Foza: Culture, History and Tradition

Foza can be explored through several cultural and historical themes: its ethnographic museum connects the history of post-war reconstruction with the memory of sheep farming, while the parish church and other chapels each offer their own perspective. There is also a memorial, the historic Quinquennali celebrations and Ponte Valgadena. These different points of interest help you understand Foza through its religious, artistic and historical heritage.

Museum and Sheep Farming

The Museo Etnografico della Comunità di Foza is housed in the former town hall, also known as “la casa del santo.” The building stands as a symbol of Foza’s reconstruction following the severe destruction of the First World War. Since August 2013, the museum has housed a section dedicated to the Foza sheep. Photographs, documents, objects and memories convey the story of sheep farming, which sustained the economy of Foza and the entire Asiago Plateau for centuries. The museum thus brings together the history of the town after the wartime destruction and an economic activity that was significant for the whole plateau.

Parish Church and Art

The parish church of Foza is dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta and was consecrated on 12 August 1926. Its Romanesque bell tower was completed in 1927 and stands 34 metres tall. The church also houses the Pala dell’Assunta, a painting by Francesco Da Ponte il Vecchio from 1519. It is the parish’s only painting to have survived the destruction of the First World War. Here, two distinctly different periods come together: the painting dates from the early 16th century, while the consecration of the church and completion of the bell tower took place after the First World War.

Chapels and Views

The Chiesetta di San Francesco stands on a promontory offering views across the Venetian plain as far as the Venice Lagoon. It is described as the oldest hermitage on the Asiago Plateau and the plateau’s only hermitage for several centuries. Its outlook and historical significance offer different perspectives: the promontory opens up views across the plain, while its designation as a hermitage highlights the plateau’s religious history. The Chiesa di S. Antonio in Foza was built shortly after the Second World War.

Remembrance and Religious Tradition

The path leading to Foza’s Monumento ai Caduti memorial is lined with plaques commemorating local soldiers. The names of those who fell in the First World War appear on the trees; further plaques bearing the names of soldiers who fell in the Second World War are on the outer wall. The layout keeps the two groups and their respective places of remembrance distinct.

Foza’s historic Quinquennali celebrations began in 1837 as an act of gratitude to the Madonna. Their origin adds a festival tradition with a specific devotional purpose to the town’s religious buildings. Together with the churches and the Pala dell’Assunta, they reveal another aspect of the town’s religious history.

Ponte Valgadena

Opened in 1990, Ponte Valgadena connects Foza and Enego across the valley of the same name. Bungee jumps from around 175 metres are possible at the bridge. This offers a different point of interest to consider for your trip, distinct from the cultural and historical themes of the museum, churches and memorial sites.

Chiesetta di S. Rocco

The Chiesetta di S. Rocco was built in 1870, bombed during the war and subsequently rebuilt.

Discover more destinations: Mussolente, Schio, Grisignano Di Zocco, Solagna, Nanto, Gambugliano, Cassola, Cartigliano

Return to the main travel overview: Vicenza.