Fontanelle: Churches, Villas and Nature along the Monticano

Fontanelle lies in a completely flat area in the Province of Treviso. When choosing a hotel for your stay, the local churches and villas may be just as relevant as the nature trail along the Monticano. The historical and art-historical route brings together four attractions: the Chiesa di San Pietro, Villa Marcello, the Chiesa di Lutrano and Villa Galvagna. This gives you a cultural focus to help you find your way around; the Giramonticano adds a scenic perspective on the river and the surrounding countryside.

Churches bearing different marks of time

The Chiesa di San Pietro dates back approximately to the mid-15th century. It was consecrated by Bishop Nicolò Trevisan on 24 September 1480. Its approximate origins and the precisely dated consecration are two distinct historical details about the same church. Construction work on the present-day Chiesa di Lutrano took place in the 19th century: it was extended and restored from 1832 to 1840, with further work following in 1850. Its bell tower now stands beside the church. San Pietro and Lutrano thus provide two chronological reference points for the route, one in the 15th century and the other in the 19th.

Santa Maria del Palù: spring and tradition

The Chiesetta di Santa Maria del Palù was already in existence in 1185, as recorded in a bull issued by Pope Lucius III. A spring that flows year-round rises beneath its altar; Emilio Girelli built a circular temple around it. Here, an early-documented church, a permanent natural feature and a distinctive building come together. The municipal website, last updated in June 2023, describes an annual celebration of the Annunciation of the Lord at the temple on 25 March. If you are considering visiting on that date, please check the current event schedule.

Villas and landscape along the Monticano

Villa Galvagna adds another highlight to the historical route: its construction is attributed to the Galvagna family with near unanimity. Villa Marcello is also one of the attractions named on the route. The Giramonticano offers a different perspective. This nature trail runs along the embankment of the Monticano River, reaches Fontanelle and follows the river through well-kept countryside. It is also connected to the cycle route network and smaller roads near the river. If you are including cycling in your travel plans, you can use these connections as a practical point of reference.

The difference between these highlights can help you plan: the route focuses on named churches and villas and their history, while the Giramonticano is described in terms of the river’s course, its embankment and connections to the cycle route network. This lets you assess Fontanelle in terms of either its cultural and historical sites or a nature trail. Both perspectives help you get your bearings at the destination, without treating the buildings and the river landscape as the same visitor experience.

Discover more destinations: Valdobbiadene, Silea, San Vito, Gaiarine, Talponada, Pieve Di Soligo, Sarmede, Orsago.

For the main travel overview: Treviso.