Vicenza: Who Do You Think You Are?
I have longed to visit Vicenza for many years and not just for the obvious reasons, such as to admire the architectural wonders of Andrea Palladio, to find out about the interesting history of this cit,y or even for the eating and drinking of the delicious local produce. Although no trip to Italy would be complete without architectural wonders, history, delicious food, and wine.
The title of this post might surprise you, but if you are from the UK you will probably be familiar with a TV program called “Who do you think you are”? which is about the ancestry of certain celebrities who want to discover more about their roots. So I am calling this trip my own ” who do you think you are” since for me, visiting Vicenza has also been about finding out about my own family ancestry and in particular a chance to find out a little bit more about my paternal grandmother “Nona Gilda”, who was born in this region in the small town of Chiampo but then lived most of her childhood and teenage years in Arzinganano, not far from Vicenza.
Leaving the Dolomites mountain range behind (read up on that on my previous blog post) we find ourselves veering towards the Veneto region of Italy and the quest to find my grandmother’s childhood house.
A much easier drive than what we have been experiencing in the past few days, Vicenza is located halfway between the more desirable travel destinations of Venice and Verona. But since we had already visited Venice a few years ago this next leg of our trip would be taking us away from the “Serenissima” and into the lesser known, but certainly the no less desirable city of Vicenza.
Arriving early afternoon at Agroturismo Villa Corona and our motorhome parking digs for the night (GPS location N45.55689 E11.57323) we just relaxed for the rest of the day. The next morning we rode Little Bill (our scooter) up to Monte Berico and then later into the town center for some more exploring. There were spells of torrential rain, but somehow we managed to stay dry for most of the time.
The Sanctuary of Monte Berico
Monte Berico looks over Vicenza, giving a wonderful birds-eye view of its many historic buildings. Also at the top stands one of Italy’s most important sanctuaries. Local legend states that the Virgin Mary appeared to a peasant girl called Vincenza Pasini – first in 1426 and then again in 1428. Apparently, the town was down on its luck and being ravaged by a terrible plague ( sounds familiar?) so the Virgin promised that if the locals were to build her a church on Monte Berico, the plague would come to an end and therefore a church was built in the spot where the Virgin appeared.
I entered the church and sat for a while quietly listening to the ongoing mass, it was weird to see the congregation all wearing face-masks, including myself, but in times of COVID, this is a requirement in all enclosed spaces in Italy. As I sat down, I tried to imagine my grandmother sitting in one of the pews since I am sure that she would have attended mass here, maybe during her teenage years, or possibly when she returned with my grandfather to visit her Italian family in 1968, during her only visit to her native country after she left.
Church of St. Mary of Mount Berico.
It is possible to walk from the town center up to Monte Berico, probably a good 30 to 40 minutes walk and as you come up the hill you can stroll under a beautiful long covered gallery that leads to the Sanctuary.
Afterward, we rode Little Bill back down and parked in the town center to visit some of Palladio’s buildings.
Palladio’s Vicenza
Palladio was born in Padua, where his humble beginnings as a stonecutter prepared him for a future of making his mark in transforming the history of European architecture in his adopted city of Vicenza, Northern Italy. This Italian Renassaince architect was an autodidact who after studying the ruins in Rome circa 1520s returned to Vicenza to create the extraordinary buildings and structures that are now Unesco World Heritage Sites.
Palladio also wrote books, such as The Four Books of Architecture, with very detailed illustrations and plans setting out rules that others could follow, making him an especially influential architect in Europe and also the USA.
We were keen to check out some of Palladio’s creations and many of his most important building work is within easy walking distance in the historic heart of Vicenza, although some of the Villas are scattered around the countryside a short distance away, such as “La Rotonda”.
