borders Lake Tai. Notable landmarks include Lihu Park, the Mt. Lings ...
, China, since 2006 *
Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...
,
Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...
, U.S., since 2009


See also

* Sartori family *
Roman Catholic Diocese of Vicenza The Diocese of Vicenza () is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in Italy."Diocese of V ...


References


General sources

* *


Citations


External links


Official site of the comune



Video introduction to Teatro Olimpico by Andrea Palladio

Vicenza city web Portal , VICENZA.COM

Guide of Vicenza , VICENZA.COM

Webcam on Vicenza's main square Piazza dei Signori, viewing the Basilica Palladiana of Andrea Palladio , VICENZA.COM

Vicenza events calendar , VICENZA.COM

Vicenza Outdoor Activities
{{Authority control Cities and towns in Veneto Territories of the Republic of Venice World Heritage Sites in Italy