Tom`s travels: Montagnana (31/03/2015)

I had come back to Italy for the easter break so I decided to do a little sightseeing back home. I left Vicenza, my hometown, with my brother at around 9:30 to see the walled town of Montagnana in the Province of Padova. Once we reached the destination, we parked the car just outside the northern entrance of the town, the Porta Nuova or Porta Vicenza, signalling the direction towards Vicenza. We entered the town through there and started walking toward the main square: Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II. Right in the middle of the square is located the Duomo, built in the 15th century, in a late Gothic style, with several interesting chapel and paintings such as the Transfiguration by Paolo Veronese. round and facing the square are also the Palazzo Valeri and the Monte di Pietá, a sort of pawn shop of the medieval era. We then headed east, walking along the northern wall until we reached the castle of San Zeno, built in the 13th century, which guards the eastern entrance and the road towards Padova. Right outside lies the Villa Pisani, a Unesco site because built by Palladio; it is unfortunately pivate so not accessible. We headed back into town and passed by a few palaces such as the Magnavin-Foratti Palace and the Town Hall, built by famous architect Sanmichieli in the 16th century. We then went back out of the town through a small opening in the southern walls; we reached the Sant Antonio Abate church which was closed, and then went back inside through the same opening, after having seen a beautiful view of the long southern perimeter wall. We walked further on and stopped in front of San Francesco church, which was unfortunately closed too, we eventually reached the western part of town. We passed by the XX September gate, and the western entrance to the city, the Rocca degli Alberi built in the 14th century guarding the way to Verona. After walking some more around town, we decided it was time to head back home to have lunch, so we went back towards the parking lot. On the way back we made a brief stop to see the splendid Villa Barbarigo in the town of Noventa Vicentina, built in the 16th century it is now the town hall. We then eventually got back home around 2:30 in time for lunch.