- Villa Capra – “La Rotonda”
One of Palladio’s most admired creations, this villa is reputed to be a showstopper inspiring variations of its style across Europe and even the USA ( apparently it has inspired Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello). Perched on a hilltop it would be a good 30 to 40 minutes walk from the town center, according to my Lonely Planet guide book, bus number 8 from in front of the Vicenza train station can take you there and save your legs, but we rode Little Bill (our scooter) there instead. Unfortunately, it was closed when we arrived.
Palladio’s La Rotonda
We managed a couple of photos from the large iron gates at the entrance of the property. From a distance, it certainly looked interesting.
- Teatro Olimpico
A Renaissance beauty – The world’s first indoor theatre constructed in masonry. Construction started with Palladio in 1580 with inspiration from Roman Amphitheatres and finished off by Vincenzo Scamozzi following the death of Palladio.
We loved the interior of this unique building and we would have loved to see a show on this extraordinary stage, considered to be the world’s oldest surviving stage set. The view through the arches gives the illusion of looking down classical streets.
Hall of entrance to Teatro Olimpico
Teatro Olimpico stage.
Wearing a face mask was compulsory inside the building.
Unfortunately with the current COVID situation, there were no shows available. We still loved visiting the interior of this building, and there were only a handful of visitors there, so it was very easy to ensure good social distance.
- The Basilica Palladiana
Situated in Piazza Dei Signori it is bang in the center of Vicenza and not at all what we had expected. Originally a Gothic building that served as a town hall and court of justice, it is now a venue for world-class exhibitions. Because of its name, we had imagined it to be a church, but this building has never actually been used as a church.
Its reconstruction in the 16th century was the first major building work commissioned by Palladio. Modeled on a Roman basilica it is capped with a large copper dome.
Basilica Plaadiana – Modeled on a Roman basilica it is capped with a large copper dome
For anyone interested in beautiful architecture this city will not disappointed, Andrea Palladio considered to be one of the most influential architects of the past 500 years, turned Vicenza into his own architectural playground. It is a very walkable city, with many of the attractions within easy walking distance. We only spent one full day here and therefore have not really done justice to this very authentic little gem of a place. I would recommend at least two full days to have a better chance of seeing some of its many attractions.
Other Vicenza attractions worth a visit include the
- Palazzo Leoni Montanari
- Palazzo Chiericati
- Palladio Museum.
It is worth getting the MuseumCard for discounted prices on all the Vicenza attractions.
There were some pedestrian-only roads in the town center with lovely outdoor restaurants.
Vicenza is a very pleasant town to wander around with some pedestrian-only areas, and the streets were quiet during our visit. We sat outdoors for a meal at one of the Piazzas. It was interesting to people watch and see the comings and goings of the people who actually live here, rather than just tourists. There were a few young mums strolling around with their babies in prams, mature Italian ladies beautifully dressed having lunch with friends, youngsters hanging around, or cycling past with their mates. Many people were wearing face-masks not just indoors, but also outdoors. We kept our own on most of the time, particularly in more crowded areas. In restaurants all the staff wore face-masks and in some places, our temperature was taken before entering a building.
The weather held long enough for us to finish our meal, but it did start raining soon after and we had to make a dash for Little Bill and ride home to Big Bill ( our motorhome) to avoid getting totally drenched.
We really enjoyed our stay in Vicenza, but it was time to move on and visit Arzignagnano, the town where my grandmother lived most of her childhood and some of her teenage years. Getting there was not easy since SatNav decided to take us along the most narrow of country roads, uphill, among tree branches spilling out into the small lanes. But eventually, we made it there and found parking for Big Bill just next to a little school and very near my Nona’s road.
Looking for my “Nona Gilda’s” house.
My grandmother, after whom I am named, was born in May 1897 in the rural village of Chiampo. Her family moved to Arzignano, sometime after she was born.
I was very keen to visit Nona’s town, walk along her road, stand in front of her old home. Unfortunately, her house was no longer there, since it has been demolished a few years ago. But I was able to get a feeling for the area, to imagine her there as a young girl playing on the road, near the ruins of the old castle. Worshipping in the local church (she was a devout Catholic) and trying to visualize what her life would have been like there.
