Montebelluna
Montebelluna: a Venetian city
Montebelluna is a beautiful town located in the province of Treviso, Veneto. The city has a population of approximately 31,088 and is situated in a flat area with some hills that characterize it. In the following article, we will delve into the geography, climate, origins of the name and history of this enchanting place.
Physical geography
Terrain
Montebelluna's territory is characterized by the two hills on either side of it. The first, the hill of Mercato Vecchio, is at the base of the city's name itself and has an altitude of 199 meters; the second is the Montello, which reaches a height of 343 meters. Between the two hills, there is a natural corridor where the Strada statale 348 Feltrina passes, and it is also the place where the Piave river once flowed. Despite being an area poor in watercourses, the city is well supplied with water thanks to a system of artificial canals derived from the Piave.
Climate
The climate of the area is mild and features hot summers characterized by strong thunderstorms and possible hailstorms. On average, the temperature ranges from 0°C in January and February to 29°C in July and August. The coldest month is January, with an average temperature of 3.1°C, while the hottest month is July, with an average temperature of 23°C. It rarely snows, although in the past, there have been low amounts of snowfall.
Origins of the name
The toponym Montebelluna is very ancient and has a clear Latin origin. The name is composed of two parts: Monte and Belluna. The first indicates the hill of Mercato Vecchio, at the foot of which the settlement was founded; the second part, Belluna, could be related to the worship of the goddess Bellona or to the city of Belluno, which in the 10th century had extended its jurisdiction beyond the Piave. The first historical references to the toponym date back to the year 1000, with the wording "de Musano usque in capite montis Belluni".
History
Protohistoric and Roman era
The first traces of human activity in Montebelluna date back to the times of the Stone and Bronze Ages. The real settlement occurred around the 9th century BC, when the city became the most important center of pre-Roman Veneto. The strategic position of the settlement, at the mouth of the Piave valley, made it an important link between the plain and the pre-alpine area. There are numerous artifacts, such as cemeteries in the localities of Santa Maria in Colle and Posmon, which demonstrate that Montebelluna was an important inhabited center during the Roman period. The city became part of the centuriation of the Roman municipality "Acelum" (Asolo), although it is not yet entirely clear whether it was a residential center or a castra for the defense of the reticulati of Asolo and Treviso.
Montebelluna is a city with ancient origins and an interesting history, which still retains the charm of the Roman and pre-Roman era. The beauty of the territory and the mild climate are just some of the reasons why this city is considered one of the most suggestive places in the province of Treviso.
