A YOUNG MUNICIPALITY WITH AN ANCIENT HISTORY

An area suspended between the sea and the lagoon with ancient origins: Cavallino-Treporti is one of the youngest municipalities in Italy, created in 1999 after its separation from Venice, strong in its economic, social and territorial history, but the lagoon hamlet of Lio Piccolo contains relics dating back to the Roman Age. In fact, following the fall of the Roman Empire, the lagoon islands became a refuge for populations from Altino and other large cities in the inland area, who were fleeing the Barbaric invasions. It was not a particularly splendid period, marked by poverty and malaria.

The situation was different under the domination of the Venetian Republic: Cavallino-Treporti followed the destiny of the ancient republic, as it was part of the territory of the Doges. In this era it was very different from how it appears now, as it was mainly made up of the Treporti islands - Lio Piccolo, Mesole, Saccagnana and the current centre of Treporti, which was then called Isola della Chiesa. Over the centuries some of the most famous Venetian families owned huge tracts of land, such as the Correr, Querini, Pisani, Sagredo and Boldù, but religious orders also had a great deal of importance, as is seen by the presence of the Mesole Convent, which dates back to the 15th century.

The Cavallino coastline as we know it today did not exist at the time. It was forming as a result of centuries of accumulated sand brought by the River Piave which, until 1664, flowed into the sea at Cavallino (where the River Sile now runs as a result of hydraulic work carried out by the Venetian Republic). A little strip of land was thus created which, thanks to the effects of the sea current and sandy material transported there, developed towards the West, distancing the islands of Treporti from the sea. The old church, completed in 1751, is a testimony to the presence of a civil and religious community. Various 19th century rural buildings across the whole area are a sign of social, economic and political stability of the time. After the move from the Podesteria of Torcello (under the Venetian Republic) to the Municipality of Burano (under Austrian domination) Cavallino-Treporti also assimilated Veneto’s rural development. Agriculture and breeding were the main sources of income during this period and products were sold in Venice.

Read more