Arzignano Castle, my grandmother lived near this castle. This view would have been very different back then.
According to the family, she lived most of her childhood and teenage years opposite this church, just next to the castle. The Cathedral of Ognissanti was built in 1803 and in the neoclassical style. Previously on this place was the Pieve di Santa Maria, dating back to around 1400, but it was later demolished to make way for the current church. I guess paved roads would not exist then, so I imagined it to be a much more rural place.
My grandmother’s neighborhood in Arzignano, it used to be a fortress here.
Nona Gilda left Italy with her family, bound for Brazil in 1915, and I am fortunate to have a copy of an old black and white family portrait that was taken just days before their departure. Together with her family and other Italian immigrant families she would have boarded a large ship from the nearby Port of Padua and sailed for a few weeks before arriving on the shores of Brazil.
My grandmother with her family just before leaving for Brazil, in 1915. She is the shortest of them all in the far right corner. They are all looking very serious and solemn, perhaps very preoccupied with what lies ahead.
How scary it must have felt for her and for her family to start again in a foreign land. I wonder how it would have really felt for her in particular, my grandmother’s life would have been so dramatically changed from her life in Italy, where she lived in a much more cultured European city, to then start life from scratch working the land in the coffee plantations of São Paulo.
The boom of Italian immigration to Brazil was between 1880 and 1900 when about one million Italians were living there, most of the immigrants were from Northern Italy and in particular Vicenza. So I guessed when my grandmother’s family arrived in 1915 the Italian colony in Brazil was already in full swing.
She met my grandfather soon after arrival, and himself also from an Italian immigrant family from Northern Italy, having been born near Bologna. They got married in São Paulo but moved to Rio Grande do Sul in the very South of Brazil to start their new married life. Together they had 12 children, but only 10 survived to adulthood, including my father who was the youngest of the lot. Currently, there are only my father and two sisters ( Tia Lourdes and Tia Maria) who are still alive.
I often think of my Nona Gilda and even though I don’t actually have a good memory ( sometimes I can’t even remember what I just had for breakfast) I have some precious childhood memories of the wonderful times I had with her. I remember sitting on her lap, as a young child listening to her and completely fascinated by her many stories. She also loved traveling and no doubt she has greatly influenced my wanderlust.
She was the matriarch of our family, her home the hub of all activity. I remember how she enjoyed hosting family gatherings, Christmas was always a wonderful time, and her house would have been filled with decorations and tasty Italian food.
My primary school was just next door to my grandparent’s house, so I visited most days after school, relishing the sweets and chocolate that she had stashed away and hanging out with her and my cousins who would also often be there visiting.
Her house always felt warm, nourishing, and very welcoming, she had such a loving, calm nature that filled our hearts with love. Her death when I was just 8 years old was heartbreakingly painful for me and certainly for all of our family. Losing loved ones is never easy for anyone.
Who do you think you are? – A question we all often have about ourselves. Life is like a giant puzzle and slowly but surely we gather all the pieces and slot them into place. Although this journey was hardly a trip to trace all of my Italian family tree, I feel that a few more pieces of the puzzle are now in place. I did learn a lot and I must admit that since visiting my grandmother’s childhood home, I do feel an even greater connection with her and with my Italian roots.
I certainly have a much deeper understanding of all the many challenges that she had to face when moving to a faraway land and although I still have more questions than answers as far as really knowing about her life in Italy and later on in Brazil, at least I am a lot closer to some of those answers.
I really enjoyed this region of Northern Italy and I would recommend Vicenza to anyone who has perhaps already visited some of the more glamorous cities such as Rome and Venice and would prefer to visit a more off the beaten track location, an authentic Italian beauty, showcasing great architecture, history, delicious Italian food, and wine…look no further than Vicenza.
