ゾヴェンチェードのおすすめウォーキング＆ハイキングルート

Fountain with a basin carved into the stone.

This ancient building is inaccessible because it is in a military zone, surrounded by a high fence and surveillance cameras: an unusual contrast! The former parish church of the hamlet of San Giovanni in Monte, in the municipality of Barbarano-Mossano, stands on one of the highest points of the Berici Hills. The building was built around 1300, but its uncertain origins are likely even older. After a period of abandonment and a restoration in the 18th century, it was permanently closed to worship in 1954, replaced by the new parish church in the center of the village. The entire site was handed over to the Italian Army's Broadcasting Command, which fenced off the hill and made it a military zone, building two radio towers. It can be visited exceptionally thanks to the Italia Nostra association, which manages an annual calendar of public openings. https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Giovanni_in_Monte

This unique, rare, and fascinating two-story cave dwelling was ingeniously carved out of a depleted stone quarry, sealing off the openings and creating internal spaces with walls, exploiting every nook and cranny until it completely integrated with the quarry. This cave dwelling is known as 'Sengia dei Meoni,' after the last family who lived there until 1959. But on August 11th of that year, during a violent storm, lightning struck from the chimney, starting a fire, shaking the walls and making the building uninhabitable. The family survived, but the dwelling was permanently abandoned. It was restored in 2013, with original rustic furnishings from the early 1900s, becoming a museum open only on specific months, days, and times: a blast from the past! For information: https://www.facebook.com/p/Museo-della-Pietra-a-Zovencedo-Coop-Scatola-Cultura-100063707821673/?locale=it_IT

Hidden fountain in the woods, an unexpected cool refreshment!

The disused 'Cava de Cice' hosts both the Stone Museum and (occasionally) events, shows and concerts: its large rooms and ceilings are characterised by the geometric traces left by the extraction of the blocks. The extraction of the white stone of Vicenza from the Berici Hills, and in particular from the Zovencedo area, has a thousand-year-old tradition: there are numerous quarries in these hills, some still active and others closed. This stone has always been particularly appreciated and sought after, because at the beginning it is relatively soft and malleable, but with time and exposure to air it becomes very hard and resistant: Palladio himself used it extensively for his architecture. The museum is open only in pre-established seasons, days and times. For info: https://www.facebook.com/p/Museo-della-Pietra-a-Zovencedo-Coop-Scatola-Cultura-100063707821673/?locale=it_IT

This beautiful and unexpected sculpture from 2024, which stands on the edge of an olive grove and looks towards Val Liona, is inspired by the moai of Easter Island: similarly to the ancient statues made with the dark volcanic stone of the island, this one is made with the precious white stone of Vicenza, characteristic of the Berici Hills and in particular of the Zovencedo area. Toki is the work of a private individual, who next to his house, along the path, has set up a very well-kept panoramic balcony open to all, with wooden chairs and benches: a magical place, a corner of rest and tranquility. https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moai

Located on private property and visible from the trail.

A passage beneath a striking rock roof, at the foot of a cliff that cuts through a steep forest. In the area, as throughout the Berici Hills, there are numerous unique karst features (ledges, cliffs, roofs, and caves), the result of differential erosion between rocks of varying compactness, formed in different geological eras. They have been used as shelter and dwellings since prehistoric times. P.S.: A 'cèngia' is a horizontal passage that cuts through a vertical wall; a 'còvolo' (Venetian dialect) is a ravine in the rock.