General information regarding History, Culture and local Traditions
Val (valley)
di Zoldo
The Alta
Via n.1 routes only just touch the Val di Zoldo, penetrating thoroughly
in the VARIANT 4.
The history of Zoldo is also common to that of Belluno (and the area of
Agordo), but with a few facts worth mentioning.
Linked to Belluno, but more precisely to Castel Lavazzo which was an important
economic and military center during the roman period, Zoldo follows the
same historical events.
The oldest document where Zoldo is nominated is the 'bolla' (bill) dated
18th October 1185 in which Pope Lucio III confirmed to the bishop of Belluno
, Gerardo de Taccoli, property and chuches of S. floriano di Zoldo as
well as the village he governed. At the end of the XII century the inhabitants
of Zoldo and Agordo thought to be free and independent, in taking up arms
and refusing to pay the heavy taxes to the vassals of the bishop; but
after years of conflict, in 1224, they only received the right to elect
the 'podestà' and the members of the Council of the Nobility from cividal
di Belluno and to pay alittle less... In 1347 the gentleman Guadagnino
Avoscano from Belluno, became also one of the nobility of Zoldo, passed
under the protectin of the Republic of Venice. In 1508 Zoldo was united
to Cadore, but when peace was reinstated, Belluno appealled to the 'Doge'
to re-conquist it ; which sanctioned the return of Zoldo to Belluno in
1517. After Napoleone, Zoldo opposed the Austrian repression of 1848 with
40 days of heroic resistance especially in Mezzocanale: 400 from Zoldo
against 3,000 Austrian, (Gold medal received in 1907).
Valentino Panciera Besarèl was a 'maestro' (master) engraver born in Astragàl
di Zoldo and stood out as a very important person in Venice in the second
half of '800. Other very worthy artists were: Giovanni Battista Panciera
Besarèl, Valentino's father, Giovanni's grandfather, Valentino's great-grandfather;
the sculptor Paolo Gamba. The Di Dont family saw the birth in Belluno
of Andrea Brustolon.
The mining activities go back to the XIII century in Fusìne where
iron and semi-processed iron was produced. The mine of Coi was granted
in 1699 to Giovanni Maria Raspi and the one in Fusìne to Antonio
Lazzaris in 1721. Other three quarries in 1633, 1666, and 1688. In 1631
Zoldo was struck and devastated by a violent plague during which a great
part of its inhabitants lost their lives.
In 1665 the Palafavèra mountain was granted by Venice to the inhabitants
of Pécol, Marsón, Pianàz and Coi.