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, known as "Little Dolomites".
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.
*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.
* -
Landshut,
Bavaria,
Germany, since
1981* -
Kaposvàr,
Hungary, since
1990* -
Pétange,
Luxembourg, since
1992*
Pictue of town*
Map and aerial photos**
Street map from Mapquest or
Google**
Aerial photograph from Microsoft TerraserverImage:Schio church of St. Mary.jpg|The little church of St. MaryImage:Schio duomo visto dal castello.jpg|The cathedralImage:Schio_il_castello.jpg|The "castle", seen from the TajaraImage:Schio_l'Omo.jpg|L'OmoImage:Schio_Teatro_Civico.jpg|The Civic Theatreimage:Schio-Chiesa S.Francesco.JPG|The church of St. Francisimage:Schio-Chiesa di S.Antonio.JPG|The church of St. Anthonyimage:Schio-Monumento Alessandro Rossi.JPG|Monument to Alessandro Rossi
