Belluno is the capital of the province of the same name in the Veneto region in northern Italy. It is located at the point where the Piave and Ardo rivers come together.
Belluno travel guide
Useful information
Tourist information: Via Duomo, 2 – 32100 Belluno. Phone: +39 334 282 3222. Hours: From 10:00 till 13:00, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays also from 14:00 till 17:00. Closed: Wednesdays.
Town hall: Piazza Duomo, 1 – 32100 Belluno. Phone: 0437 913111.
Railway station: Belluno has a direct train connection to cities such as Venice, Padua and Treviso.
Nearest airport: The city had an airport, but it is not being used for commercial flights.
Tourist tax Belluno
The tassa di soggiorno is 2 Euros per night for 4 and 5 star hotels, 1,50 Euros for 3 star hotels, 1 Euro for 2 star hotels and 1 Euro for 1 star hotels, guesthouses, B&B’s and holiday homes.
Tourist attractions
The main square of Belluno is the Piazza Duomo, which is lined by multiple interesting buildings. As the name of this square suggest, here you can visit important religious buildings, such as the Cathedral of San Martino and the Vescovado Vecchio. Across from the Cathedral, you can see the Baptistery.
Other attractions on this square are the Museo Archeologico Civico, the Palazzo Belluno and the Palazzo Piloni. The latter is the seat of the province of Belluno. The Palazzo dei Rettori used to be the seat of the Venetian rulers, and is embellished with a 16th century bell tower.
The statue in the square depicts San Gioatà .
A second important square is the porticoed Piazza del Mercato, in the heart of the historical center. Besides being a market square, it also used to be a meeting point for the various social classes of the city. It is lined by various mansions and palaces, including the Casa Miari, the Palazzo Costantini and the Monte di Pietà . The latter is decorated with the coats of arms of the Venetians who used to rule the city. The entrance to the Chiesa del Monte is under the arcades.
The San Lucano Fountain in the center of the square is the oldest one of the city.
The Piazza Vittorio Emanuele is graced on one side by the neoclassical Teatro Municipale, and on the opposite side by the 18th century Palazzo Fulcis. This palace is the seat of the five floor Museo Civico, with works by Tintoretto, Sebastiano Ricci and many other famous artists.
Only three gates have survived of the ancient Belluno city wall. These are the Porta Rugo, the Porta Dante, and the Porta Dojona which is the most impressive one, especially on the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele side.
The Porta Rugo Porta Rugo used to be the southern entrance to the city from the ancient Borgo Piave river port.
The Piazza dei Martiri used to be Campedel, but oowes its current name to four partisans killed by the Nazis in 1945. It is one of the main see-and-be-seen squares of Belluno. The Porta Dante faces this square, as do the San Rocco Church and the Palazzo Cappellari della Colomba. The fountain embellishing the garden in the square is decorated with the 69 coats of arms of the cities that make up the province.
The Church of Santo Stefano is characterized by its Gothic interior.
The Ponte della Vittoria connects the two banks of the Piave. It was constructed between 1923 and 1926 and offers a panoramic view over most of Belluno itself.
A brief history of Belluno
Belluno was founded by people of Venetian descent. The orginal settlement was conquered by the Romans in the 1st century BC, after which it became a municipality belonging to the Papiria tribe.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it was invaded by the barbarians.
During the middle ages the bishops, who really acted as feudal lords, became ever more powerful. This changed slightly in the 10th century, when the first yearnings towards an autonomy started to manifest themselves.
There were both external struggles, mostly with Treviso, and internal ones, between the Guelph and the Ghibelline factions. This led to a period of decline, during which the city was ruled by a succession of feudal lords.
In 1420, Belluno became part of the Venetian Republic.
Between 1813 and 1866, when it joined a newly founded Italy, the city was in the hands of the Austrians.
In the last year of World War I, Belluno was again occupied by the Austrians.
How to get to Belluno by car
The A27 leads to Conegliano and Treviso.