Treviso

TREVISO(situated ca. 45 minutes by car from here) it is still surrounded by its sixteenth century walls whose gloominess is alleviated by the lapping waters of the river Sile at their base. These currents then pass on through to meet up inside with the river Bottenigo, this dividing up into various smaller canals, turning the town after this into a shimmering mass of clear waters which flow between the houses, running along the river banks, watering the gardens and revolving the wheels of the old mills.

You will admire:

  • S. Nicolo' church: it is the most important church in Treviso. Built between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries its high brick walls reflect the simplicity of design which was a hallmark of Venetian architecture, particularly that close to the lagoon.
  • St. Francesco church: very interesting imposing roman church housing the grave of Dante Alighieri's son.
  • Cathedrale: it's naturally of great artistic importance. At the end of the fifteenth century it was rebuilt by Lombardo, and later on, in the eighteenth century, it was improved on by Giordano Riccati. Inside is the Malchiostro, or the Annunziata Chapel, on account of Titian's famous colorful "Annunciazione" hanging over the altar.
  • Trecento's Palace: of roman origin, it's arceded and flanked on either side by high houses. Palazzo dei Trecento, where the town's Grand Council of 300 members -half of them aristocratics, half representing the common people - used to meet, stands with its red brick walls and open trading arcade below it, expressing all the solemnity and pride of medieval Treviso.
  • Loggia dei Cavalieri: reminding us of all the aristocratic displays of pomp and splendor in this area dense with castles and fortified towns.
  • Pescheria: the fish market situated on a very little isle is the most characteristic district of the old town with its roman frescoes houses built on the canal waters and the characteristic Riviera dei Buranelli.

In the province of Treviso

  • Conegliano: on the edge of the plain stands the castle of Conegliano which has been turned into a museum containing the old Scuola dei Battuti with a series of frescoes by Pozzoserrato;
  • Follina: nearby the lake of Follina the Cisternians built an important abbey;
  • Castelfranco Veneto: grown around the foot of an old castle - it is impossible to set foot there without feeling the sense of time which also flow through all pictures of Giorgione and which transforms everything - ruins, plants, people and even, in the Tempesta, lightning in the night - into a sorrowful melody and a realization of the melancony and gentleness of existence;
  • Asolo: in a background where ancient battlement walls embellish the outlines of the hills, the town of Asolo takes place as queen of the area. Talking of queens, Caterina Cornaro, the queen of Cyprus, received Asolo, as a feudal state, from Venice, in exchange for the large Mediterranean island. The old town of Asolo looks down over the plain from the first of a series of hills which follow each other like a large garden as far as the foot of Monte Grappa. Facing the south, protected from northern winds, the Asolean area has a lush and typically Mediterranean colorful vegetation;
  • Maser: at the foot of the Asolean hills stands perhaps the most beautiful of all the Palladian villas; it is certainly the most famous on account of the decorations by Paolo Veronese and Alessandro Vittoria. The villa was commissioned by the Barbaro family, one of the most illustrious representatives of Venetian aristocracy of that period. Behind the villa there's a very interesting old coach museum;
  • Possagno: the surrounding hills can also boast of many other buildings: villas, small churches and farmhouses crowded onto these slopes where one village is visible from the next. The busy pace set by the appearance of these buildings gives the impression of coming to a halt only on reaching Possagno, when the rigorous and imposing stature of Canova's Tempio comes into view.