Belluno, the capital of the County, is located on a promontory above the River Piave, which, along with its tributary – the Ardo torrent, divides it into three parts; To the north / west the hamlets of Mussoi, Mier, Sois, Bes and Salce, to the north / east Cavarzano, with the neighborhoods of Baldenich, Nogarè, Cusighe and Fiammoi and to the south, to the Sinistra Piave, the small agglomerations of Castion, Visome, Faverga , Caleipo and neighboring areas.
The beautiful sunny location and the small size of the town make it an ideal destination for a short trip, which can be easily and quickly made on foot: to visit the center of Belluno and its most characteristic places, we will spend about two hours.
Even though it does not have many and exciting attractions, the small town emanates an extraordinary atmosphere and deserves to be visited.
To begin our visit to Belluno, we start from the Piazza dei Martiri, which is the splendid Bellunese lounge, the old and dear “campedel”, with its Renaissance character and the famous “listòn”, or rather the walk under the porches that follow the northern part of the square, between historic bars and public gardens, with the fountain in the middle.
The main street of the historic center of Belluno, via Mezzaterra, is closed to the north and south by two ancient portals, named Porta Dojona and Porta Rugo. Among them is the heart of the Renaissance city, as well as the fascinating Piazza delle Erbe. With the famous porches accompanying it on the four sides, it is also famous as Piazza del Mercato and represents the oldest nucleus of the city, dating back to Roman times. In the center there is a fountain, the oldest of the many in town, dedicated to St. Lucano.
Among the Renaissance palaces of Piazza delle Erbe, absolutely wonderful to see, stands out the one that hosted the ancient Monte di Pietà. Alongside it, precisely under an arch, there is the entrance to the small Chiesa del Monte, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin of Health. The frame around the image of the Virgin is a sculpture of Andrea Brustolon (Belluno, July 20, 1662 – Belluno, October 25, 1732), a local artist who also made the bench of the President of the Italian Republic.
Through the narrow streets and small squares where the Venetian style alternates with the Renaissance, you can easily reach Piazza Duomo with the cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. To the opposite side of the square is the splendid Palazzo dei Rettori (seat of the Prefecture) and the ancient Civic Tower.
The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta dates back to the 15th century and houses artworks by important artists such as Schiavone and Sebastiano Ricci.
Ultimately, the capital of the Dolomites deserves to be visited, thanks to its history and the unspoilt landscape.