Montello (TV), Italy
Encyclopedia
The Montello is a hill in the province of Treviso
, Veneto
, northern Italy
, and the site of a World War I
battle.
The bean-shaped hill measures about 5 km north-south by 13 km east-west. It rises to a maximum of 371 m elevation from the alluvial plain of the Piave River
, which runs along the north and west edges of the hill, at about 140 m elevation.
The Montello is crossed in the east-west direction by a local road that begins as Via 18 Giugno in the town of Pederiva di Biadene, continues as Strada La Dorsale and Via Frati, and ends as Via Ossario in the town of Nervesa della Battaglia
. Several local roads in the general north-south direction connect this "dorsal spine" of the Montello to the two main alternative routes around the hill, either along on its southern margin (comprised by Stradone del Bosco, Via Fra Giocondo, Via Pedemontana, Via Francesco Baracca, Via Arditi, Via Armando Diaz) or along the northern margin (the Panoramic Road, comprised by Via Gabriele d'Annunzio, Via Nord Montello, Via Riviera Piave, Via Decima Armata).
The hill gave its name to several towns nested against its base Crocetta del Montello
, Volpago del Montello
, Selva del Montello, and Giavera del Montello
.
The hill is presently covered with a mix of wooded areas, residential homes, and small farms. The church and monument of Santa Maria della Vittoria, built after the battle of 1918, is located on top of the montello, about 3.5 km north of Volpago (to which it belongs) and 5 km east from Pederiva.
times; chipped stone points from the Mesolithic
have been found along the northern edge. The early inhabitants probably occupied the many natural caves that bore into the hill.
In Classical Antiquity
the region surrounding the Montello was settled by reformed soldier
s of the Roman
army.
During the Middle Ages
, the Certosa (Carthusian
monastery
) of San Gerolamo
and the abbey
of Sant'Eustachio
were built. It was in the latter that, between 1550 and 1555, Giovanni Della Casa
wrote Il Galateo.
The oak
s and chestnut
trees that covered the Montello since antiquity used to be a major source of timber
for the region, especially for the shipyards and building foundations of Venice. Due to its strategic importance, the Republic of Venice
assumed the ownership of the hill, and declared it off-limits to the local population. Deprived of their homes and their main source of income, the hunters and woodsmen
of the Montello became a class of landless, homeless and jobless miserables, the bisnenti (the 'twice have-nots'), who survived on odd jobs and occasionally crimes. Eventually, many locals took to the roads of emigration, in the Americas, France, Germany and Australia.
In 1892, moved by the plight of the bisnenti, Senator Pietro Bertolini
pushed through legislation which parcelled the Montello land among them. The initiative was not very successful, since the poor soil was not very suitable for agriculture. In any case, the re-settlement and the ravages of World War I led to the demise of the native woods, and their partial replacement by robinia
s, a bush native to the Americas
that was brought to the region in the late 18th century.
Province of Treviso
The Province of Treviso is a province in the Veneto region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Treviso.The province has an area of 2,477 km², and a total population of 886.886 . There are 95 municipalities in the province .-Municipalities:-External links:*...
, Veneto
Veneto
Veneto is one of the 20 regions of Italy. Its population is about 5 million, ranking 5th in Italy.Veneto had been for more than a millennium an independent state, the Republic of Venice, until it was eventually annexed by Italy in 1866 after brief Austrian and French rule...
, northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and the site of a World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
battle.
The bean-shaped hill measures about 5 km north-south by 13 km east-west. It rises to a maximum of 371 m elevation from the alluvial plain of the Piave River
Piave River
Piave is a river in north Italy. It begins in the Alps and flows southeast for into the Adriatic Sea near the city of Venice....
, which runs along the north and west edges of the hill, at about 140 m elevation.
The Montello is crossed in the east-west direction by a local road that begins as Via 18 Giugno in the town of Pederiva di Biadene, continues as Strada La Dorsale and Via Frati, and ends as Via Ossario in the town of Nervesa della Battaglia
Nervesa della Battaglia
Nervesa della Battaglia is a comune in the Province of Treviso in the Italian region Veneto, located about 45 km north of Venice and about 20 km north of Treviso....
. Several local roads in the general north-south direction connect this "dorsal spine" of the Montello to the two main alternative routes around the hill, either along on its southern margin (comprised by Stradone del Bosco, Via Fra Giocondo, Via Pedemontana, Via Francesco Baracca, Via Arditi, Via Armando Diaz) or along the northern margin (the Panoramic Road, comprised by Via Gabriele d'Annunzio, Via Nord Montello, Via Riviera Piave, Via Decima Armata).
The hill gave its name to several towns nested against its base Crocetta del Montello
Crocetta del Montello
Crocetta del Montello , formerly Crocetta Trevigiana, is a comune in the Province of Treviso in the Italian region Veneto, located about northwest of Venice and about northwest of Treviso...
