Seat of the Municipality of Follina
The current seat of the Municipality of Follina is a historic building in the centre of Follina, a picturesque comune in the Province of Treviso designated among the most beautiful villages in Italy. Originally constructed as the Filanda Andretta — a silk-spinning factory typical of Veneto’s industrial heritage — the building later served as the College of San Giuseppe before being converted into its present civic function as the town hall.
At a glance
- Type
- Civic building (seat of municipality / town hall)
- Period
- 19th century origin as Filanda Andretta; converted to public use in the 20th century
- Style
- Veneto industrial and institutional architecture
- Location
- Via Sanavalle, Follina, Province of Treviso, Veneto, Italy
- Coordinates
- 45.9532° N, 12.1158° E
- Address
- Via Sanavalle 14, 31051 Follina (TV), Italy
- Current use
- Municipal offices (public)
Overview
Follina is a small comune in the Treviso foothills, renowned for its twelfth-century Cistercian abbey and its inclusion in the prestigious I Borghi più belli d’Italia list. The municipal seat occupies a building on Via Sanavalle whose layered history reflects the economic and social transformations of the Veneto over two centuries. The repurposing of an industrial silk mill into civic offices is a characteristic pattern of heritage reuse found throughout the Marca Trevigiana.
History
The building originated as the Filanda Andretta, a silk-thread spinning mill of the type that drove economic life in the Treviso foothills during the nineteenth century. When the silk industry declined in the early twentieth century, the structure was repurposed as the Collegio di San Giuseppe, providing education under religious administration. In the latter part of the twentieth century the building passed to municipal ownership and was adapted to house the offices of the Comune di Follina, which it continues to serve today.
What you see
The building stands on Via Sanavalle in the historic centre of Follina, presenting a sober institutional facade characteristic of repurposed Veneto industrial architecture. The interior has been adapted for administrative use while retaining elements of its earlier structural fabric. It sits within walking distance of the celebrated Cistercian abbey of Follina, which dominates the town’s cultural landscape.
Cultural significance
The building embodies the adaptive reuse of industrial heritage — a silk mill that became a college and then a town hall — representing a common but underappreciated strand of Veneto architectural history. As the civic heart of one of Italy’s most beautiful villages, it stands in the shadow of Follina’s famous abbey but contributes to the layered historic fabric of the town.
Practical information
- Access
- Public building; interior open during municipal office hours
- Hours
- Monday–Friday, standard municipal hours; check the Comune di Follina website for current times
- Admission
- Free (public offices)
- Official website
- Check comune.follina.tv.it for current information
Getting there
Follina is located approximately 35 km northwest of Treviso along the SR635 (Strada delle Colline del Prosecco). By public transport, take the bus from Treviso toward Vittorio Veneto and alight at Follina. The municipal seat on Via Sanavalle is a short walk from the central square and abbey cloister.