San Pietro di Cadore
Discovering Auronzo di Cadore
Hi everyone! Today I want to talk to you about one of the most beautiful towns in northern Italy: Auronzo di Cadore! It is a municipality in the province of Belluno, in Veneto, which has about 3057 inhabitants. One of the most famous things in Auronzo is certainly the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, but let's see together what other attractions this beautiful town offers.
Physical geography
Auronzo extends over a wide area which also includes the localities of Cima Gogna and Misurina, where the homonymous Lake of Misurina is located. The territory is crossed by the Ansiei stream, which forms the artificial lake of Santa Caterina, better known as Lake of Auronzo, thanks to the dam built in 1932. This artificial basin is 3 km long and also touches the inhabited center. After crossing the lake, the Ansiei flows to the locality of Treponti, near Cima Gogna, where it flows into the Piave river.
Climate
Regarding the climate, Auronzo has a cool and temperate climate, with an average annual temperature of about 8.5°C.
Origin of the name
There is no certainty about the origin of the name "Auronzo". Since the town dates back to pre-Roman times, the name cannot be derived from "aurum" or "argentum", although there are many mines of these precious metals in the area. An interesting theory could bring the name closer to that of the "Eboruntii" or "Aboruntii", which were probably the ancient inhabitants of Cadore.
History
From the Veneti to the Romans
The first evidence of a settlement in Roman times in the Val d'Ansiei was discovered only in the late 20th century, although a historian named Giovanni Candido had already talked about it in the 18th century describing a place called "Auronzo, where many vestiges of antiquity are visible". In the past, only some Roman coins with the value of one coin had been discovered, but with no additional information. In the 1990s, thanks to the benevolence of the owner of the Molin house in via Tarin, the first Roman-age structures were found. From that moment on, the findings followed one another rapidly, outlining a picture of the town never seen before. The Val d'Ansiei has been inhabited since the 2nd century BC On Mount Calvario, behind the church of Santa Giustina in Villagrande, one of the most important archaeological sites in Veneto was found. It is a place of worship active from the 2nd century BC to the 4th century AD The inscriptions found demonstrate the use of Venetic writing until at least the 1st century AD, becoming the missing link for the birth of the runic alphabet. In addition, some pottery fragments dating back to pre-Roman times have been found, which gave meaning to the popular tales of the "porteà" (cemetery) "of the pagans" in the Malon district (1300 meters above sea level).
If you are in the area, I recommend visiting this beautiful town and delving into its history. I hope this brief summary has been helpful in getting to know Auronzo di Cadore better. See you next time!