, Volpago del Montello
Volpago del Montello
Volpago del Montello is a comune in the Province of Treviso in the Italian region Veneto, located about 40 km northwest of Venice and about 15 km northwest of Treviso.-External links:*...
, Selva del Montello, and Giavera del Montello
Giavera del Montello
Giavera del Montello is a comune in the Province of Treviso in the Italian region Veneto, located about 40 km northwest of Venice and about 15 km northwest of Treviso....
.
The hill is presently covered with a mix of wooded areas, residential homes, and small farms. The church and monument of Santa Maria della Vittoria, built after the battle of 1918, is located on top of the montello, about 3.5 km north of Volpago (to which it belongs) and 5 km east from Pederiva.
History
The Montello has been inhabited since pre-historicalPrehistory
Prehistory is the span of time before recorded history. Prehistory can refer to the period of human existence before the availability of those written records with which recorded history begins. More broadly, it refers to all the time preceding human existence and the invention of writing...
times; chipped stone points from the Mesolithic
Mesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
have been found along the northern edge. The early inhabitants probably occupied the many natural caves that bore into the hill.
In Classical Antiquity
Classical antiquity
Classical antiquity is a broad term for a long period of cultural history centered on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ancient Greece and ancient Rome, collectively known as the Greco-Roman world...
the region surrounding the Montello was settled by reformed soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
s of the Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
army.
During the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, the Certosa (Carthusian
Carthusian
The Carthusian Order, also called the Order of St. Bruno, is a Roman Catholic religious order of enclosed monastics. The order was founded by Saint Bruno of Cologne in 1084 and includes both monks and nuns...
monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
) of San Gerolamo
Saint Jerome
Saint Jerome is a Christian church father, best known for translating the Bible into Latin.Saint Jerome may also refer to:*Jerome of Pavia , Bishop of Pavia...
and the abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
of Sant'Eustachio
Saint Eustace
Saint Eustace, also known as Eustachius or Eustathius, was a legendary Christian martyr who lived in the 2nd century AD. A martyr of that name is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church, which, however, judges that the legend recounted about him is "completely fabulous." For that reason...
were built. It was in the latter that, between 1550 and 1555, Giovanni Della Casa
Giovanni della Casa
Giovanni della Casa was an Italian poet and cleric.-Biography:He was born at Florence, in Tuscany. He studied at Bologna, Padua, Florence and Rome, and by his learning attracted the patronage of Alexander Farnese, who, as Pope Paul III, made him archbishop of Benevento and later nuncio to Venice,...
wrote Il Galateo.
The oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
s and chestnut
Chestnut
Chestnut , some species called chinkapin or chinquapin, is a genus of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.-Species:The chestnut belongs to the...
trees that covered the Montello since antiquity used to be a major source of timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
for the region, especially for the shipyards and building foundations of Venice. Due to its strategic importance, the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
assumed the ownership of the hill, and declared it off-limits to the local population. Deprived of their homes and their main source of income, the hunters and woodsmen
Woodsman
-History:Woodsmen or lumberjack competitions have their roots in competitions that took place in logging camps among loggers. As loggers were paid for piece work, the ability to perform a specific task more quickly, or with a degree of showmanship, was something to be admired...
of the Montello became a class of landless, homeless and jobless miserables, the bisnenti (the 'twice have-nots'), who survived on odd jobs and occasionally crimes. Eventually, many locals took to the roads of emigration, in the Americas, France, Germany and Australia.
In 1892, moved by the plight of the bisnenti, Senator Pietro Bertolini
Pietro Bertolini
Pietro Bertolini was an Italian statesman.-Biography:He began his career as a barrister and student of economic and administrative questions, and entered parliament in 1891 as member for Montebelluna. Two years later, he became Under-Secretary for Finance in the Crispi cabinet...
pushed through legislation which parcelled the Montello land among them. The initiative was not very successful, since the poor soil was not very suitable for agriculture. In any case, the re-settlement and the ravages of World War I led to the demise of the native woods, and their partial replacement by robinia
Robinia
Robinia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae, native to North America and northern Mexico. Commonly known as "locusts", they are deciduous trees and shrubs growing 4-25 m tall. The leaves are pinnate with 7-21 oval leaflets. The flowers are white or pink, in...
s, a bush native to the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
that was brought to the region in the late 18th century.
See also
- Crocetta del MontelloCrocetta del MontelloCrocetta del Montello , formerly Crocetta Trevigiana, is a comune in the Province of Treviso in the Italian region Veneto, located about northwest of Venice and about northwest of Treviso...
- MontebellunaMontebellunaMontebelluna is a town and comune in Veneto, Italy, approximately 67 kilometers northwest of Venice. It has an estimated population of 30,817.Fila has research and development facilities in Montebelluna. Northwave was started by Gianni Piva in Montebelluna...
- Ciano (Crocetta del Montello)