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Bassano del Grappa
Bassano del Grappa
	— Comune —
Comune di Bassano del Grappa
	Ponte degli Alpini and Upper Castel
	; Bassano del Grappa Location of Bassano del Grappa in Italy
	Coordinates: 45°36′N 10°32′E / 45.6°N 10.533°ECoordinates: 45°36′N 10°32′E / 45.6°N 10.533°E
Country	Italy
Region	Veneto
Province	Vicenza (VI)
Frazioni	Campese, Marchesane, Quartiere Prè, Rubbio, San Lazzaro, San Michele, Sant'Eusebio, Sarson, Valrovina
	Government
- Mayor	Stefano Cimatti
	Area
- Total	46 km2 (17.8 sq mi)
Elevation	129 m (423 ft)
	Population (2001)
- Total	40,411
- Density	878.5/km2 (2,275.3/sq mi)
- Demonym	Bassanesi
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	36061
Dialing code	0424
Patron saint	St. Bassianus
Saint day	January 19
Website	Official website

Bassano del Grappa (Venetian simply: Basan, italianized: Bassan or Bassàn) is a city and comune in the province of Vicenza, region Veneto, in northern Italy. It bounds the communes of Cassola, Marostica, Solagna, Pove del Grappa, Romano d'Ezzelino, Campolongo sul Brenta, Conco, Rosà, Cartigliano and Nove.

The artist Jacopo Bassano was born, worked, and died in Bassano and took it as his surname. Bassano Del Grappa is also famous for the spirit Grappa.

[edit] History

The city was founded in the 2nd century BCE by a Roman called Bassianus, whence the name, as an agricultural estate.

Bridge of the Alpini.

The first news of the existence of the medieval city dates from 998, while the Castle is mentioned first in 1150. In 1175 Bassano was conquered by Vicenza, but the city maintained a semi-autonomous status as a free commune in the 13th century also, when it was under the family of the Ezzelinos.

In 1368 it was acquired by the Visconti of Milan and, in 1404, by the Republic of Venice: the latter did not alter the citadine magistratures, limiting to impose a Captain chosen by the Venetian Senate. The city became home to a flourishing industry producing wool, silk, iron and copper, and mainly for ceramics; in the 18th became especially famous in all Europe for the presence of the Remondini printers.

During the French Revolutionary Wars the city was the seat of the Battle of Bassano. In 1815 it was included in the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, and became part of the unified Kingdom of Italy in 1866. Napoleon Bonaparte remained in Bassano del Grappa for many months.

The original name of the town was Bassano Veneto. After the terrible battles on Mount Grappa in WWI , where thousands of soldiers lost their lives, a decision was made to change the name of the town. In 1928, the name was changed to Bassano del Grappa, meaning Bassano of Mount Grappa, as a memorial to the soldiers killed. Ernest Hemingway during his days as a ambulance driver in the war spent many days in Bassano and eventually setted there a part of A Farewell to Arms. Also other American writers spent some days in Bassano during WWI such as Scott Fitzgerald and Dos Passos.

During World War I Bassano was in the front area, and all industrial activities were halted. In World War II, after the Armistice with Italy, the city was invaded by German troops, which killed or deported numerous inhabitants.

The symbol of the town is the covered wooden pontoon bridge , which was designed by the architect Andrea Palladio in 1569. The bridge was destroyed many times, the last time during WWII. The Alpine soldiers, or Alpini have always revered the wooden bridge and Bassano del Grappa. After the destruction of the bridge, they took up a private collection and had the bridge completely rebuilt. Often soldiers flock to the bridge to remember and sing songs from their days as alpine soldiers. The grappa shop of Nardini Distillery is located on the bridge, also known as Ponte Vecchio.

[edit] Main sights

The Cathedral (Duomo), built around the year 1000 but renovated in 1417. It has works by Leandro da Bassano, Ottavio Marinali and others
The Castello Superiore (Upper Castle)
The church of St. John the Baptist, built in the 14th century and restored in the 18th century.
The church of St. Francis, with a Crucifix by Guariento (14th century) and remains of contemporary frescoes. Next to the church is the Town Museum, with ancient archaeological remains, works by Antonio Canova and the Tiepolos, and drawings by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Spagnoletto, Albrecht Dürer and Rembrandt
The wooden covered Bridge, or Ponte degli Alpini, on the Brenta River, designed in 1569 by the architect Andrea Palladio to replace a pre-existing construction existing at least from 1209. The bridge was destroyed in 1748, and was rebuilt three years later. The Nardini tavern on the bridge, unchanged since 1779.
Palazzo Michieli-Bonato', wth a façade frescoed by Jacopo da Bassano.
The Palazzo del Municipio (Town Hall), erected from 1404. It has a noteworthy loggia and a fresco attributed to Jacopo da Bassano.
The Monte di Pietà, a Renaissance edifice with 15th century coats of arms.
The Palazzo Sturm, home to the Ceramics Museum

In the neighbourhood are the Villa Rezzonico, designed by Baldassarre Longhena, and the 17th century Villa Bianchi-Michiel, with a garden decorated by statues.