Several theories have been developed to explain its name: among the most reliable, it seems that it derives from the Latin word "roteus" (enclosed place), while for some, it draws its roots from the ancient cimbro "rotts" (rock). Municipality in the province of Vicenza, located in the Val d'Assa, Rotzo lies between a beautiful and unspoiled mountain scenery, on the border with Trentino Alto Adige. The surrounding environment offers several opportunities for excursions in direct contact with nature.
The discovery of the remains of the settlement of Bostel, dating from the Iron Age, has revealed that the area was inhabited by Paleovenitian populations. It is known that the lands were occupied by the Cimbri, a Germanic population. The first document attesting the existence of the center dates back to 917. The vast territories, including Rotzo, were donated by King Berengar to the Bishop of Padua and in the XIII century, the same were conquered by the Ezzelini, and later were granted to the Scala and to the Visconti. In 1310 seven municipalities created a confederation, the Regency of the Seven Towns, a state within a state with a considerable autonomy, recognized also by the Serenisima Republic of Venice, when, in the XV century, Rotzo was included within its boundaries. The regency was abolished by Napoleon in 1807.
Attractions:
- the Church of Santa Margherita, whose construction, for the local traditions, is traced back to the X century, while it was first mentioned in a documents of the late XV century. Renovated several times, it looks very simple, the façade has no openings except for a circular skylight at the center of the tympanum. On the right side, the building is flanked by a Bell Tower;
- the small Church of San Rocco equipped with a gable, built after the terrible plague in the XVII century, which decimated the local population;
- the Parish Church of St. Gertrude, built in the XIII century, has submitted several renovations over the centuries;
- the Bostel, a hill that was home to the first inhabitants of the plateau. In the first half of the XVIII century, the remains of about forty houses, pieces of pottery, bones, iron objects, weapons and tools have been unearthed here.