Asiago

The town was the site of a major battle between Austrian and Italian forces on the Alpine Front of World War I. It is a major ski resort destination, and the site of the Astrophysical Observatory of Asiago, operated by the University of Padua.

• Name — Asiago • Official Name — Comune di Asiago • Native Name — Slege • Province — (VI) • Frazioni — Sasso • Mayor — Roberto Rigoni Stern • Area Total Km2 — 162 • Population Total — 6462 • Population As Of — 31 December 2014 • Population Demonym — Asiaghesi/Slegar • Elevation M — 1001 • Saint — St. Matthew • Day — 21 September • Postal Code — 36012 • Area Code — 0424

• Illustration — Asiago Airport Until the middle of the nineteenth century many of the people of Asiago spoke Cimbrian, a German dialect. Asiago is the birthplace of Italian writer Mario Rigoni Stern, and features prominently in his stories. It is also described in Emilio Lussu's One Year on the High Plateau, Lussu was an officer in the Sassari Brigade, and in his book the author describes the horror and violence of the war.

• Illustration — Alpine-War 1915–1918 Monument in Asiago. The Battle of Asiago (Battle of the Plateaux) was a counter-offensive launched by the Austro-Hungarians on the Italian Front in May 1916, during World War I. It was an unexpected attack that occurred near Asiago (now in northeast Italy, then on the Italian side of the border between the Kingdom of Italy and Austria-Hungary). Commemorating this battle and the fallen soldiers of World War I is the Asiago War Memorial, a monument and museum that is a popular site for visitors to the area. In a later engagement in 1918, Edward Brittain, brother of Vera Brittain, was killed and was buried in the Granezza British military cemetery on the plateau. In 1970 Vera's ashes were scattered on his grave. The Barenthal, Boscon, Granezza, Magnaboschi and Cavalletto Military Cemeteries at Asiago were designed by Sir Robert Lorimer in 1920.

The city is home to HC Asiago, a professional ice hockey team currently playing in the international Alps Hockey League as well as in the Italian top tier Serie A. The Asiago Vipers, based in Asiago, are a professional inline hockey team. The team plays in the highest Italian inline league. • Enrico Fabris, long track speed skater who has won three World Cup races. • Ivan Lunardi, one of the best Italian ski jumpers in history. • Aldo Stella, ski mountaineer and cross-country skier. • Lucio Topatigh, Italian ice hockey legend. • Nicola Tumolero, European champion speed skater.

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