Veneto
Vèneto is one of the twenty
regions of Italy. It is located in the northeastern part of the country, bordering on the Italian regions of
Emilia-Romagna and
Lombardy, the autonomic regions of
Trentino-South Tyrol and
Friuli Venezia Giulia and the republic of
Austria. It lies between the
Alps and the
Adriatic Sea and is traversed by the rivers of
Po,
Adige,
Brenta and
Piave.
The capital is
Venice. Other important towns include
Verona,
Padua,
Treviso,
Belluno,
Rovigo and
Vicenza.This region is very rich in cultural and historic treasures. Its architectural heritage includes the unique buildings and bridges of Venice, and many of
Palladio's villas.
Verona's arena is an ancient
Roman amphitheatre, traditionally reserved for
opera. The
University of Padua is one of the oldest (
1222) in Europe and has counted among its many famous professors
Galileo Galilei. To this day it is world renowned for being at the forefront of medicine.
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Belluno*
Padua*
Treviso*
Rovigo*
Venice*
Verona*
VicenzaThe Venetic Period
Between II and I milleniums b.C. the region is inhabited first by
Euganei and later by
Veneti who came here from the Balcans. In VII-VI centuries b.C. the local populations entered in contact with the
Etruscans and
Greeks.
see also:
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VenetiThe Roman Period
Allied to
Romans against
Gauls who invaded their territory, the
Veneti accepted the Roman domination from II Century B.C.
Romans founded the cities of
Verona,
Vicenza and
Padua and enforced the communication system. Region had a particular importance because of its strategic position at the east of the
empire.
Middle Ages
Escaping from the
barbaric invasions the parts of Veneto's population occupied some of the isolated islands of lagoon, so the
Venice was born. After the period of
Byzantine domination in
8th century,
Venice became an independent marine Republic. The rest of the territory was subdivided in numerous
feuds.
The Serenissima: The Repubblic of Venice
A commercial superpower that lasted through the
Middle Ages and the
Renaissance. 1100 years of uninterrupted influence in the
Mediterranean.
Venetian Republic ruled
Veneto,
Friuli, part of
Lombardy and
Romagna from XV - XVI centuries.
see also:
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Venetian Republic*
Doges of VeniceThe Modern Veneto
Attacked by
Napoleon disappeared as an autonomous state in
1797 and was given under the Austrian domination.In
1866 after the
3rd Independence War Veneto joined
Italy.The
19th century: economic depression, the Italian period and the massive migrations to the Americas.
Till the
50's of
XX century his region was one of the poorest among the north-Italian regions. For a long time continued emigration flow to other parts of the country (
Milan and
Turin).
Agriculture
The agriculture of the region progressed a lot during the past 20-30 years. The territory of Veneto is still dominated by little farmer property and agriculture is mixed. The other phenomenon is part-time work in agricultural sector, that is after the working-day on a factory people cultivate their private pieces of land. Among the principle plants should be noticed:
maize, green pea, vegetables, apple, cherry, sugar beet, forage, tobacco, hemp. In the hill zones is spread the production of
grape and excellent wines.Very well developed the breeding of
cattle and
fishing.
Industry
Thanks to ancient traditional artisan activities industry takes its origins from the past century in some pre-Alpine valleys. During the last 30-40 years industrialization changed the look of numerous landscapes, especially in the plain, where grew hundreds of industrial complexes. In zones if
Marghera and Mestre were built metallurgical and chemical plants. In other parts of the region were affirmed little and medium activities in various sectors: food, textile, chemistry, metal-mechanics, glass, electrotechnics, sight glasses (exported).
Artisan production is also quite strong:
Muran glass, laces of
Burano and gold production of
Vicenza.Apart from agriculture and industry should be noticed such activities as commerce, banking and tourism.
Veneto region ranks first in the tourist sector in
Italy with about 60 million of tourists every year.
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Veneto.org - Extensive tourist info with 1500+ hotels links and more.*
Portal for tourists of Regione VenetoThe Cities of Art
Venice: The kaleidoscopic scenario born of an amazing, intricate and harmonious communication network of water and stone casts light and shadows unique in the world upon a city already singular for its art, history and culture.Venice and its lagoon are listed as
World Heritage Sites by
UNESCO.
