Mel di Borgo Valbelluna, the village nestled in the Dolomites

Mel, now part of the municipality of Borgo Valbelluna, is listed among Italy's most beautiful villages and boasts a fascinating historical and cultural heritage. Its name has its roots in Zumelle Castle, the best preserved in Valbelluna, once the “twin” of Castelvint Castle, which no longer exists. Castrum Gemellarum first gave rise to Zumellarum and finally Mel, a contracted form. Its history is ancient: as early as the 8th century BC, the hill was inhabited by the ancient Veneti, followed by Gallic populations and then by the Romans, whose tombstones and memorial stones remain along the Via Claudia Augusta. Medieval fortifications were built by the Ostrogoths and Byzantines, while under the Venetian Republic, the village was enriched with noble palaces that still adorn its centre today.

The beauties of the village

In Mel di Borgo Valbelluna, the Zumelle Castle stands out, built in the Ostrogothic-Byzantine era and rebuilt in 1311 by Rizzardo da Camino. In the past, it had four walls and towers, and under Venice it was restored by Giorgio Zorzi; today it belongs to the municipality. Numerous noble palaces remain from the Venetian period, embellishing the village: Villa Luzzati, Villa Granelli, Villa Migliorini and the Fulcis temple by Giuseppe Segusini (1836).

The heart of Mel is the trapezoidal square, a spectacular architectural backdrop. Here you will find the 16th-century Palazzo Zorzi with frescoes by Marco da Mel, Villa and Palazzo Fulcis, Palazzo delle Contesse, which houses the Archaeological Museum, and Palazzo Barbuio, one of the oldest buildings in the village. The square is dominated by the 18th-century parish church, with works by Girolamo Denti, Cesare Vecellio and Luigi Cima, and the 15th-century Church of Our Lady of Sorrows.

Each hamlet has small frescoed churches, such as San Teonisto in Farra with Giovanni da Mel's Last Supper, or San Donato, of Lombard origin, near the castle. The Archaeological Museum preserves Paleovenetian finds and a famous Celtic fibula in the shape of a feline, from the local necropolis with box tombs.

Events in Mel

In Mel di Borgo Valbelluna, pleasures intertwine with tradition, taste and nature. In October, the village hosts “Mele a Mel”, an exhibition and market with over a hundred varieties of apples and typical products, while in May, the “Radicele” festival celebrates the wild herbs of Belluno cuisine. The local cuisine offers authentic dishes such as Sponcio corn polenta, Schiz cheese, barley and bean soups, beer barley risottos and spelt salads, showcasing the products of the La Fiorita Cooperative. Mel is also the gateway to the Zumellesi Pre-Alps, with its mountain huts, trails and waterfalls.

photo credits Dolomiti Bellunesi