Gilda, this post is so fascinating. I couldn’t wait to read it and discover nona Gilda. I can only imagine how lovely it must have been to discover where your sweet and determined grandma came from. I would be solemn in the picture too, not knowing where you were going to end up. Amazing how big families were the norm back then. My dad was also one of over a dozen…haha! Guess there was little to do in those days. Of course the thinking was different, someone to care for them and the land etc. Vicenza looks lovely and quaint and someplace l wouldn’t mind chilling in for a couple of days. Thanks for taking us along on this discovery of sorts.
Kemkem, thank you so much. My nona Gilda was a very determined, strong woman, like so many others of her generation. I am so grateful for their decision to leave Italy, I guess I would not exist, if not for their brave decision of leaving the motherland behind. I know that she missed Italy a lot and that both her and my grandad were keen to return to visit the family, something that they managed to accomplish later in life. They certainly had big families in those days, so I am not surprised your dad was also one of over a dozen…no contraceptives in those days and like you have mentioned they had to ensure enough people to work the land etc. Vicenza is definitely worth two or three days of exploring, maybe as part of a road trip to some of the other beautiful towns in that region.
How wonderful to connect with your grandmother this way. It is important to know the history of our family as it all makes us who we are. Although my dear German grandmother was born in Canada, she was conceived in South Russia (now the Ukraine). No one in our family has been back to the village her parents immigrated from.
Darlene, visiting Vicenza for me was very much about connecting with my nona Gilda and I am so glad to have been able to visit her childhood place. So many of the stories she used to tell me about her life in Italy make a lot more sense now. How interesting that you have German ancestry. In Brazil there is also a huge German community of immigrants, with whole towns where the local language is German as well as Portuguese. Is would be fascinating for you to trace your grandmother’s family tree.
What a heartwarming post Gilda! It was fascinating learning about your Nona’s history and how you tried to capture the emotional part of her journey from Italy to become an immigrant in Brazil. She was so young and perhaps had no choice on the matter as women were often voiceless back them. I liked her even more knowing that despite her many crucifying losses, she created a lfe for herself and a home that became a sunctuary for her family and for little Gilda. Your nona was a very special woman. The parts of Italy you visited look so beautiful and unspoilt. Thank you for sharing this most lovely post with us.
Val, thank you very much. It was an emotional journey of discovery to visit my Nona’s childhood place. A place that lived only in my imagination and in all the stories that she used to tell me. But it all feel a lot more real to me now. She did create a new life for her and her own family in Brazil and although it was at times a hard life, she was a very strong and determined woman. I feel proud to have inherited her name and a little of her fierce determination.
I really enjoyed this region of Italy, it felt very authentic.
Ah que lindo teu post, perai q caiu o cisco nos meus olhos… impossivel nao me emocionar em conhecer um pouco mais da nossa Nona, eu nao tive a sorte de conhece-la pessoalmente. Mas ela vive em mim através das historias e lembrancas da familia e olhando a fotinho dela posso reconhecer nossas feições. Viva a Italia e nossa belissima familia!
Obrigada sister por nos presentear com com mais este encanto.
Ti amo!
Lita, eu tambem me emocionei muito de ir la conhecer esse lugar que faz parte da nossa historia. Ela morreu um ano antes de tu nascer, acho que tu foi a ultima netinha dela a nascer naquela epoca e creio que ela teria adorado te conhecer. Com certeza podemos reconhecer varias das feições dela em nossa familia. Achei que a Virginia quando jovem se parece muito com ela. A Italia e realment um pais incrivel e com certeza vamos visitar de novo em breve, quem sabe vamos voltar la juntas?
thanks for sharing your story Gilda. And what a charming city!
Andy, I really enjoyed Vicenza and particularly to learn more about my Italian roots. It is a very charming city for sure with a lot to offer, and also it is so lovely to find a place that is a little bit out of the bitten track. Thanks for your comment 🙂
Hey Gilda, what a fascinating additional reason to travel, tracing your own ancestry. We can only imagine the feelings you went through, must have really been stimulating as well as emotional. If we did the same, we would go nowhere more exotic than Birmingham (Michaela) and Derby (Phil) – yours is on a slightly higher level on the exotic scale!
