Discover Montebelluna

Culture and history in Montebelluna

Montebelluna brings together archaeological, astronomical and cultural-historical themes with a museum on the history of the sports system, the La Tradotta route and a farm shop in Biadene. You can explore the destination through a range of interests: from early cultures and the Roman imperial period to memorial sites, sacred art and local produce.

The Museo di Storia Naturale e Archeologia di Montebelluna presents archaeological collections spanning from prehistory to the Roman imperial period. The museum also documents 90 percent of Veneto’s freshwater fish fauna, providing valuable documentation of the region’s fish population. In its Sala Astronomia, the museum has an interactive helioplanetograph. It depicts the inner solar system, with Earth, Venus and Mercury shown to scale. Alongside the archaeological time span, the display of three planets in an astronomical context is also a focus.

The MeVe Memoriale Veneto della Grande Guerra is located in Montebelluna (TV), in the Villa Correr Pisani complex. This interactive, multimedia venue explores the conflicts and events that have shaped our recent history since the First World War. Digital elements, immersive installations, video documentation and sound design are all part of the exhibition concept. Its historical focus therefore differs significantly from that of the archaeological museum: here, the subject is recent history since the First World War, while the museum’s scope extends from prehistory to the Roman imperial period.

Sacred art and historic trade routes

Until the mid-20th century, the Chiesa di Santa Maria in Colle was Montebelluna’s religious centre; its importance as a parish church dates back to the mid-14th century. Its furnishings preserve several clearly datable artistic and craftsmanship features: a ceiling decorated with a fresco by Francesco Fontebasso, 17th-century altars, a wooden choir dating to 1679 and a double organ designed by Gaetano Callido. Together, these features give the church historical depth without limiting its heritage to a single period.

The history of the Mercato Vecchio also goes back a long way. It dates to a diploma of 1157, in which Frederick Barbarossa confirmed to Bishop Ulrich the right to collect tolls on goods intended for consumption in Montebelluna Castle. The Mercato Vecchio later developed into an important trading crossroads in an area stretching from Feltre to Treviso. This means the site can be understood not only through its religious and artistic heritage, but also through the former importance of trade.

More ideas for planning your trip

The Museo della Fondazione Sportsystem was founded in 1984 and completely renovated in 2024 to mark its 40th anniversary. It is a district museum and adds the history of the sports system to the cultural and historical themes.

The Fontana Militare offers a tangible connection to supplying the Montello front. The Military Engineers built it so that troops and pack animals involved in supply operations could be watered. This function played a particular role during the Battle of the Solstice, from 15 to 23 June 1918. Its historical period and documented purpose give the fountain a different focus from the exhibitions at MeVe.

La Tradotta is another point of interest for cyclists: the route follows the former Montebelluna–Susegana railway line, which was built for military purposes. Its history thus links the route’s present-day name with the railway line’s former use. At S’Infiora Fattoria Bio in Biadene di Montebelluna, there is also a farm shop selling its own honey. This includes single-variety acacia honey, produced in May in the acacia woods of Montello. The range of things to explore therefore extends from museums and buildings to a seasonal variety of honey.

Discover more destinations: Refrontolo, Fontanelle, Vazzola and Spresiano.

See the overview of the wider area: Treviso.