A Whole New Life: Going Back in Time to Vicenza

Vicenza, Italy is a city in Northern Italy that with its metropolitan area (270,000) is the third-largest Italian industrial center as measured by the value of its exports (according to Wikipedia in 2008). It is 37 miles west of Venice and 120 miles east of Milano. It is at the

base of the Alps, and has the Bacchiglione River running through it.

Vicenza was settled in 350 B. C. by tribes who resembled Etruscan and Greek more than the Celts of northwest Italy that they naturally assimilated. By 157 B. C. Vicenza was a Roman center, whose citizens held Roman citizenship. Its name Vicetia or Vincentia, means "victorious."

We arrived in Vicenza as a family in 1984 when my husband was stationed at the United States Military base located there. My three teenagers went downtown Vicenza often.

Our hotel room

30 years later we stayed in downtown Vicenza, on the Stradella Stefano, on the very edge of the auto-free zone. We used “Home-away” a program that rents out people’s apartments, as our rental. It was much more personable than a hotel, and far more family friendly. Our 3-bedroom apartment in Vicenza may not have appealed to many people—it was the quintessential authentic Italy apartment of forty years ago, like the ones our Italian friends lived in. It had the tall skinny windows, the armoire with a curtain for a closet, and felt REAL. But it was modern in some important aspects—it had a TV, and an internet modem.

We decided to explore downtown Vicenza, and Marc had an infallible memory. He could show us where to go and how to get back, whereas to me all the tiny alleys confused me. (That isn’t hard, I am navigationally challenged.) Vicenza was the home of Andrea Palladio, a 16^th century

at a cafe the night we arrived in Vicenza

classical architect and is the home to 28 of his works. The most famous was the Teatro Olimpico, begun in 1580, but other works, including the Basilica Palladiana were in the central plaza, near a lot of the popular cafes and restaurants, such as the Piazza de Signori, El Paradisio (underneath which were the remains of a Roman bath). But Marc couldn’t locate “The Cab” which was one of his favorite spots.

We had to shop at Benetton’s a store which is unfamiliar here, but one of the kids’ favorite stores way back when. We found the bargain floor (on the top), and Marc, Kira and Marc had fun buying stuff at clearance prices!

Bryan trying on clothes at Benettons

Just as Carnivale is big in Venice, its younger cousin, Vicenza had its own kind of Carnivale in the square. It was fun to see its miniature celebration.

The next day, Marc, Kira, and Bryan went to a pirate cruise in Venice, and I was left to explore Vicenza on my own. I purchased a pass to all the museums in the city and began discovering my forgotten Vicenza history. When we lived in Italy, I completed my bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in History. I took a series of classes on art and culture in Italy. During the week, we’d study and talk about the different art of a specific city, and then on Saturdays, we’d go and visit them (all except Rome, which was too far).

It was a wonderful way to learn and I took my memory of what I had learned of Vicenza. I’d forgotten its Roman roots, and one museum showed the statues, art, mosaics of forgotten Rome. The Teatro Olimpico is a world-famous Palladian theatre. It doesn’t look like much outside, but the inside is a treasure trove of paintings, statues, and the wonderful 3-D set.

I was amazed as I wandered around Tempio de Santa Corona, where a fabulous

Bryan at Vicenza's Basilica

Renaissance painting of Christ being baptized is just there—on display for anyone to see. I remembered it from my portfolio of church pictures, but to see it completely filling the wall stunned me. It reminded me again of my astonishment years ago, to see many great Renaissance paintings that you are familiar with because of their great beauty—and they are just hanging on the walls of the churches. You don’t have to go to museums to see them—just go to church (which are museums of course).

By 3:00 p.m., I was getting tired and decided to find my way back home—except I couldn’t figure out where I was and where to go. I am a visual person, so a paper map where I can follow the lines is best, (but I’d left my maps of Vicenza at home) and all I had was my Google Maps. It must have been set on the maps for cars (and cars can’t navigate auto-free zone of Vicenza) because Google Maps kept leading me further and further astray—out of the city and into the roads.

Besides, my right knee, the one I’d had replaced six years ago, started really hurting, like a painful apostrophe I was going the wrong way. Sometimes, I’d get near the Basilica, but then, I’d been out on the wide roads outside the city center. Finally, close to tears, with hunger, pain and frustration—I stopped by a Pharmacia; I purchased a knee brace and asked them to call me a taxi to take me home.

I was very frustrated because despite all my preparations, my body had given up on me. Because of my arthritis and bursitis, I’d had injections in my bursitis hips and my arthritic left knee; I’d had an epidural injection, in my lower back, my upper neck and my sacroiliac joints, and took care of my arthritic feet. Then to be let down by my replaced knee that was supposed to be good, really upset me. Or it may have been that I was coming down sick, which I discovered the next day.