Montereale Valcellina
Welcome to Montereale Valcellina
Welcome to Montereale Valcellina, a small municipality located in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. With a population of 4297 inhabitants, the municipality stretches between the Cellina stream, Mount Fara and Mount Spia, with a maximum elevation difference of 1471 meters.
History of Montereale Valcellina
The origins of Montereale Valcellina date back to the Bronze Age and the early Iron Age, as indicated by the finds of the Paleoveneti necropolis of Dominu. The finds from the Imperial and Late Roman periods also attest to the historical importance of the territory. Legend has it that the elusive city of Caelina mentioned by Gaio Plinio Secondo in his work "Naturalis historia" was located in the area.
Monuments and places of interest
Exploring the municipality, one comes across numerous monuments and places of architectural and cultural interest. Among them, there are several churches, such as the Church of Santa Maria Assunta dating back to the 18th century, the Church of San Rocco in Cemetery which houses an important cycle of 16th-century frescoes, a painting by Giovanni Maria Zaffoni from Pordenone, and a Baroque wooden altar, the Oratory of San Floriano, the Church of Fradese, the parish Church of San Bartolomeo and the parish Church of San Giovanni Battista. There is also the Ruins of the castle "Castrum Montis Regalis", the Archaeological area of the Montereale Valcellina aqueduct, and the Archaeological Museum of Montereale Valcellina.
Society in Montereale Valcellina
The population of Montereale Valcellina, in addition to speaking Italian, also uses the Friulian language. The Municipality is included in the list of Italian municipalities with the Friulian language according to the deliberation n. 2680 of 3 August 2001 of the Regional Council of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. There are tourist routes in Friulian dialect available.
Museums
There are several interesting museums to visit in town. The municipal cultural center of "Palazzo Toffoli" houses the Archaeological Museum of Montereale Valcellina. Inside, archaeological finds telling the history of the Montereale Valcellina foothill area are collected. There is also the Museum of the Hydroelectric Power Station Antonio Pitter in Malnisio, the first hydroelectric power plant that allowed the lighting of the lamps in Piazza San Marco in Venice. For astronomy and geography enthusiasts, Montereale Valcellina also offers the Grizzo Astronomical Observatory and the Geo center Immaginario Geografico and Centro di Documentazione Ex Latteria in Malnisio. But even for the curious, a visit to the research group Chei del Talpa is interesting.
Montereale Valcellina is a treasure waiting to be discovered, with a rich and fascinating history, a combination of ancient monuments and modern museums, and a welcoming and hospitable population. Come and visit!
