The Zumelle Castle stands on top of a hill overlooking the course of the Terche stream. The first nucleus of a fortified castle, in Zumelle, probably dates back to the first century AD, when the Romans were consolidating their influence on Valbelluna.
The construction presumably rose where today the main nucleus of the castle is located, in a strategic position to monitor the transit on Via Claudia Augusta Altinate (or on a variant of it). During the barbarian invasions, the castle became the center of the local defensive system, before being heavily ruined and falling into disuse. The intertwining of history and legend tells that the main nucleus was rebuilt and enlarged by the Goths (by Genserico) around 540 AD.
Zumelle Castle is the best preserved of all Valbelluna. Only the peripheral fortifications have been completely destroyed. The central core, complete with walls and tower, is surrounded by a deep moat, dug out of the rock. The castle and the small internal courtyard are accessed via a road that climbs the slope. The tower, 36 meters high, has a quadrangular plan and has five floors, connected by a wooden staircase. On the north side of the walls, there is the ancient church dedicated to San Lorenzo.
The Legend
Legend has it that the castle was built around 540 AD. C. from the Gothic Genserico, on the rubble of another previously existing manor: Genserico was a mysterious character and trusted man of Amalasunta, queen of the Ostrogoths and after the tragic death of the sovereign, killed on an island of Lake Bolsena by hand of assassins sent by the bridegroom Theodatus, Genseric fled to the north with Eudosia, court damsel; whom he married and with whom he settled in the territory of Mel. Here he rebuilt a "castle", obtaining from the new ruler of the Ostrogoths, Vitige, the title of comes "count" and full jurisdiction over the territory: "from morning the Ardo water, at midday mountain tops, in the evening a water called Rivo Bianco, 5 in the north the river Anaxo, now called Piave ».
According to Bonifacio, the family coat of arms was represented by a golden sphere in a blue field, surmounted by two twins embraced, in memory of the happiness that gladdened the new home of Genserico, with the birth of two twins, Iusprando and Goffredo.
Zumelle Castle takes its name from this legend: 'castrum zumellarum' - castle of the twins.
Zumelle Castle
Address: Via San Donà , 4 - Loc, 32026
Phone: 0437 548122
Site:
http://www.castellodizumelle.itLocation inserted by
Culturalword Abco