Located roughly between Venice and Vicenza Asolo is worth a visit of at least one day. The city has maintained a suggestive medieval look, sited between the very old walls and dominated by the millenary "Rocca" on the top on the hill, protecting the City. The best thing to do is just wander around in the old centre. The old streets are gorgeous. Gothic arcades, facades decorated with frescos and beautiful balconies.
The main sight is the Castle. From 1489 to 1509 it was the Palace of Caterina Cornaroto 1509; it is an old massive construction which has been often altered; its typical tower with the clock is original.
The medieval Cathedral was rehandled in 1747 according to Giorgio Massari's plans. Inside you can behold the beautiful "Assunta", a Lorenzo Lotto's picture (1506); another "Assunta" of Jacopo da Ponte called "il Bassano" (1510-1592), San Girolamo of Sebastiano Bastiani 15th century, San Prosdocimo of Pietro Damini, in the apse the big retable of Quarena (copy from Tiziano) and Torretti's statues. The Captain Loggia is a beautiful construction of the 15th century, which facade is covered with frescos of Contarini (1560): it is the Museum. The Eleonora Duse room contains the memories, the relics and the correspondence of the great actress. A spinet and other relics remember Roberto Browning. Manuscripts and portraits of the Queen Cornaro are treasured too.
Other interesting churches to visite include the S. Gottardo Church of the 13th century with remarkable frescos, the S. Caterina Church with frescos of the 15th century, and the S. Anna Church sited on the hill near the cemetery where Eleonora Duse was buried.
Worthy of a visit are the Lombard House, a typical 15th century construction, the De Mattia House which is now the Filippin Institute with a spacious garden, a grand baroque portal and inside, a beautiful Renaissance fireplace of Mastro F. Graziolo; the Eleonora Duse House with a tablet written by Gabriele D'Annunzio; the Beltramini Palace of the 18th century; a Giorgio Massari's work, is now the Town hall; the Cesana Palace with frescos in the Browning street N. 186; the Roberto Browning's House at N. 153; the Fietta Palace, now Serena, with its garden, its statues and tasteful stuccos inside.
