Caves, mills and old prisons

A treasure chest of wonders concentrated in a few handfuls of miles: this is Terra Berica, a territory that develops south of the city of Vicenza, an area that is less than 500 square kilometers and includes 24 municipalities located between the Berici Hills and the surrounding plain. A land of fascinating water mills, caves, ancient fountains, wash houses; and with the mysterious “Lombard Prisons”.

You can breathe an atmosphere of ancient times in these unique places, such as the Valley of the Mills of Mossano, continuing towards the Grotto of San Bernardino, which was home to San Bernardino of Siena – the oldest archaeological site of the Vicenza area, where they were found traces of Neanderthal man dating back over 200,000 years ago, and a fresco of the Madonna and Child.
Fascinating is the architectural complex on the property of Villa Giulia, built exploiting some natural caves, carved with a chisel and changed up to get rooms, stairs, doors and windows, including a five pillars beautiful loggia. The complex is named “Lombard Prisons”, a mysterious fortress in rock, a “palace” in an environment unique. Finally we point out the Rock Houses, in the Zovencedo district: territory subject to karst phenomena has many caves, some of which have been found evidence of ancient occupation by humans. First used as shrines or religious sites, then became homes up to recent times. One of the most important examples of cave house is located in the so-called “Sengia of Meoni”, obtained at the mouth of an old stone quarry and inhabited until the ’60s.

Info: Terra Berica – tel. 0444 964380, www.turismoterraberica.itwww.fermoeditore.it