When I was asked to find five reasons why Oderzo is worth moving into I found myself stuck, not even knowing why I personally live there. So I started thinking, trying to see my tiny town as a visitor and to forget that my family and most of my friends live in the nearby.
Well, I thought, first of all Oderzo is a historical town, it was founded in ancient times and was joined to the Roman Empire: the ruins of its past glory are still evident throughout the centre. If you walk on the streets of the old town you’ll find a sort of glass-made pyramid, like the Louvre entrance, just smaller – they got their idea from us for sure! – containing the ruins of the ancient domus with its mosaics and pillars. But not only can you admire our past glory on this purposely dedicated site, you can also bump on pieces of our past simply by walking around the centre and looking around: the whole town is scattered in historical presence. Even its inhabitants embody a part of its past as they are called Opitergini, from Opitergium, the ancient name of the town. Moreover, Oderzo thoroughly enshrines its artistic heritage: Palazzo Foscolo hosts paintings and sculptures related to the town and the dome is a XVI-century building full of pieces of art.
However, Oderzo is not only historically rich, it also offers a variety of schools for students from elementary to high school, ranging from professional institutes, to gymnasiums, to private schools, and even Gentium Schola Opitergium: our IB international boarding school, making Oderzo educationally consistent under all aspects.
Nevertheless, this town is not all about culture: it is also a dynamic reality that values individuality and sport activities. Just to mention some, there are ballet schools, skating clubs, martial arts associations, in addition to the rugby, basketball, volleyball and football clubs. Every year the town organises an event in support of all athletic activities: the most important associations show their offer across the old town centre, attracting all-age athletes and curious.
Some other events purposely designed for us younger take place in spring and autumn: a small group of young Opitergini sets up a food and music festival at Cà Diedo, the biggest park of the town, where the community can experience the pleasure of live bands, being surrounded by nature. Not to mention music events even for polished hearing: the yearly-happening “Opera in Piazza Grande” attracts aficionados from all over the world.
Last but not least, Oderzo is a small town but close to some bigger centres such as Treviso, Pordenone or Venice that can be reached by train or car in just about an hour. The sea is even closer, as in half an hour you can reach Jesolo, famous for its night life and liveliness. However, being detached from the industrial areas, Oderzo is able to keep its natural beauty safe from mainstream tourism. Moreover, as a small town, most inhabitants know each other and are used to kindness and volunteering, always ready to offer their contribution or being useful in their own ways, even only with a smile.
Thinking deeply about all the reasons why I love my town, this one is the most meaningful to me: the citizens of Oderzo are passionate people who share their love for their town. Every day they work hard and are devoted to improve the place in which they live, protecting it from decay and neglect. They also show love for their fellow citizens and for those who might not be as lucky as they are.