Italian
The journey begins in the Four Cantons, Mestre, following the Terraglio road to Treviso. Along the way, ancient villas and gardens transform the road into a fascinating historical testament.
MESTRE (VE). In the Quattro Cantoni area, on the outskirts of Mestre, our journey to discover a road and a territory rich in history and beauty begins. Here starts the Terraglio, at the intersection with via Castellana, at a point named after an ancient villa, Villa Zen, now disappeared, called “dei quattro cantoni” because of its four towers (cantons). From Mestre, it is possible to reach Treviso in 20 kilometers, along this road that, over the centuries, has connected the hinterland with Venice. When the Venetian aristocracy shifted its interests from trading with the East to acquiring land on the mainland, the Terraglio experienced its period of greatest splendor. Along this road, between the 1500s and the 1800s, numerous villas were built, serving as both summer residences for the nobles and centers of the surrounding agricultural estates.
Many of these villas, whose construction was entrusted to great architects, were complex and sumptuous structures, with rooms adorned with majolica, meticulously curated and extensive gardens, rich in statues and equipped with “casini”, small dwellings for various entertainments within a park. In the drawings by Francesco Guardi, preserved at the Correr Museum, we can see how elegant and rich the interiors of patrician residences were. Unfortunately, over time, many of them have disappeared, also due to the military vicissitudes that led to the fall of the Most Serene Republic up to the Second World War. Armies often bivouacked in the homes of Venetian nobles and patricians, leaving plunder and ruins in their wake.
Arriving from Mestre at the Dese river, you enter the territory of the Marca Trevigiana, specifically in Mogliano Veneto. The whole area along the Terraglio, the adjacent streets, via Marocchesa and via Marignana, and the surrounding countryside, have been characterized over the centuries by the presence of a high number of villas. The territory of Mogliano offers visitors a fascinating itinerary, accompanied by a series of gardens and architectural complexes, some of which have been transformed into hotels.
Along the road, also known as the Napoleonic road, 13 kilometers away from Mestre, we encounter Preganziol, an area where numerous villas were built owned by some of the most prominent names of the Venetian patriciate, such as the Pesaro, Querini, Loredan, Lin, Morosini, Erizzo, Balbi, Soranzo, and others. The choice of the area was favored by its proximity to the Serenissima and its position as a hub for all commercial exchanges with Treviso, Cadore, and Germany.
The Terraglio, as it approaches Treviso, crosses briefly through the territory of Casier, up to the gates of the chief town of Marca where, in ancient times, stood the ancient monastery Hospice of San Lazzaro della Girata (now Ghirada), from which later the church of San Lazzaro was born. As shown on ancient maps, the road used to lead directly to the “Porta del Terraglio”, demolished at the beginning of the 16th century, subsequently its route was diverted to the Porta Altinia, still existing, which has since become the new entrance to the city of Treviso.
We invite you to take this route from Mestre to Treviso, covering 20 kilometers of history and beauty.(l.e.)
