Domegge di Cadore

Domegge di Cadore, 775 metres above sea level, stands on the right side of the upper Piave Valley on the shores of Lake Centro Cadore, framed by the Spalti di Toro, the Montanel, the Monfalconi and the Marmarole.

Known for its prosperous eyewear trade, the town is also characterised by the presence of numerous small churches, some of which preserve paintings of great interest and beauty inside.

Domegge is surrounded by magnificent, imposing mountains that satisfy the needs of young and old, those who want to take a leisurely walk and those who want to test themselves on via ferrata and climbing routes.

To the west is the Marmarole group, peaks of timeless charm, where there are the Chiggiato, Baion and Ciareido refuges.

To the east are the Spalti di Toro with their spires and forcelle, the Monfalconi, the Montanel and the Cridola, which connect the Cadore with the Cimoliana valley and the province of Pordenone. The Padua and Cercenà Refuges can be easily reached by car and are excellent starting points for hikes of varying length and difficulty. A Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) in the woods leads to the Hermitage of the Romiti, once the site of a community of Franciscan friars, today a welcoming refuge open all year round.

Domegge important artefacts from the past have been found. A sickle and a bronze axe dating back to the 13th – 12th century B.C. represent the oldest signs of human presence in the Centro Cadore area. Excavations carried out in different places have brought to light skulls, skeletons, grave goods and jewellery dating back to the 7th – 2nd centuries BC, evidence of ancient underground necropolises. Of high historical and artistic value are the churches built in the village area. The church of San Giorgio, the parish church of Domegge, stands like a temple, with its imposing columns and Corinthian capitals, in the Piazza dei Martiri (Martyrs’ Square) and houses important works by Marco Vecellio, Titian’s nephew.

Crossing the lake and climbing Mount Froppa, along the path marked by the stations of the Way of the Cross, one arrives at the church of “Eremo dei Romiti”, the community of friars who inhabited this place from 1720 to 1810. Dedicated to St John the Baptist the Forerunner and restored in 2014, the church retains its original 18th-century perimeter walls. Not far away is the capital with frescoes from the period.

The church of Madonna delle Grazie della Molinà, located along the road to Calalzo, dates back to 1510. Wanted by the population as thanksgiving to the Madonna for her protection against enemies, disease and natural disasters, the church intertwines its history with legends and stories.

The ancient church of San Rocco is a real jewel: it was built in 1400 with stone slabs and its interior houses a carved and gilded wooden altar.