San Pietro in Cariano is a municipality in the province of Verona, located at the feet of the Lessin Mountains. Divided into several districts, like Bure and San Floriano which are seat of two separate historical centres, while in the one of Castelrotto, there are several traces of a prehistoric settlement. Corrubbio, instead has a rich architectural heritage and finally Pedemonte, densely inhabited, is famous for the presence of Villa Serego, built to a design of the architect Palladio.
The mild climate and the high fertility of the soil makes the area an important producer of fine wines, such as: Valpolicella Classico, Amarone and Recioto.
The area was inhabited since the Neolithic Ages, as documented by rich finds, the most numerous of which are the traces of Roman colonization, a period in which the area of San Pietro started the cultivation of the vine. It belonged to the Della Scala and later was assigned the Visconti of Milan. Under the rule of the Republic of Venice the centre became the seat of the Vicariate, and was embellished by the construction of elegant villas that the noble Venetian families built here to spend their holidays. Then the territory became a possession of the Habsburg Empire and submitted the same historical events that affected the entire province. The town is also famous for a tragic revenge of the German troops, that forced to retreat, blew up an ammunition deposit causing numerous civilian casualties and extensive damage to buildings in the nearby.
Attractions:
- the X century Parish Church of St. Florian in Romanesque style with an XVIII century cloister and flanked by a massive Bell Tower in tuff and brick, which contrasts with the whiteness of the church. The façade is divided into three parts by two conspicuous frames; the sloping roof is finished with blind arches on the two sides there are lancet windows and in the middle, just above the portal, a circular rose window;
- the XVII century Church of the Ara (Altar) with its fine Baroque doorway flanked by two rectangular windows and surmounted by a pediment. It houses a valuable painting by the artist Marchesini;
- the Church of San Rocco and San Martino in Corrubbio, a building of great simplicity;
- the XVI century Villa Lebrecht in San Floriano, today seat of a degree course in Wine Science and Technologies;
- Villa Serego in the hamlet of Pedemonte, built and designed by Palladio in the XVI century;
- The XV century Villa Giona-Fagioli;
- the XIV century Villa Pullè;
- Villa Fumanelli in San Floriano;
- the XVII century Villa Saibante.