Zumelle Castle
Encyclopedia
Zumelle Castle is a castle near the village of Tiago in the municipality of Mel, province of Belluno
, northern-eastern Italy
.
Nearby the castle is the early medieval church of San Donato, of Lombard
origins.
were consolidating their hold in the Valbelluna, conquered in the 1st century BC. The construction sat on a strategical location, commanding the road coming from the plain through the Praderadego, which has been identified as the Via Claudia Augusta
Altinatis or, more likely, one of its side branches.
During and after the fall of the Western Roman Empire
, the castle was the major stronghold of the area as it guarded the connections between Feltre
and Ceneda. According to a legend, the ruined fortifications were refounded by one Gaiseric (or Genseric), a faithful of queen Amalasuntha
. After her assassination, he established here and had two twins (Italian: gemelle), whence the name. During the early Middle Ages the castle was the location of a feudal struggle, started in 737 when the Lombard
king Liutprand
appointed Valentino, bishop of Ceneda, as lord of Zumelle. This caused a controversy with John, count-bishop of Belluno
, who already ruled these lands; the war was ended in 750 after the intervention of the new king Aistulf
. In 963 emperor Otto I
gave the county of Zumelle to the bishops of Belluno.
In 1037 emperor Conrad II
assigned it to his baron Abelfred. The latter died with no male heirs, and the castle went to his daughter Adelheit, who married Wilfred of Colfosco. Their daughter Sofia in turn married Guecellone II da Camino
, and thenceforth the castle was owned by the Caminesi family.
The castle was rebuilt in 1311 by Rizzardo IV da Camino
, lord of Treviso
, Belluno and Feltre, but after its conquest by the Republic of Venice
it lost its importance. In 1501 it was sacked by imperial troops during the War of the League of Cambrai
. Restored, it was subsequently owned by the Zorzi and Gritti families and, after the fall of the Venetian Republic, by the Austrian Empire
. In 1872 it was acquired by the commune of Mel, which is still the current owner.
Province of Belluno
TheThe Province of Belluno is a province in the Veneto region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Belluno.It has an area of 3,678 km², and a total population of 214,026 .-Geography:...
, northern-eastern 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...
.
Nearby the castle is the early medieval church of San Donato, of Lombard
Lombard architecture
The term Lombard achitecture refers to the architecture of the Kingdom of the Lombards in Italy, which lasted from 568 to 774 and which was commissioned by Lombard king and dukes....
origins.
History
A first fortification here existed perhaps as early as c. 46-47 AD, when the RomansAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
were consolidating their hold in the Valbelluna, conquered in the 1st century BC. The construction sat on a strategical location, commanding the road coming from the plain through the Praderadego, which has been identified as the Via Claudia Augusta
Via Claudia Augusta
The Via Claudia Augusta is an ancient Roman road, which linked the valley of the Po River with Rhaetia across the Alps. Since 2007, the Giontech Archeological Site, in Mezzocorona/Kronmetz serves as the Via Claudia Augusta International Research Center, directed by Prof...
Altinatis or, more likely, one of its side branches.
During and after the fall of the Western Roman Empire
Western Roman Empire
The Western Roman Empire was the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian in 285; the other half of the Roman Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly referred to today as the Byzantine Empire....
, the castle was the major stronghold of the area as it guarded the connections between Feltre
Feltre
Feltre is a town and comune of the province of Belluno in Veneto, northern Italy. A hill town in the southern reaches of the province, it is located on the Stizzon River, about 4 km from its junction with the Piave, and 20 km southwest from Belluno...
and Ceneda. According to a legend, the ruined fortifications were refounded by one Gaiseric (or Genseric), a faithful of queen Amalasuntha
Amalasuntha
Amalasuntha was a queen of the Ostrogoths from 526 to 534....
. After her assassination, he established here and had two twins (Italian: gemelle), whence the name. During the early Middle Ages the castle was the location of a feudal struggle, started in 737 when the Lombard
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
king Liutprand
Liutprand
Liutprand may refer to:*Liutprand, King of the Lombards ruled from 712 to 744*Duke Liutprand of Benevento *Bishop Liutprand of Cremona, historian...
appointed Valentino, bishop of Ceneda, as lord of Zumelle. This caused a controversy with John, count-bishop of Belluno
Belluno
Belluno , is a town and province in the Veneto region of northern Italy. Located about 100 kilometres north of Venice, Belluno is the capital of the province of Belluno and the most important city in the Eastern Dolomiti's region. With its roughly 37,000 inhabitants, it the largest populated area...
, who already ruled these lands; the war was ended in 750 after the intervention of the new king Aistulf
Aistulf
Aistulf was the Duke of Friuli from 744, King of Lombards from 749, and Duke of Spoleto from 751. His father was the Duke Pemmo.After his brother Ratchis became king, Aistulf succeeded him in Friuli. He succeeded him later as king when Ratchis abdicated to a monastery...
. In 963 emperor Otto I
Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto I the Great , son of Henry I the Fowler and Matilda of Ringelheim, was Duke of Saxony, King of Germany, King of Italy, and "the first of the Germans to be called the emperor of Italy" according to Arnulf of Milan...
gave the county of Zumelle to the bishops of Belluno.
In 1037 emperor Conrad II
Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor
Conrad II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1027 until his death.The son of a mid-level nobleman in Franconia, Count Henry of Speyer and Adelaide of Alsace, he inherited the titles of count of Speyer and of Worms as an infant when Henry died at age twenty...
assigned it to his baron Abelfred. The latter died with no male heirs, and the castle went to his daughter Adelheit, who married Wilfred of Colfosco. Their daughter Sofia in turn married Guecellone II da Camino
Guecellone II da Camino
Guecellone II da Camino was an Italian medieval noble and military leader, belonging to the Da Camino family....
, and thenceforth the castle was owned by the Caminesi family.
The castle was rebuilt in 1311 by Rizzardo IV da Camino
Rizzardo IV da Camino
Rizzardo IV da Camino was an Italian nobleman and military leader, a member of the da Camino family and lord of Treviso.He was the son of Gherardo III da Camino, first lord of Treviso from the family, and Alice da Vivaro...
, lord of Treviso
Treviso
Treviso is a city and comune in Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Treviso and the municipality has 82,854 inhabitants : some 3,000 live within the Venetian walls or in the historical and monumental center, some 80,000 live in the urban center proper, while the city...
, Belluno and Feltre, but after its conquest by 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...
it lost its importance. In 1501 it was sacked by imperial troops during the War of the League of Cambrai
War of the League of Cambrai
The War of the League of Cambrai, sometimes known as the War of the Holy League and by several other names, was a major conflict in the Italian Wars...
. Restored, it was subsequently owned by the Zorzi and Gritti families and, after the fall of the Venetian Republic, by the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
. In 1872 it was acquired by the commune of Mel, which is still the current owner.