Schio

Schio is a town and commune in the province of Vicenza (region of Veneto, northern Italy) situated in the North of Vicenza and in the East of the Lake of Garda. It is surrounded by the Prealps, the so-called "Little Dolomites" and the Mount Pasubio.

[edit] History

Its name comes from Latin: escletum was a wood of oaks and it was first used in a document of some Benedictines from Vicenza. The first settlements were around two old hills, where now there are respectively the ruins of an old castle and a majestic neoclassical cathedral.

By the 12th century Schio had become an important centre of woollen manufacturing, which prospered a lot. The city was under the Venetian Maltraversi family until 1311.

Schio is now an industrial town thanks to Alessandro Rossi, who founded the biggest Italian woollen firm (Lanerossi) in 19th century. Rossi also arranged the building of houses, nurseries, schools, theatres and gardens for his workers. The most important textile factories in Schio were Lanerossi, Conte and Cazzola. Schio was called "Manchester of Italy", because it was the focal point of the northern wool trade like the British city.

[edit] Main sights

• The Weaver’s Monument, erected in 1879 by Alessandro Rossi who dedicated it to his workers. The inhabitants of Schio call it L’Omo (a dialect word for "man"). It is statue representing a man who holds proudly in one hand the shuttle of his loom, the emblem of his craft and indeed of the whole textile industry.
• A tower of the Castle, demolished in 1514.
• St. Francis’ Church, dating from the early 15th century. The church is now part of a complex of buildings, superimposed in time, which were used formerly by the Monastery dei Frati Minori (1437-1806) and then by Schio’s civil hospital (the Baratto Institute 1807-1959) and now a Home for the elderly).
• The little church of St. Mary in the Valley, originally a column erected in 1511 after a plague. It became a church in 1580.
• Toaldi-Capra Palace. This building dates from the 15th century or earlier; some frescoes have been recovered in the interior. It first belonged to the Toaldi family; it then passed to Enrico Capra, a noble from Vicenza, before becoming the Town Hall until 1913. It was recovered and carefully restored in 1981, and now houses the civic Musical Institute as a centre for cultural activities.

[edit] Twin cities

• Image:Flag of Germany.svg - Landshut, Bavaria, Germany, since 1981
• Image:Flag of Hungary.svg - Kaposvár, Hungary, since 1990
• Image:Flag of Luxembourg.svg - Pétange, Luxembourg, since 1992

[edit] External links

• Pictue of town
• Map and aerial photos
  • Street map from Mapquest or Google
  • Aerial photograph from Microsoft Terraserver

[edit] Photo gallery

The little church of St. Mary	The cathedral	The "castle", seen from the Tajara	L'Omo
</center>The Civic Theatre</center>	The church of St. Francis	The church of St. Anthony	Monument to Alessandro Rossi

eo:Schio fr:Schio it:Schio nl:Schio nap:Schio pl:Schio pt:Schio