Verona: The city of the most famous lovers in history:
Romeo and Juliet.It is one of the cities that has better preserved its artistic heritage in
Italy.Verona has been named a
UNESCO world heritage site.
Padua: also known as the City of the Saint, is a city of huge importance for its cultural, historical and economic aspects and it's on
UNESCO's list of
World Heritage Sites.
Vicenza is on
UNESCO's list of
World Heritage Sites, together with a number of the
Palladian Villas.
Montagnana is a commune in the
province of Padova with great famous perfectly conserved medieval
wallsBassano del Grappa with his wooden covered Bridge or Ponte degli Alpini on the river Brenta, designed in 1569 by the architect
Andrea PalladioMarostica : The 'Chess Game' event takes place on the second weekend of September and it involves over 550 characters and last two hours.
Asolo is known as 'The Pearl of
province of Treviso', and also as 'The City of a Hundred Horizons'.
Este : The
House of Este held the city until
1240, when they moved their capital to
Ferrara.
Ville Venete
All over the Venetian plain, but especially in the Provinces of
Treviso,
Padua,
Vicenza and
Venice, stand numerous remarkable artistic rural constructions, the
Ville Venete. Dates of construction of these villas range from the
fifteenth to the
nineteenth centuries. There are approximately five thousand Ville Venete, of which 1,400 are declared of historical and monumental interest.
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CISA : The Centro Internazionale di Studi di Architettura Andrea Palladio (Palladio Centre and Museum) in
Vicenza is an independent
Foundation, supported by the Veneto Regional Government and by the
Italian stateMountains & Lakes
Lake Garda: Due to its stunning natural beauty and warm climate, the area is a major tourist destination with the picturesque lakeside resorts of
Lazise, Cisano,
Bardolino,
Garda, Torri del Benaco and
Malcesine.
Cortina d'Ampezzo: Probably among the three most exclusive mountain locations in
Europe, Cortina is known for its first-class hotels and shops.
Arabba, between the
Sella group and the
Marmolada.
Auronzo, in the upper
Cadore.
Sappada, in the extreme north of the region;
Thermal Bath
The thermal baths at
Abano Terme are also an attraction. Although the most famous, Abano is by no means the only thermal town in the area. It is however one of the prettiest and most tranquil.
Beaches
Venice's
Lido is an 11-mile long
sandbar, home to about 20,000 residents, greatly augmented by the (mainly Italian) tourists who move in every summer.
Jesolo is one of the most important seaside resort on the Adriatic coast, just few kilometers far from
Venice.Every year Jesolo accommodates over 10 millions of tourists.
Caorle: it is extremely pleasant to spend some time swimming in Caorle's beautiful blue sea or sunbathing in its golden beaches, often awarded for being one of the cleanest beaches in
Italy.
Bibione The clear and gentle Adriatic Sea, offer to Bibione a wide beach of golden sand. It is 10 km long,Bibione is also an important and fully equipped thermal resort
Eraclea is a small and tranquil paradise right in the middle of pine forests.
There are some fine wines from the Veneto region of
Italy, these include:
Soave,
Bardolino,
Recioto,
Amarone,
Torcolato,
Prosecco,
Tocai Rosso,
Garganega and
Valpolicella and some fine cheeses like
Asiago (
PDO) (from
Asiago),
Monte Veronese (
PDO),
Piave (
PDO),
Morlacco ,
Grana Padano (
PDO).
Garda and
Veneto olive oils (
PDO) are other remarkable products of this region.
Fresh & Cured Meats
The Sopressa
Vicentina (
PDO) is an aged salami, cylindrical in shape and prepared with raw, quality pork meat. It may or may not include
garlic in its ingredients and comes in medium and large sizes.
Prosciutto Veneto Berico-Euganeo (
PDO) is obtained from the fresh
meat of a top breed of adult hogs.The aroma is delicate, sweet and fragrant.
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Web SiteCereals,Vegetables & Fruits
Radicchio Rosso di
Treviso (
PGI) is a peculiar vegetable with a faintly bitter taste and a crunchy texture. The production area encompasses many town districts in the provinces of
Treviso,
Padua and
Venice.
The
Radicchio Variegato di
Castelfranco (
PGI) has a delicate and slightly sweet taste and a crunchy texture.