Michaela and Phil, thank you for your lovely comment. I love Birmingham, my son went to university there and we visited many times…isn’t it called the Venice of England? Haven’t been to Derby, but would certainly like to visit sometime. Having a chance to trace some of my Italian ancestry was fascinating and very emotional. I am grateful to have been able to travel there, particularly in current times. Looks like you guys are having a fabulous time in Turkey? Really enjoying your blog posts.
How lovely, Gilda! This was a trip into time and cultural heritage as well as an immersion in a fascinating, architecturally beautiful city. I enjoyed learning more about your nona and your roots. Sad that her childhood home doesn’t stand anymore, but being able to visit the neighborhood she left is precious as well. My Oma would have turned 100 years old tomorrow… A birthday for which Mark and I would have returned to Belgium, if she’d still be alive. My mom recently told me her house has been leveled, so that made me sad, as, like you, I have wonderful childhood – and adulthood – memories of spending time with her.
Liesbet, I wonder what your Oma would have thought of our current COVID times? Such a shame that she did not make it to 100…what a fantastic celebration that would have been. Very sad that her house has been levelled, I understand exactly how you feel. I was hoping that my Nona Gilda’s childhood home would still be there, but unfortunately it did not survive. In any case I was glad to walk along her road and have a good look around her neighbourhood, trying to imagine her there as a young woman. I hope you will be able to visit your family in Belgium again soon.
How wonderful you got to take step back in time to experience this. You made your grandmother proud. Great post!
John and Susan, thank you so much. I am very grateful to have been able to walk on my grandmother’s steps, visiting the place that she had told me about so many times. Many childhood stories make a lot more sense now.
Gilda not only is this a beautiful area which till now I knew nothing about, but such a special journey for your to trace your Nona’s home. One can not imagine what it must have been like for them to leave this beautiful area, spend weeks at sea to arrive to an unknown land. she sounds like a wonderful person who influenced your childhood and your life a great deal. How delightful that you had the opportunity to visit the area where her home once stood.
Sue, I am so glad to have been able to introduce you to a place in Italy that you knew nothing about. Vicenza has so much to offer, yet it remains fairly undiscovered as far as tourism there is concerned. Finding out a little more about my Nona’s childhood and to visit her home town was vey special to me. I felt even more connected to her and to my Italian roots.
Gilda, what a phenomenal job you did with the story telling in this post! You piqued our interest when making the first reference about the church where your Nona would have gone to during her childhood. At that point in the story we had no idea of the details of your search and discovery of your Nona’s home town. Thoroughly enjoyed reading off it and it all came together so nicely with the black and white photo of your family, that added the additional level of the visual, which made it all the more interesting to read about her as the matriarch of the Brazilian branch of the family.
Loved the photos, especially the ones of the Teatro Olimpico. So beautiful, wow. And yes, we were amused at the name of your hotel “Villa Corona”.
Have enjoyed seeing all the photos of your travels in Italy on your instagram. Nice to hear the accompanying story to these photos.
Peta & Ben
Wasn’t it disconcerting to be staying at “Villa Corona”? We hoped that it was not going to be a “bad omen” and it actually turned out to be a really lovely place to stay. An agritourism place where we could buy some really nice local produce. I really treasure the black and white photo of my Nona’s family just a few days before they left Italy for Brazil. My aunty Maria Lucia (daughter of Nona Gilda) has given it to me a few years ago.
The Teatro Olimpico is so beautiful, we regret not having been able to watch a show there, I think it would have been amazing. Thank you so much Ben and Peta for your thoughtful comment. Loving all the creativity of the artwork you have been doing on your recently acquired car 🙂
Gilda ~ I have been enjoying your photos on IG, but I must admit I am woefully behind in reading. I’m trying to catch up now that I’ve come up for air so-to-speak. We have been consumed with the election news and I was literally startled yesterday to realize Thanksgiving is one week from today. We seemed to have lost two weeks of time.
