Parco Zanella

Zanella Park is an oasis of biodiversity where the environment and citizens can experience active citizenship, education, culture, a green area that is open, well-maintained, and envisioned by the volunteers of the Ass. Veronautoctona and Legambiente Fuori Nota of Soave.

“The Palace where the captain dwells, built for the Lords of la Scala, is near the door above; it has twenty-four rooms above, below it is in the chamber, with good stables.”

The Scaligero Palace, a solid building erected in 1279 by the Scaligers as a residence for governors and praetors, was described by Martin Sanuto, a Venetian chronicler in Soave towards the end of the 1400s. Adjacent to Porta Bassano (the ancient Porta Aquila), the palace, commissioned by Cansignorio, at that time housed on the upper floor, supported by three arches, 24 rooms. On the ground floor, however, were the stables. The entire facade was adorned with pointed arch windows, later reduced to square shapes. Notable is also the stone door with carved shapes. On March 31, 1407, the Venetian Republic took possession of the territory of Soave, choosing for the town the office of Captaincy: from that moment on, the Scaligero Palace hosted the captains and its definition changed: from Scaligero Palace it became the Palace of Praetors, Governors, and the Captaincy.

Since 1986 a municipal residence, the palace is accompanied by a wonderful and enchanting garden: Zanella Park, named after the Zanella family, who donated it to the Municipality of Soave. An essential and indispensable part of the palace, the scenic park is characterized by a long and imposing staircase (recently restored) that leads up to the manor, and by hedges of boxwood, yews, dwarf palms, and cypress trees. As an additional natural resource, magnolias, Deodar cedars, domestic pines, and laurel plants can be admired within the park, a green island enveloped in a magical and almost fairy-tale atmosphere. The entire setting is immersed in an atmosphere of peace and serenity, enhanced by the ethereal presence of joyous cherubs. The middle part of the park features terraces once intended for grape cultivation, while the upper part offers a rare panorama of the hills that embrace the town itself.

Hidden from view for over 10 years, as a private garden, since the 1990s it has been revealed again thanks to the work of some local associations: LEGAMBIENTE, GLI AMICI DELLE ANTICHE TORRI, and COLDI RETTI, which periodically, every second Sunday of the month, gathered to take care of the lawn mowing, cleaning of the staircase, and opening on holidays.

Since 2014, the ground floor of Zanella Park has been managed by the Fuori Nota Association, established after the closure of the Legambiente Soave circle, involving young people and citizens in maintenance and cultural events proposed for the animation and promotion of the park itself, with extraordinary openings, outdoor cinema, musical aperitifs, and hospitality for local associations.

In 2018, the VeronAutoctona association (CTG) created a botanical garden, THE GARDEN OF SIMPLES, an exhibition of aromatic and medicinal plants from the medieval era, dedicated to care and health, launching a broader project of educational workshops aimed at children of all age groups, from kindergartens to high schools, aimed at promoting ecological education and knowledge of the use and cultivation of plants.

Since January 2020, the associations VeronAutoctona and Circolo LEGAMBIENTE Fuori Nota APS have signed a collaboration agreement with the Municipality of Soave to manage, under an existing agreement, all maintenance and care interventions in the area, promotion, organization of events, training, and education for the development of the historical-naturalistic area of Zanella Park, a green heart and unique biodiversity heritage in the eastern Verona territory.