THE TERRITORY
The province of Treviso, also known as Marca Trevigiana, as it largely corresponds to the medieval fief of the same name, borders on the provinces of Venice,, Padua,, Vicenza,, Belluno and Pordenone. At one time it was known as “Marca zoiosa”, meaning border zone, as it forms a true natural bridge between Venice and the German-speaking world, but also joyful land, as it was the place where the Venetian nobles liked to build their sumptuous summer villas, which may still be admired along the Terraglio, the ancient road linking Treviso with Mestre.
The southeastern and central part of the area is occupied by the fertile flood plains extending behind the Venetian Lagoon. At the northwestern edge of this flat area, preceded by the rounded hump of Montello, is a line of hills dating back to the Cenozoic era, rising up to the foothills of the Alps. This, the highest part of the province, is divided into three separate ranges by the narrows of Quero and the saddle of the Fadalto: to the west, the bulk of Mount Grappa, the southeastern slopes of which belong to the province of Treviso, along with the long spurs projecting out to the east as far as the Piave; between the Piave and the saddle of Fadalto, with a southwest/northeast axis, the Prealpi Bellunesi mark the border with the province of Belluno; and to the northeast, the calcareous Cansiglio plateau, the southwestern part of which belongs to the province. The plain’s fertility is closely connected with its river system. The biggest river is the Piave, which penetrates the area through the narrows at Quero, runs alongside the Montello and then runs southeast to the Adriatic Sea; it is a torrential river, dry for many months of the year but very full after rainfall. Other rivers with a steadier flow include the Zero, the Sile and the Livenza, the waters of which originate or are abundantly fed by sources in the mountains and flow down to the southeast. These natural water resources may be best enjoyed in the Sile River Regional Park, with its rich aquatic and marsh vegetation. The particular relief of the land, sheltered against the cold northern wind by the foothills of the Alps, gives the area its particular climate, clearly influenced by the presence of the Adriatic Sea: in the plains, winters are cold but not excessively so, while summers are not too hot; precipitation is concentrated in the spring and fall, and is most abundant in the Prealpi Bellunesi and on the southern side of the Cansiglio plateau. Robust growth of the province’s economy effectively helped to stop the flow of emigration, primarily of farmhands, which was considerable until the middle of the twentieth century. In addition to the provincial capital, the emigrants headed for all the bigger towns in the province: Conegliano,, Castelfranco Veneto,, Vittorio Veneto,, Montebelluna,, Mogliano Veneto and, Paese, Oderzo, causing the countryside to become an agglomerate of industrial buildings and towns. Its natural vocation as a corridor linking Italy with central Europe is confirmed by the presence of major traffic routes such as the SS 13, Pontebbana, and the SS 51, known as Via di Alemagna, which goes all the way to Dobbiaco, flanked by motorway A27 on its way through the province of Treviso.
The Marca of Treviso – Cradle of beautiful towns of art:
Castelfranco Veneto welcomes you with its crenellated walls that preserve the colors and fragrances of an ancient history. The city of Giorgione, an extraordinary artist of the Veneto Renaissance times, is a well preserved artistic jewel box. In the vicinity there’s the nineteenth century Revedin-Bolasco Palace, surrounded by a magnificent park.
Asolo: Asolo is a small gem situated amidst the hills of the Treviso Marca territory. Visitors are intrigued by its unique and magical atmosphere that has been the source of inspiration to artists all epochs. The “city of a hundred horizons” is today considered one of the most beautiful places in the world, with breathtaking panoramas.
Conegliano: Conegliano, the elegant hometown of the great painter Giovan Battista Cima, houses the most ancient Oenological School in Europe and offers historical and artistic beauties. Walking around the streets of the town, you can admire magnificent frescoes, which still preserve bright colors. The Prosecco Wine Road begins here, a sparkling itinerary amid flavors and fragrances of the green and golden painted hillsides.
Mogliano Veneto: Just a few kilometers from Venice, Mogliano Veneto offers beautiful villas built between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries by the Venetian aristocrats as their countryside residences. Places of interest include the old silk mill, a splendid example of industrial archeology and the thousand year old Benedictine Abbey. To taste the Red Radicchio of Treviso proposed in the numerous restaurants.
ECONOMY: The image of northeast Italy as a productive, enterprising district owes a lot to the Treviso area. In only a few years an area where the economy was originally based almost exclusively on farming, a sector which still flourishes and has come to be highly specialised (as confirmed by the vineyards of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, where the renowned Prosecco is made, and niche products such as radicchio trevigiano DOP, a particular local variety of red chicory), has become one of the engines driving the Italian economy, particularly in the mechanical, metalworking, textiles, food and apparel industries, sectors in which the region has produced such prestigious world-renowned brands as Benetton. The area’s principal industrial districts produce furniture, stainless steel products, footwear and sportswear.