Be well, and stay safe while on the road…
Patti, I know how busy you have been with all the recent election events in the US. I think the whole world has stopped with bated breath for a few weeks. Brian and I have been keeping everything crossed for a good result and we were delighted that Biden is the new elected President and KH is the VP, fantastic!!! Keep well Patti and thank you for commenting.
Vicenza sounds like a fascinating city to explore, Gilda. And your beautiful photos make it even more enticing. I’ve long been a fan of Palladio’s architecture and would love to tour his playground.
But the best part is that you were following in the steps of your Nona Gilda. That is so special. And I was intrigued by the connection to Brazil. Thanks for explaining it. ~Terri
Terri, if you are a fan of Palladio you will love Vicenza. It is a city that it is often overlooked because of the more famous nearby destinations of Venice and Verona, which are off course stunning also. But I would recommend Vicenza as a out of the beaten track option that has a lot to offer, without the mass tourism.
It was very special for me to visit this place, since throughout my childhood I heard so many stories about Vicenza and the Veneto region, told by my Italian family (who immigrated to Brazil from here) and in particularly my Nona Gilda. I think this region is so beautiful and it is a place I will be returning to in the future.
Vicenza looks a lovely town, and I especially liked the look of the Teatro, Gilda. But, of course, for you the special part of your trip was to Nona’s village. A nice place to be brought up, and I’m sure she set about recreating an Italian home there in far off Brazil. Great for you to come full circle. 🙂 🙂
Jo, thank you. I do feel like I have come full circle by visiting my Nona Gilda’s childhood place. It was a very emotional visit for me. Vicenza is definitely worth a visit and the Teatro Olimpico was simply gorgeous. I am very grateful to have been able to do this trip, particularly with the current pandemic situation.
A heartwarming and fascinating tour of Vicenza and Nona’s village, Gilda. Stunning architectures!
Warm greetings from the coast of North Norfolk, Dina.
Dina, thank you so much. Vicenza is a gem of a place, the amazing architectural wonders alone is reason enough to plan a visit there. I am yet to visit Norfolk Dina, but it is definitely on my travel wish list, fingers crossed free travelling around the UK and the rest of the world will be resumed soon. Thank you for visiting the blog and warm wishes to you also.
Nice post Gilda, wasn’t familiar with your Italian heritage and how the family ended up in Brazil. Can’t imagine what it would be like for these new immigrants, it’s not like they had internet back then so no matter how prepared must have been a shock. Incidentally, we just watched a Netflix documentary on Mennonites in Brazil and they focused on a family who moved from Manaus further into the country, a few days upriver into the Amazon. They felt that modernity was encroaching and wanted a more remote location to practice their beliefs. Just couldn’t believe people would move out there in the middle of nowhere.
Anyway, we stayed in the Vincenza area for a month a few years back, based in Padua. Nice area and good spot to visit many of the close by highlights.
Thank you Frank. This trip to Italy and having been able to explore further than on previous visits have made me realise how much I value my Italian heritage. The Netflix documentary sounds very interesting, I will have a look at that. It is sad when these indigenous tribes feel threatened by people who don’t understand their way of life. But living somewhere remote would certainly not be for me, I am a city girl. I love visiting remote places, but could not live in such places.
Both Padua and Vicenza make it for a good base to explore the region, I do remember your blog posts from your explorations around there.
I am enjoying your blog posts from Spain, I am glad you are finally settled in your new home.
No wonder you have longed for visiting Vicenza with your paternal grandmother having lived there. But it does look like a lovely town to visit on its own. It looks very Italian.
Otto, visiting Vicenza was particularly special for me since it did give me the opportunity to have a better understanding about the early life of my paternal grand-mother and to re-connect with my Italian ancestry. But I would recommend a Visit to Vicenza in any case, it is a city that feels very authentic.
I would think so. A lot of Italian towns do have that authentic feeling.