Pozza di Fassa
Pozza di Fassa: a small hamlet with an ancient history
Pozza di Fassa, also known as "Poza" in the Ladino language, is a hamlet of San Giovanni di Fassa located in the province of Trento, in Val di Fassa. Its history dates back to ancient times and is worth telling.
Meaning of the name
Pozza di Fassa owes its name to a large swampy lake that extended under the Pieve di San Giovanni. The lake was formed due to a massive landslide from the Costa above Santa Giuliana, which had destroyed much of the settlement.
History
The history of Pozza di Fassa is very ancient and has its roots in the history of the Ancient Longobard Court of Fassa, which was based in Vigo di Fassa. The valley in the early Middle Ages was formally under the dominion of the Prince-Bishop of Bressanone, but had its own free and independent history, almost comparable to a small republic.
The advent of Christianity
An interesting aspect of the history of Pozza di Fassa is the fact that the Christian nucleus of the valley did not come from the nearby Pieve di San Giovanni, but from the Hermitage of Santa Giuliana. This site, affected by successive landslides over the centuries, contains within it the prehistory and early history of the valley.
The Pieve di San Giovanni was still the religious center of the valley, and even the villages around Pozza referred to it for baptisms, weddings and funerals. It was customary to give a tenth of the harvest for the maintenance of the pastor, who then redistributed it to poor families, a rule adopted by the Catholic Church referring to the Old Testament.
Middle Ages
During the Middle Ages, the lord of the valley managed his own affairs, property, relatives and subjects with the loving care of a good head of the family, as advised by the pastor and a small group of household heads who met a couple of times a year. The lordly administration was so kind that one could speak of a small republic.
The Prince-Bishop sent the Rossi from Val di Sole as his representative to the valley, but this was felt as an abuse, as a triumph of the power of the Rossi of Val di Sole in Val di Fassa.
In general, the ancient history of Pozza di Fassa has been only partially documented. However, there are some important documents preserved in the Pieve from the 16th century onwards, although some of these have been lost in the transfer of the municipal archive of Pozza.
In summary, Pozza di Fassa is a small hamlet with an ancient and fascinating history. Its history is linked to the Ancient Longobard Court of Fassa, the Pieve di San Giovanni and the Hermitage of Santa Giuliana. Despite the passage of centuries, the Val di Fassa has maintained its uniqueness and autonomy, preserving its traditions and identity.
