Asiago (Italian: [aˈzjaːɡo]; Venetian: Axiago, Cimbrian: Slege, German: Schlägen [ˈʃlɛːɡn̩]) is a minor township (population roughly 6,500) with the title of city[1] in the surrounding plateau region (the Altopiano di Asiago or Altopiano dei Sette Comuni, Asiago plateau) in the Province of Vicenza in the Veneto region of Northeastern Italy. It is near the border between the Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol regions in the foothills of the Alps, approximately equidistant (60 km) from Trento to the west and Vicenza to the south. The Asiago region is the origin of Asiago cheese. The town was the site of a major battle between Austrian and Italian forces on the Alpine Front of World War I. It is a major ski resort destination, and the site of the Astrophysical Observatory of Asiago, operated by the University of Padua.

Asiago
Slege
Comune di Asiago
Asiago
Asiago
Flag of Asiago
Coat of arms of Asiago
Location of Asiago
Map
Asiago is located in Italy
Asiago
Asiago
Location of Asiago in Italy
Asiago is located in Veneto
Asiago
Asiago
Asiago (Veneto)
Coordinates: 45°52′N 11°31′E / 45.867°N 11.517°E / 45.867; 11.517
CountryItaly
RegionVeneto
ProvinceVicenza (VI)
FrazioniSasso
Government
 • MayorRoberto Rigoni Stern
Area
 • Total162 km2 (63 sq mi)
Elevation
1,001 m (3,284 ft)
Population
 (31 December 2014)[2]
 • Total6,462
 • Density40/km2 (100/sq mi)
DemonymAsiaghesi/Slegar
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
36012
Dialing code0424
Patron saintSt. Matthew
Saint day21 September
WebsiteOfficial website

Geography edit

Climate edit

 
The Town of Asiago.
Climate data for Asiago, Italy
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 6.2
(43.2)
9
(48)
13.1
(55.6)
17.5
(63.5)
22.6
(72.7)
26.2
(79.2)
28.9
(84.0)
27.9
(82.2)
24.5
(76.1)
18.8
(65.8)
11.8
(53.2)
6.9
(44.4)
17.8
(64.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −1.8
(28.8)
0
(32)
3.2
(37.8)
7
(45)
11.4
(52.5)
15.1
(59.2)
17.3
(63.1)
16.6
(61.9)
13.5
(56.3)
8.4
(47.1)
3.3
(37.9)
−0.9
(30.4)
7.8
(46.0)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 83.82
(3.30)
78.74
(3.10)
88.90
(3.50)
96.52
(3.80)
101.60
(4.00)
104.14
(4.10)
73.66
(2.90)
101.60
(4.00)
76.20
(3.00)
93.98
(3.70)
109.22
(4.30)
78.74
(3.10)
1,087.12
(42.8)
Source: Weather.com, Asiago[3]

Culture edit

 
Asiago Airport

Until the middle of the nineteenth century many of the people of Asiago spoke Cimbrian, a German dialect.

Asiago is the birthplace of author Mario Rigoni Stern, and features prominently in his stories. It is also described in Emilio Lussu's A Year on the Altopiano.

Battle of Asiago edit

 
Alpine-War 1915–1918 Monument in Asiago.

The Battle of Asiago (Battle of the Plateaux) was a counter-offensive launched by the Austro-Hungarians on the Italian Front in May 1916, during World War I. It was an unexpected attack that occurred near Asiago (now in northeast Italy, then on the Italian side of the border between the Kingdom of Italy and Austria-Hungary). Commemorating this battle and the fallen soldiers of World War I is the Asiago War Memorial, a monument and museum that is a popular site for visitors to the area.[4]

In a later engagement in 1918, Edward Brittain, brother of Vera Brittain, was killed and was buried in the Granezza British military cemetery on the plateau. In 1970 Vera's ashes were scattered on his grave.

The Barenthal, Boscon, Granezza, Magnaboschi and Cavalletto Military Cemeteries at Asiago were designed by Sir Robert Lorimer in 1920.[5]

Sport edit

The city is home to HC Asiago, a professional ice hockey team currently playing in the international Alps Hockey League[6] as well as in the Italian top tier Serie A.

The Asiago Vipers, based in Asiago, are a professional inline hockey team. The team plays in the highest Italian inline league.

The Asiago Award edit

The Asiago Award is known as the Oscar of the Philatelic World. Since 1970 the "Circolo Filatelico Numismatico Sette Comuni Asiago" (Numismatic and Philatelic Chapter of the Seven Asiago Communities) has been awarding the prize for the best designed postage stamp of the year.

Recent winners:

  • 2023 Ukraine - "Russian warship, go...!" [7]
  • 2022 San Marino - 50th anniversary of Doctors Without Borders [8]
  • 2021 Luxembourg - Rural tourism [9]
  • 2020 Switzerland - set of 3 stamps showing movie audiences [10]
  • 2019 Liechtenstein - set of 3 birds eyes [11]

Sister cities edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. ^ All demographics and other statistics from the Italian statistical institute (Istat)
  3. ^ "weather.com". Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  4. ^ "Sacrario militare di Asiago-Leiten e museo del Sacrario" (in Italian). Itinerari della Grande Guerra. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  5. ^ Dictionary of Scottish Architects: Robert Lorimer
  6. ^ "Asiago Hockey". www.asiagohockey.it.
  7. ^ "Stamp with Russian warship wins philatelic Oscar in Italy". 24 July 2023.
  8. ^ "San Marino wins top philatelic award". 16 August 2022.
  9. ^ "POST Luxembourg Stamps Win Asiago International Philatelic Art Prize". 27 July 2021.
  10. ^ "The Asiago Top Prize Goes to Swiss Post". 6 September 2021.
  11. ^ "Liechtenstein stamps win Asiago International Philatelic Art Prize 2019". 10 July 2019.

External links edit