Brenta River
Encyclopedia
The Brenta is an Italian
river
that runs from Trentino to the Adriatic Sea
just south of the Venetian lagoon
in the Veneto
region.
During Roman
era, it was called Medoacus (Ancient Greek
: Mediochos, Μηδειοχος) and near Padua
it divided in two branches, Medoacus Maior (Great Medoacus) and Medoacus Minor (Small Medoacus); the river changed its course in early Middle Ages, and its bed through Padua was occupied by Bacchiglione
.
It is 174 km (108.1 mi) long and was first channelled in the 16th century when a long canal was built from the village of Stra
to the Adriatic Sea, bypassing Venetian lagoon
; a secondary channel, often named as Riviera del Brenta
, was left to connect directly Venice
and Padua (which was a kind of second capital of Venice Republic). Indeed, the River Brenta was a very important transport route and soon enough, many large villas were built along its high course and the Riviera del Brenta. Only three of these villas are accessible to the public: Villa Foscari
, Villa Widmann - Foscari
and Villa Pisani
; northwest of Padua, near the village of Piazzola sul Brenta
, not far from the river, it is accessible Villa Contarini
too. The Venetian aristocracy used to cruise along the canal on a type of typical boat known as Burchiello. While cargo was carried on traditional barges known as Burci.
In Bassano del Grappa
, the river is crossed by the Ponte Vecchio
(Italian
, meaning Old bridge), or Ponte degli Alpini (Alpini
's bridge), a covered bridge designed by Andrea Palladio
in 1569. The bridge is pontoon-style and is built completely of wood.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
that runs from Trentino to the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
just south of the Venetian lagoon
Venetian Lagoon
The Venetian Lagoon is the enclosed bay of the Adriatic Sea in which the city of Venice is situated. Its name in the Venetian language, Laguna Veneta— cognate of Latin lacus, "lake"— has provided the international name for an enclosed, shallow embayment of saltwater, a lagoon.The Venetian Lagoon...
in the Veneto
Veneto
Veneto is one of the 20 regions of Italy. Its population is about 5 million, ranking 5th in Italy.Veneto had been for more than a millennium an independent state, the Republic of Venice, until it was eventually annexed by Italy in 1866 after brief Austrian and French rule...
region.
During Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
era, it was called Medoacus (Ancient Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: Mediochos, Μηδειοχος) and near Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
it divided in two branches, Medoacus Maior (Great Medoacus) and Medoacus Minor (Small Medoacus); the river changed its course in early Middle Ages, and its bed through Padua was occupied by Bacchiglione
Bacchiglione
The Bacchiglione is a river that flows through northern Italy. It rises in the Alps and empties into the Gulf of Venice, on the Adriatic Sea, near Chioggia...
.
It is 174 km (108.1 mi) long and was first channelled in the 16th century when a long canal was built from the village of Stra
Stra
Stra is a town and comune in the province of Venice, Veneto, Italy. It is south of SR11. It is the location of the famed Villa Pisani located on the Brenta canal.-Sources:*...
to the Adriatic Sea, bypassing Venetian lagoon
Venetian Lagoon
The Venetian Lagoon is the enclosed bay of the Adriatic Sea in which the city of Venice is situated. Its name in the Venetian language, Laguna Veneta— cognate of Latin lacus, "lake"— has provided the international name for an enclosed, shallow embayment of saltwater, a lagoon.The Venetian Lagoon...
; a secondary channel, often named as Riviera del Brenta
Riviera del Brenta
Riviera del Brenta is the coastline of the Naviglio del Brenta which runs from Padua and through the Veneto countryside, through Stra, Fiesso d'Artico, Dolo, Mira, Oriago and Malcontenta to Fusina , in the North-east of Italy.From 16th to 18th century many venetian aristocratic family built their...
, was left to connect directly Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and Padua (which was a kind of second capital of Venice Republic). Indeed, the River Brenta was a very important transport route and soon enough, many large villas were built along its high course and the Riviera del Brenta. Only three of these villas are accessible to the public: Villa Foscari
Villa Foscari
thumb|Villa Foscari: facing the [[Brenta]]Villa Foscari is a patrician villa in Mira, near Venice, northern Italy, designed by the Italian architect Andrea Palladio...
, Villa Widmann - Foscari
Villa Widmann - Foscari
The Villa Widmann-Foscari, also called Widmann-Rezzonico-Foscari, is a villa at the shores of the river Brenta located in the small town of Mira, between Venice and Padua....
and Villa Pisani
Villa Pisani
Villa Pisani is the name shared by a number of villas commissioned by the patrician Pisani family of Venice. However, Villa Pisani usually refers to a large, late baroque villa at Stra on the mainland of the Veneto, northern Italy. It was begun in the early 18th century for Alvise Pisani, the most...
; northwest of Padua, near the village of Piazzola sul Brenta
Piazzola sul Brenta
Piazzola sul Brenta is a comune in the Province of Padua in the Italian region Veneto, located about 45 km west of Venice and about 15 km northwest of Padua.-Main sights:*Villa Contarini, begun by Andrea Palladio...
, not far from the river, it is accessible Villa Contarini
Villa Contarini
Villa Contarini is a patrician villa veneta in Piazzola sul Brenta, province of Padova, northern Italy. The villa is in Baroque style and is backed by a 40 ha park with lakes and alleys....
too. The Venetian aristocracy used to cruise along the canal on a type of typical boat known as Burchiello. While cargo was carried on traditional barges known as Burci.
In Bassano del Grappa
Bassano del Grappa
Bassano del Grappa 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 river is crossed by the Ponte Vecchio
Ponte Vecchio of Bassano
The Ponte Vecchio or Ponte degli Alpini is the covered wooden pontoon bridge designed by the architect Andrea Palladio in 1569. The bridge is located in Bassano del Grappa and was destroyed many times, the last time in World War II...
(Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, meaning Old bridge), or Ponte degli Alpini (Alpini
Alpini
The Alpini, , are the elite mountain warfare soldiers of the Italian Army. They are currently organized in two operational brigades, which are subordinated to the Alpini Corps Command. The singular is Alpino ....
's bridge), a covered bridge designed by Andrea Palladio
Andrea Palladio
Andrea Palladio was an architect active in the Republic of Venice. Palladio, influenced by Roman and Greek architecture, primarily by Vitruvius, is widely considered the most influential individual in the history of Western architecture...
in 1569. The bridge is pontoon-style and is built completely of wood.