Rio San Martino
Rio San Martino: History and Curiosities
Rio San Martino is a hamlet of the municipality of Scorzè, a small town a few kilometers from Venice. Although it is a small settlement, it has an ancient and interesting history.
History
The hamlet may have Roman origins, as the town center is located at the intersection of a cardo and a decumanus of the Altinum centuriation, but historical information about Rio San Martino is very scarce.
The village is mentioned in the papal bull of Pope Eugenio III in 1152 as a chapel dependent on the parish of Zero Branco.
During the Serenissima, Rio San Martino was divided into five "colmelli", falling within the "Mestrina di Sopra", district of the podesteria of Treviso.
Monuments and Places of Interest
Parish Church
The parish church of Rio San Martino was an ancient chapel of the parish of Zero, but from 1560 it had its own rector. The current building, dedicated to Martin of Tours, bishop of Tours, was consecrated on April 20, 1512.
The church was significantly modified over time. Inside, the altarpiece "San Martino and the Poor" attributed to Sante Peranda is preserved, while the fresco on the ceiling ("Apoteosi di San Martino") and the one above the entrance ("Davide che suona l'arpa dinanzi a Saul") were commissioned in 1811 to Giovanni Carlo Bevilacqua.
The church bell tower dates back to 1846-1856.
Villa Corniani (vanished)
Not far from the center of Rio San Martino was the important complex of Villa Corniani, which was destroyed by a fire on March 15, 1901. In 1935, the last surviving element, a chapel, was also demolished.
The Fedeli-Corniani, a Venetian family, had possessions in Terraferma since the 16th century, scattered between Rio San Martino, Sant'Alberto (Zero Branco), Monfumo, Carmignano di Brenta and Istria.
It is difficult to reconstruct the appearance of the complex, but it is known that it was very important.
Curiosities
Rio San Martino is also called "Rio" or "San Martin", and in Venetian language "Rio San Martin".
The village hosts the "Festa del Torcio", an event where grapes are "squeezed", a tradition that has been repeated for centuries and attracts many enthusiasts from all over the region.
Conclusion
Rio San Martino may seem like an unpretentious little village, but its history, traditions, and monuments are worth a visit. The parish church is an example of interesting architecture, and Villa Corniani, although vanished, remains a symbol of the historical importance of the village. Animated by its inhabitants, Rio San Martino presents itself as a little gem set in the Venetian plain.
