Alano di Piave
Alano di Piave is a former municipality in the province of Belluno, Veneto, located about 60 kilometres northwest of Venice at the confluence of the Piave river and the Dolomite foothills. On 22 January 2024, it merged with neighbouring Quero Vas to form the new municipality of Setteville. The area is known for its position along the ancient Via Claudia Augusta and for its role in the fighting of the First World War along the Piave line.
At a glance
- Type
- Former comune; now part of Setteville (merged 2024)
- Location
- Province of Belluno, Veneto, Italy
- Coordinates
- 45.9073° N, 11.9084° E
- Area
- 36.4 km²
- Former population
- Approximately 2,665 (as of 31 December 2021)
Overview
Alano di Piave occupies a strategic corridor between the Venetian plain and the Dolomites, straddling the Piave river valley where the mountains begin to close in from the north. The village has been a waypoint for travellers since Roman times, positioned on or near the ancient road that linked the Adriatic coast to the Alpine passes of the Resia and Reschen. Today the territory attracts hikers, cyclists and history enthusiasts drawn by its landscape and its First World War memory sites.
History
The name Alano derives from the ancient Alani, a nomadic Iranian people whose westward migrations in late antiquity left traces of nomenclature across northern Italy. During the medieval period the area fell within the dominions of the Bishop of Feltre and subsequently the Republic of Venice. The Piave valley became a front line of great significance in the First World War: the Battle of the Piave (June 1918) was fought in this stretch of river, halting the last major Austro-Hungarian offensive and setting the conditions for the Italian victory at Vittorio Veneto. In 2024, Alano di Piave merged with Quero Vas to form the larger municipality of Setteville.
What you see
The village centre retains its rural Veneto character, with stone houses, a parish church and agricultural terraces climbing the hillside. The surrounding landscape opens onto panoramic views of the Piave valley and the first spurs of the Dolomites, whose pink limestone peaks are visible on clear days to the north. Wartime cemeteries, memorial plaques and trenches preserved in the hills recall the intense fighting of 1917–1918. Walking and cycling trails connect the village to the wider Belluno Dolomites network.
Cultural significance
The Piave river holds a mythic status in Italian national memory as the “sacred river” along whose banks Italy defended itself against the Austro-Hungarian advance in 1918 — a resistance commemorated in the national anthem’s unofficial third verse (“Il Piave mormorò”). Alano di Piave and the surrounding area thus carry significant heritage value as part of the Great War memory landscape of northeastern Italy, now increasingly recognised through tourism and cultural itineraries.
Practical information
- Address
- Alano di Piave, now Comune di Setteville, Province of Belluno, Veneto, Italy
- Access
- Open village; no admission charge
- Best season
- Spring to autumn for hiking; winter for limited ski access to nearby resorts
Getting there
Alano di Piave is accessible by car via the SS348 Feltrina road connecting Feltre to Montebelluna, which runs through the Piave valley. The nearest railway stations are at Feltre and Montebelluna, both served by regional trains from Venice and Treviso. Local bus services connect these stations to villages in the valley. Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) is approximately 80 km to the southeast.