Possagno
Discovering Possagno: a small village surrounded by nature
Hello everyone, today I will talk to you about Possagno, a small Venetian municipality surrounded by mountains. With only 2252 inhabitants, it may seem like a niche village, but in reality, it has an ancient and interesting history worth discovering.
Physical geography
Possagno is located in the province of Treviso, surrounded by mountains to the north and south, while the other directions open up towards the towns of Cavaso del Tomba and Paderno del Grappa. Immersed in greenery, the village consists of a small cluster of houses with the Temple and the imposing complex of the Cavanis "Canova" Institute as the protagonist.
The municipality extends up to the top of the mountains to the north and south, but the whole village revolves around the two main roads that cross it from east to west. Mount Palon to the north is covered with vegetation, while Pareton to the south shows the consequences of the clay extraction activity from its slopes.
Origin of the name
The name Possagno may derive from the Latin ''pausaneus'' "place of rest" (from ''pausa''). This hypothesis is just one of several theories about its origin, but it still shows how the presence of the village is ancient, since the times of the Romans.
History
The history of Possagno dates back at least to the Neolithic or Copper Age, but its existence is documented starting from 1076 when it was a fief of the Rover family, of Germanic origin. After the wars that hit the Treviso area between the 13th and 14th centuries, from 1388 Possagno also became one of the domains of the Serenissima.
From the 18th century, the history of the village is linked to the name of Antonio Canova, a world-famous sculptor. The Canovian Temple, a church designed by the artist himself, is one of the most important works in the village, along with the Canova Gipsoteca which collects molds and plaster casts of his sculptures.
During the period of national reconstruction, Possagno became a center of brick production thanks to the clay present in the area. The kilns opened, and with them came the economic resources, but the village did not lose its identity as a small country village with its network of churches scattered in small districts.
In the mid-19th century, the Cavanis fathers founded their college in Possagno, now called the Cavanis "Canova" Institute. Initially intended for poor children, the college now offers primary and secondary school and five different types of higher education.
In the First World War, Possagno was on the Italian front line. To the south of Mount Palon, the Possagnesi erected a large cross to remember those who lost their lives during the war, creating a monument that overlooks the village since 1925. Even today, it is possible to find war remnants in nearby mountains, while the trenches have recently been made accessible to tourists.
Conclusions
In conclusion, Possagno is a small village that holds an important artistic and historical heritage, between the works of Antonio Canova and the testimonies of the Great War. Immersed in nature, it is an ideal place for trekking and mountain excursions. If you have the opportunity to visit it, you won't regret it!
