The Ancient Village of Mel
Picture from www.castellodizumelle.it
The ancient village of Mel, perched on a hill halfway between Belluno and Feltre, on the left side of the Piave River, is one of the most beautiful historic centres in the province. Since 2017, it has been on the list of Italy’s most beautiful villages. It is dotted with superb 16th-century palaces and the Baroque-era church of Santa Maria Annunziata, peculiar for its lack of a bell tower, destroyed during a fire in the 18th century.
A short distance from Mel is Zumelle Castle, probably built in the 1st century AD, when the Romans were expanding their influence in the Valbelluna area.
The Castle of Zumelle
The Castle is strategically located: it dominates the famous Via Claudia Augusta Altinate, the ancient Roman road that connected the Adriatic Sea plains to the Danube.
It was rebuilt several times during its two thousand years of existence.
According to history and legend, the castle owes its name to the birth of twins, from the marriage between the handmaiden Eudosia and Genseric, King of the Goths who had the main body of the building rebuilt and enlarged around 540 A.D. and established his residence here.
The visit to the manor, which was finally restored in the 1960s, lasts about an hour and offers a real immersion in the history and atmosphere of ancient times, including the menu.
At the castle tavern, in fact, you will have the impression of attending a real medieval banquet.
Picture from www.castellodizumelle.it