Zoppè di Cadore
Welcome to Zoppè di Cadore: a welcoming municipality in the province of Belluno
Zoppè di Cadore is a small but charming municipality with only 196 inhabitants in the province of Belluno, Veneto, in Italy. The town is located in the valley of the Rutorto stream and can only be reached by a road that starts from the nearby town of Forno di Zoldo. The breathtaking view of Pelmo, the highest mountain in the area, makes Zoppè's location very suggestive. The town is divided into three small villages: Bortolot, Sagui, and Villa.
Physical geography
Zoppè di Cadore is the smallest municipality in the province of Belluno, the least populated but also the highest with an altitude that reaches 1,461 m. The municipality is also the owner of a malga near Pecol di Zoldo Alto, called "la Grava" (4.01 km²), which was transferred to Zoppè after the purchase by the noble Treviso Bressa in 1790 and during a dispute with the municipality of San Tiziano di Goima in the nineteenth century.
Origins of the name
The name Zoppè seems to derive from the Cadorin dialect word "zopa", which means clod, with the addition of the collective suffix "-ētum".
History
According to the story of Monsignor Giuseppe Ciani, in the fifth century, the inhabitants of the Boite Valley took refuge in the surrounding mountains to escape the Huns. Here they built a "castle" near Colle di Fies (1,588 m altitude), near Zoppè to defend themselves from the barbarians. Once the invasion was over, the inhabitants chose to stay there, considering it a safe place. There are traces of this castle, such as foundations, a well, forms, and ridges of fields in the vicinity. You can also see the trace of a road that leads from the Fiès oppidum, running through Chiandolada next to Valdecuzza, to that point in Oltrechiusa, where the castle of Hodo (Vodo di Cadore) is located, also called "Strada de' Pagani". A nearby site is called "Cimitero dei Pagani".
Furthermore, in 959, Giovanni, the bishop of the diocese of Belluno-Feltre, tried to subject some churches in the Cadore to his jurisdiction. After long discussions, the chapel of Zoppè was ceded to the Belluno bishop; from that moment on, Zoppè belonged civilly to the Principality of Cadore under the patriarchate of Aquileia and ecclesiastically, it was aggregated to Val di Zoldo. In 1198, a certain Piazza di Comelico built a forge in Zoppè, employing many men for the production of coal and mineral extraction on the Fruxile mountains. Remains of an oven, right in this place, confirm the testimony of "Prè Pìero", the parish priest of Zoppè from 1860 to 1889.
Conclusions
Zoppè di Cadore is a picturesque and suggestive municipality, perfect for a quiet and relaxing vacation in nature. The beauty of the landscape and the history that can be felt make it a unique place in the world. And if you are passionate about trekking or mountain biking, you can take advantage of the magnificent scenery that the area has to offer. Come visit us in Zoppè di Cadore for an unforgettable experience.
