Discover what to do in Cassola: the church of San Marco Evangelist, the feast of the patron saint San Marco, the parish of San Zeno. Do you want to know more? First of all…
Where is Cassola?
The municipality of Cassola borders to the north with Romano d’Ezzelino, to the northwest with Bassano del Grappa, to the northeast with Mussolente, to the southwest with Rosà, to the southeast with Rossano Veneto, to the west with Bassano del Grappa and Rosà, to the east with Romano d’Ezzelino, Mussolente and Loria.
The church of San Marco Evangelist
Located in Piazza Aldo Moro, 7, the church of San Marco Evangelist stands out for a solemn façade divided into three parts by four Corinthian pilasters on which rest the architrave, the frieze, and the classical denticulated pediment crowned by a cross that accentuates the verticality of the structure.
Accessible through a massive wooden portal surmounted by an arched pediment, the place of worship features a single nave punctuated by Corinthian pilasters. Embellished with elegant moldings and dentil motifs, the interiors house a delicate yet spectacular pictorial heritage, from the frescoes decorating the ceiling of the presbytery to the works placed in the high altar and the side altars.
Another element of architectural value is the mighty bell tower in exposed red brick bearing a sundial and two clocks along its shaft. The white belfry is rhythmically marked by Ionic columns framing wide round-arched single lancet windows surmounted by a triangular tympanum. Concluding the vertical development of the structure is an elaborate bulbous spire culminating in a metal weather vane.
Set in the historic heart of Cassola, the large cobblestone square paved in the center with white stone tiles comes alive every year on the occasion of the patron saint of the municipality.
During the days immediately before and after April 25, the community gathers to celebrate the patron saint San Marco Evangelist, both through spiritual recollection during solemn liturgical functions and through lavish festivities aimed at bringing the local population together in an atmosphere of joviality and fun.
Enhancing the typical food and wine products of the area will be exquisite dishes such as succulent colt steaks, chickens with fat sizzling from hot skewers, sausages and pork chops, fish-based dishes and asparagus-based dishes, one of the most renowned and distinctive products of the area, to be paired with the best wine and beer specialties. And it doesn’t end here!
In addition to good food, the event features leisure and sports activities, from quiet walks to fun volleyball tournaments. The evenings also include musical performances and vintage car exhibitions.
The parish of San Zeno
Located in Piazza San Zeno, 34, the solemn bulk of the church of San Zeno stands next to the soaring bell tower, consisting of a massive stone base from which rises the brick shaft and the belfry where four single lancet windows open, topped by an octagonal-based spire.
The classical references of the church, dating back to the 18th century, are seen in the imposing Corinthian pilasters resting on high bases and the triangular pediment in the center of which opens a circular rose window.
At the top of the centuries-old façade, three statues are placed at the vertices of the pediment, the central one depicting San Zeno.
The interior of the church features a single spacious and well-lit hall thanks to a series of lunette windows placed at the top of the nave.
In addition to the spectacular frescoes that enrich the ceiling of the nave and the presbytery, majestic round arches create a suggestive perspective in which refined altars of polychrome marble are inserted.
An expression of enormous artistic talent and impeccable technical skill is the magnificent 20th-century pipe organ adorned with four golden angels blowing long, thin trumpets.
If you are wondering what to do in Cassola and want to discover an enchanting architectural, sculptural, and pictorial treasure that has come down to us in splendid condition despite the immense catastrophes of the First and Second World Wars, a visit to this small but significant municipality in the Vicenza area will be a more than interesting experience!