Veronese Vialone Nano Rice from
Verona (
PGI) : a white rice with short, plump grains, which have a creamy consistency when cooked. They are commonly used in
risotto dishes and have a high starch content.
The
Bean of
Lamon (
PGI) type is particularly prized for its delicate flavour and extremely tender skin.
The White
Asparagus of
Cimadolmo (
PGI) has a characteristic scent and a very delicate taste.
The White
Asparagus of
Bassano is a delight of northern
Vicentino, is a shoot which has not yet broken the earth and owes its characteristic whiteness to its brief underground existence.
The
S.Zeno di Montagna (
Verona)
chestnut (
PDO) with its sweet taste.
Cerries of
Marostica (
PGI) in those the pulp varies in consistency from crisp to soft and the flavour is finely graded from sour to sweet.
Recipes
Fegato alla Veneziana (venice-style liver)
ingredients:*500g of calf liver cut into slices
*350g of onions
*150g of butter
*1 lemon, parsley, salt and pepper.
Making it:Chop the onions and cook them in a frying pan with half the butter and a touch of salt and pepper.
Cook the slices of liver in another frying pan with the remaining butter; again with salt and pepper.
Add the onions to the liver and squeeze the lemon juice over them. Place the finished preparation on a plate laid with finely chopped parsley.
Risi e Bisi (Rice and Peas)
ingredients:*6 T sweet butter (unsalted)
*5 oz lean prosciutto, chopped
*1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
*1 T chopped fresh parsley
*1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain rice
*1/2 cup dry white wine
*2 cups shelled, fresh small green peas
*6 1/2 cups hot meat or chicken broth
*1 1/2 t salt
*1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
*1 cup freshly grated
Parmesan cheeseMaking it:Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy saucepan.Add the chopped prosciutto, onion, and parsley, and cook for 5 minutes, over very low heat, stirring constantly.
Add the rice and cook until opaque.
Add the wine and cook, over low heat, stirring for about 2 minutes.
Add the peas, 2 cups broth, salt, and black pepper. (You can use low-sodium canned broth)Cover, bring to a boil, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally with a fork, until the broth is absorbed.
Add 1 more cup of broth.
When this is absorbed, add the remaining broth and cook until the rice and peas are tender.The entire process of cooking, after the rice and peas are added, should take approximately 18 to 20 minutes.
Stir in the Parmesan cheese, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and serve immediately.
Our note: You may substitute small frozen green peas and canned broth. Obviously, it is tastier with the original ingredients.
Baccalà alla Vicentina (Vicenza-style cod)
For the polenta:
*salt
*2 bay leaves
*1 1/2 cups white cornmeal
For the codfish:
*3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
*1 shallot, sliced
*1 garlic clove, minced
*1 bay leaf
*3 sage leaves
*4 anchovy filets, chopped
*1 1/4 lbs. codfish, soaked overnight in cold water, skin and bones removed
*1/2 white wine pepper
*2/3 cup half-and-half
*salt
*2 tablespoons Italian parsley, minced
*1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
*3 tablespoons freshly grated grana padano
Prepare the polenta: Bring 4 cups of salted water to a boil; add the bay leaves. Pour in the cornmeal in a thin stream, whisking constantly, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, for about 40 minutes. Pour into a rectangular dish and cool. Meanwhile, prepare the codfish: Heat the 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a pan. Sauté the shallot, garlic, bay leaf, sage, and anchovies until the shallot is wilted. Cut the fish in similar pieces, and add it to the pan. Let it brown, about 5 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine and cook until the wine evaporates. Add hot water to cover all the ingredients, season with the pepper, cover, and cook for about 30 minutes. Pour in the half-and-half and adjust the salt, if necessary. Continue to cook for another 15 minutes. Remove the sage and bay leaves. Preheat the oven to 400°. Slice the polenta and arrange half of it on the bottom of a buttered oven-to-table dish. Top with half of the codfish, sprinkle with a little parsley, and repeat, making a second layer. Pour in the cooking juices of the codfish. Top with the bread crumbs, grated grana padano, and parsley. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and bake for 20 minutes. Serve hot. Serves 6
Veneto is also the name of the main battleship class which Italian navy possessed during World War II. The
Veneto class battleship includes
Vittorio Veneto and
Rome. Both ships were damaged in the famous Taranto raid of the British Royal navy and participated in most of the major sea battles between Britain and Italy in the Mediterranean.
