Tezze
Tezze di Piave: a dive into history
If you are looking for a place that combines the beauty of the Treviso countryside with the ancient history of the area, you cannot miss a visit to Tezze di Piave. This hamlet in the municipality of Vazzola, in the province of Treviso, hides secrets and curiosities that will leave you amazed.
Origins of the name
The name Tezze can be traced back to the Latin origin "attegia," which means hut, and then to the local Venetian "tieda," which means shed or barn. The modern form "le Tezze" only appears on Cristoforo Sabbadino's map in 1558.
History
The origins of Tezze are very ancient, dating back to the Roman era. The area was part of the rural area of the city of Oderzo, which was so important that the Passi defined it as the "ancient city of the Veneti, one of the main cities that founded the illustrious city of Venice." During the Roman Empire, the lagrum of Oderzo area was divided into centuriazione, or regular-sized plots of land that were given to legionary families at the end of their service so that they could live and sustain themselves. In Tezze, you can see the traces of a quadrangular centuriazione of 710 meters per side. The settlement in these areas was favored by the proximity to the fords of the Piave and the passage of the Via Opitergium-Tridentum, which intersected nearby with the via Ungaresca, the via Claudia Augusta Altinate, and the via Postumia. Tezze became a transit location, with a continuous flow of merchants, soldiers, and pilgrims. In the Middle Ages, it was invaded by the Lombards, whose traces can be found in many place names in the area: the term ''Vare'' seems to derive from the Germanic "Waren," which means "land left to rest (maggese)." In 1233, the village is mentioned as ''Tezzae'' ''de Plavi'', and in other ancient topographical maps, it takes on the name of ''Contrata Tezzarum.'' Later, it followed the fortunes of the municipality of Treviso, along with most of the towns in the Treviso region, finally becoming definitively under the dominion of the Republic of Venice in 1388.
In the sixteenth-century cartography, Tezze (or Le Teze) is a hamlet composed of about forty houses and 400 inhabitants. After the fall of the Republic of Venice by Napoleon's action and the annexation of Veneto to the Kingdom of Italy (1861-1946) in 1866, it was declared a hamlet of the municipality of Vazzola, as it still is today.
World War I
Tezze di Piave has a deep connection to World War I. During this period, the locality was severely damaged due to its proximity to the front line of the Piave. After the breakthrough of the enemy lines by the Austro-German troops on 27 October 1917 with the Battle of Caporetto, the village suddenly found itself in enemy territory and very close to the Italian artillery's firing line.
A place to visit
Tezze di Piave, thanks to its millennial history, offers multiple leisure and cultural opportunities. One of the main points of interest is the Church of San Giovanni Battista, built in 1600, belonging to the Diocese of Treviso. Inside, there are unique works of art, such as the Annunciation painted by Francesco Frigimelica. Additionally, the village has an excellent location to visit other areas of the Treviso region, such as Conegliano and Oderzo. A visit to Tezze will give you the opportunity to discover the secrets of a territory rich in history and culture.
