Pieve d’Alpago

Pieve d’Alpago (La Piéve in Venetian language) is a town within Alpago, within the administrative borders of Italian region of Veneto. Pieve is located at 690 m above sea level, at the foothill of Mount Dolada.

Pieve d’Alpago was an autonomous municipality until February 23rd of 2016, when it merged with nearby towns of Puos and Farra in the new local government of Alpago.

From a history point of view, Pieve was strategically located uphill and facing south, perfect location for both defensive and sun exposure reasons. Today, Pieve is still the administrative centre of Alpago local government.

History of Pieve d’Alpago:

Italy is scattered with cities and towns called ‘Pieve’, which was the term used for more or less conspicuous villages around churches (called “Pievi” in Italian) in the countryside around the year 1000. 

The survival of the current toponym Pieve, if on one hand confirms an ancient religious and civil guidance over the Alpago region, on the other hand it is not sufficient to exactly determine in which time the town was formed. 

Archaeological excavations in Pieve (Areas of Quers, Staol di Curago and Pian de la Gnela) have revealed that the area was inhabited since protohistory, with flourishing settlements located along ancient communication routes that are still mysterious today. 

Excavations also brought evidence of an ancient necropolis, which not only testifies to a continuity of habitation from prehistoric times to the Roman Empire, but also portrays the image of a rich, flourishing and artistically evolved community. 

Recent studies suggest that these prehistoric settlements were frequent in a vast economic-cultural context that was not limited to the Veneto area, but went extended beyond national borders of present-day Slovenia.

The medieval and modern history of the Pieve d’Alpago is closely linked to the events of the city of Belluno, but there is little evidence of this period. 

From time to time there is evidence of important events taking place in Pieve:

• Giacoma da Vivaro was appointed as Countess of Alpago: the event took place in Pieve on October 30th 1340. Giacoma was the widow of recently murdered count Endrighetto da Bongajo, who from his castle of Bongajo ruled over the region. 
• Churches remain as evidence from the past, in particular the parish church of Santa Maria, rebuilt and remodeled several times: the current stylistic composition is the work of the 19th-century Belluno architect Giuseppe Segusini. A painting by Gaspare Diziani embellished the interios. 
• Also noteworthy are the Church of Garna with its coffered ceiling, and the 17th century Villa Falin.
• A document from 1662 shows that Alpago included 19 rules and villages, including Curago, Garna, Pieve, Plois, Tignes, Torch, Torres and Villa, still part of the Pieve d’Alpago area today.

Map of Pieve d’Alpago

List of hamlets & settlements near Pieve d’Alpago:

• Pieve: the administrative centre 
• Garna, Villa and Torch: a plain area where paragliders from Mount Dolada can easily land
• Schiucaz: windmill hamlet between Pieve and Chies
• Torres,
• Curago, “Staol di Curago” and “Pian de la gnela”: locations of archeological importance
• Plois: location of Dolada restaurant
• Tignes,
• Paludi: this is where the factories, businesses and companies of Alpago congregate in a conglomerated economic ecosystem
• Quers: hamlet located not too far from Schiucaz

Sister cities 

Since 2005, Pieve has been twinned with Kalvarija in Lithuania. After 2016, Puos and Farra also became twinned with the Lithuanian counterpart because of the administrative changes that took place in the local government.

Things Pieve d’Alpago is known for:

• Michelin Star Dolada Restaurant: both Pieve and Puos are towns of excellence when it comes to fine dining and Michelin Stars.
• Placido Fabris: painter from the XIX century who was born in 1802 in Pieve d’Alpago
• Paragliding paradise: find out more about paragliding in Pieve here.
• Archeological excavations and archeological sites
• Industrial area of Paludi: an industrial district of factories, high tech production companies and businesses in the service industry. The area started developing in the 70’s, as Motorway A27 was extended north from Conegliano.