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Le Priàre of Montecchio

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Le Priàre of Montecchio

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Le Priàre of Montecchio

Name: Le Priàre of Montecchio
Rating: 2

Recommended by 10 hikers

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Location: Montecchio Maggiore, Vicenza, Veneto, Italy

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Best Hikes to Le Priàre of Montecchio

2.0

(1)

hikers

1. Historic trail past Romeo and Juliet's castles and Monte Nero

3.88km

01:12

150m

Historic trail past Romeo and Juliet's castles, ancient stone quarries, and volcanic Monte Nero.

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Easy

4.9

(8)

hikers

2. Monte Nero – Monte Longo loop from Montecchio Maggiore

12.0km

03:35

360m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

4.5

(11)

hikers

3. Chiesetta degli Alpini – Le Priàre of Montecchio loop from Montecchio Maggiore

10.7km

03:08

280m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

Tips

A. 🐺

April 20, 2024

An extremely evocative and interesting site, hidden and unexpected, almost surreal: it surprises with its vastness and the slender square columns supporting the titanic ceiling... it feels like being inside a temple in ancient Mesopotamia or in the mines of Moria from Tolkien's memory!

The Priàre (from 'pria', meaning stone in the Venetian dialect) are a complex of underground quarries and tunnels for the extraction of the renowned "soft Vicenza stone," active from Roman times until the mid-20th century. During the bombings of World War II, the quarries were used by the inhabitants of Montecchio as a refuge; between 1972 and 1985, they were exploited as a mushroom farm, thanks to the humidity and constant temperature throughout the year; Afterwards, they were abandoned until their redevelopment and safety measures in 2000.

Vicenza Stone is a highly prized material, always highly appreciated and sought after in architecture and construction: beyond its aesthetic appeal, it is soft and malleable when freshly quarried, but upon contact with air, it "seasons," hardening and becoming extremely resistant over time. This rock was used to build the Montecchio fortresses and by Andrea Palladio for his works. It has always been quarried strictly by hand, using the same technique for millennia, in square blocks; this is why the quarries have such a geometric appearance.

Open Sunday afternoon; entry is only possible with a (very interesting) guided tour lasting about 40 minutes; admission is €3. Please note that payment by POS is not possible due to the lack of signal.

prolocoaltemontecchio.it/cosa-vedere/le-priare

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Details

Informations

Elevation 230 m

Weather

Today

Wednesday 29 October

15°C

12°C

10 %

If you start your activity now...

Max wind speed: 4.0 km/h

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See hikes here

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Location: Montecchio Maggiore, Vicenza, Veneto, Italy

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Le Priàre of Montecchio

1. Historic trail past Romeo and Juliet's castles and Monte Nero

2. Monte Nero – Monte Longo loop from Montecchio Maggiore

3. Chiesetta degli Alpini – Le Priàre of Montecchio loop from Montecchio Maggiore

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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