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Titus Livius (around
59 BC - AD
17), known as
Livy in
English, wrote a monumental
history of Rome,
Ab Urbe Condita, from its founding (traditionally dated to
753 BC) through the reign of
Augustus.
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Gaius Valerius Catullus (ca.
84 BC – ca.
54 BC) was one of the most influential Roman
poets of the
1st century BC.
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Marco Polo (
September 15 1254,
Venice;
January 8,
1324,
Venice) was a
Venetian trader and
explorer*
Andrea Mantegna(c. 1431,Isola di Carturo now Isola Mantegna (
Padova) ,
Italy –
September 13,
1506,
Mantua) was the first truly
Renaissance artist of Northern
Italy.
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Giorgione (c.
1477 â€"
1510) is the familiar name of
Giorgio Barbarelli da Castelfranco, one of the seminal artists of the
High Renaissance in
Venice.
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Titian or
Vecellio (
c.
1488-
90 –
August 27,
1576) was the leader of the 16th-century
Venetian school of the
Italian Renaissance.
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Andrea Palladio (
November 30,
1508 â€"
August 19,
1580), was an
Italian architect, widely considered the most influential person in the history of Western architecture.
*
Tintoretto (real name
Jacopo Robusti;
1518 -
May 31,
1594) was one of the greatest painters of the
Venetian school and probably the last great painter of
Italian Renaissance.
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Benedetto Marcello (born
July 31 or
August 1,
1686 in
Venice - died
July 24,
1739 in
Brescia) was a
composer,
writer,
advocate,
magistrate, and teacher.
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Antonio Vivaldi (
March 4,
1678,
Venice –
July 28 (or 27),
1741,
Vienna), nicknamed
Il Prete Rosso ("The Red Priest"), was a priest and
baroque music composer, as well as a famous violinist.
*
Goldoni (
February 25,
1707 -
February 6,
1793), Along with
Pirandello, Goldoni is probably the most famous name in Italian theatre, in his country and abroad.
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Giacomo Casanova (aka Jacques Casanova;
April 2,
1725 -
June 4,
1798, in
Dux,
Bohemia, now
Duchcov,
Czech Republic) was a famous
Venetian adventurer, writer and
womanizer.
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Antonio Canova (
November 1,
1757 -
October 13,
1822) was an
sculptor who became famous for his
marble sculptures that delicately rendered
nude flesh.
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Pius X (
Latin:
Pius PP. X) born
Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto was born
June 2,
1835 in
Riese, Province of
Treviso.
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John Paul I, (in
Latin Ioannes Paulus PP. I), born
Albino Luciani (
October 17,
1912 –
September 28,
1978), reigned as
pope and as
sovereign of
Vatican City from
August 26,
1978 to
September 28,
1978.
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Federico Faggin(born 1 December
1941) is a
physicist and
electrical engineer considered to be one of the
inventors of the
microprocessor.
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Benetton is a global
upmarket clothing
brand, based in
Treviso,
Italy.
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Dino Meneghin (born
January 18,
1950) is an
Italian former
basketball player. He was considered the best player for his country for decades, and, for several years, also the best in
Europe.
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Sara Simeoni(born
April 19,
1953) is a former
high jumper, who won a gold medal at the
1980 Summer Olympics and set two times a world record in her speciality.
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Riccardo Patrese(born
April 17 1954) is an former
Formula One (F1) racing driver, from
1977 to
1993.
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Renzo Rosso (born
1955) is a clothing designer and founder of the
Diesel clothing company.
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Roberto Baggio (born February 18,
1967) is a legendary Italian former footballer, among the best players in the world throughout the 1990s.
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Regione Veneto â€" Official homepage*
Map of Veneto*
Photos Venice : photos of
Venice*
University of Padova.*
University of Verona.*
University of Rovigo.*
University of Venezia "Ca' Foscari".*
University of Venezia "IUAV".*
Padova Airport.*
Verona Airport.*
Venice Airport.*
Vicenza Airport.*
Treviso Airport.
