Stoccareddo
Discovering Stoccareddo: a hamlet in Gallio
Hello everyone! Today I'd like to take you on a journey to a small hamlet in the Italian municipality of Gallio, in the province of Vicenza: Stoccareddo, or "Stòkha-Raut" in Cimbrian language.
Physical geography
Stoccareddo is located on a plateau between 930 and 950 metres above sea level, and is surrounded by the north-eastern slopes of Mount Col del Rosso (1281 m), the south-facing Val Scura, and the north-facing Val Fontana. Facing the village, one can admire the Spitz-Knotto, a karst rock formation identified as one of the three "pagan altars" in the Seven Municipalities plateau.
Origins of the name
But where does the name Stoccareddo come from? According to some scholars, the toponym could derive from the Lombard term "stodgard", meaning "horse park". Interesting, isn't it?
History
The development of Stoccareddo and the hamlet of Zaibena was favoured by the municipality of Gallio at the beginning of the 16th century, in order to facilitate the transfer of some families from the Ronchi colonel. This way, the municipality favoured its access to Calà del Sasso, an important connection with the Brenta Canal. Even Asiago created its own corridor to the road, promoting the construction of Sasso.
Monuments and places of interest
Now let's talk about some places of interest in Stoccareddo.
Parish church
The parish church of St. John the Baptist was built in 1671 thanks to the request of some inhabitants who asked the bishop of Padua to be able to build their own church, as the church of Gallio was too far away. The original building was destroyed during the First World War, but was later rebuilt to a design by the architect Vincenzo Bonato between 1922 and 1925.
Inside, one can admire the Stations of the Cross painted by Bruno Tedesi in 1964, the panel with the ''Blessed Giovanna Maria Bonomo'' by Luciano Bartoli, a wooden crucifix made for the Extraordinary Jubilee of Redemption, and the altarpiece with the ''Beheading of Saint John the Baptist'', a copy of the better-known painting by Giambattista Tiepolo, painted by Dante Bizzotto in 1950.
Society
Stoccareddo, like many small and isolated hamlets, has long suffered from problems of isolation, but the village is trying to renew itself and attract new inhabitants. However, due to the high rate of endogamy, most of the inhabitants bear the same surname, Baù.
And so, we come to the end of our virtual visit to Stoccareddo. I hope you enjoyed it and that it has piqued your interest in visiting this area of the province of Vicenza!
