alpine soldiers. The grappa shop of Nardini Distillery is located on the bridge, known as Ponte degli Alpini. Bassano del Grappa is also the long residence town of Renzo Rosso, the founder and President of Diesel. Since Diesel began to expand in the mid-1980s, the company has become an important source of business for the city and its surrounding region. As thanks for the support that Rosso has received locally, he has invested personally in the city's professional soccer team, Bassano Virtus 55 S.T. Geography Bassano is located at above sea level and has an area of . Its highest point is at , whereas the lowest point is at . The city lies at the foothills of the Venetian Prealps, where river Brenta comes out the southern end of Canal di Brenta (also called Valbrenta 'Brenta valley') and flows in the lowlands at the borders of Vicenza, Treviso and Padua provinces. Main sights The cathedral (Duomo), built around the year 1000 but renovated in 1417. It has works by Leandro da Bassano, Ottavio Marinali and others The Castello Superiore (Upper Castle) The church of St. John the Baptist, built in the 14th century and restored in the 18th century. San Francesco: with a Crucifix by Guariento (14th century) and remains of contemporary frescoes. Next to the church is the Town Museum, with ancient archaeological remains, works by Antonio Canova and the Tiepolos, and drawings by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Spagnoletto, Albrecht Dürer and Rembrandt The wooden covered Bridge, or Ponte degli Alpini, on the Brenta River, designed in 1569 by the architect Andrea Palladio to replace a pre-existing construction existing at least from 1209. The bridge was destroyed in 1748, and was rebuilt three years later. The Nardini tavern on the bridge is unchanged since 1779. Palazzo Michieli-Bonato, with a façade frescoed by Jacopo da Bassano. The Palazzo del Municipio (Town Hall), erected from 1404. It has a noteworthy loggia and a fresco attributed to Jacopo da Bassano. The Monte di Pietà, a Renaissance edifice with 15th-century coats of arms. The Palazzo Sturm, home to the Ceramics Museum The Torre Civica (Civic Tower, 14th Century) 43 metres, in Piazza Garibaldi. In the neighbourhood are the Villa Rezzonico, designed by Baldassarre Longhena, Art Nouveau's Villa Agnesina, designed by Francesco Bonfanti in 1923, and the 17th century Villa Bianchi-Michiel, with a garden decorated by statues. Administrative subdivisions The municipal statute (art.6, par.2)