History

The first inhabitants

The history of Vanoi has always been closely linked to that of Primiero.

The first inhabitants are thought to have come in from the Feltre area and would have used the ancient tracks that passed over the Gobbera pass, or come through the Cortella valley.

A mixture of people that spoke Italian (Latin routes) and German settled in the valley and judging from the names of some places, groups also came from Slovenia.

Under the rule of Feltre

The decline of the Longobard rule in Italy, just after the mid 6th century, decided the future of the two valleys by them being united with Feltre for the next eight centuries.

In 1347, Charles of Luxembourg became Emperor Charles IV and conceded the jurisdiction of Primiero and Vanoi to Boniface Lupi of Parma, the marquis of Soragna.

Under Tyrolean rule

In 1373 the valley came under the political control of the Tyrol even though it remained ecclesiastically part of the diocese of Feltre.

The dukes of Austria turned their attention to the exploitation of the mines in the area. The mining caused a big increase in both the local economy as well as the population, as a specialised workforce of Germanic origins came and settled in the area.

The long period of Austrian domination ended with the First World War when the valley was once again united with the Kingdom of Italy.

The valley during the First World War

The conflict badly hit this valley, bringing suffering and ruin.

The 24th May 1915 Italy entered into war against the Austrian Hungarian Empire. In this area the Austrians chose defence lines on the mountains at the head of the valley whilst the Italian Alpine soldiers occupied the surrounding areas.

There was little action between 1915 and 1916 as the Italian lines were 3 to 4 kilometres from the Austrian lines and there was rarely fighting.

From December 1915 to May 1916 the inhabitants of the valley were evacuated and as refugees went down towards the southern regions of Italy.

In 1916 the commander of the 4th army authorised a series of operations on the Cismon – Vanoi front. In order to carry these operations out the newly formed Ferrari Tactical Squad transferred its troops from Primiero to the upper part of the Vanoi valley.

At the same time, the Alpine soldiers of the Monterosa and Feltre battalions started action on the highest Austrian defences and conquered Mount Cauriol.

The mount was taken on 27th August even though the Austrians put up a strong defence. Mount Cauriol is also known and remembered for the heroism and tenacity with which the Alpine soldiers held the mountain from being retaken by the Austrian troops on 3rd September 1916.

After the fall of Caporetto in October 1917 and the Italian withdrawal, Austrian occupation followed. Moments of terror were lived through during that time in the valley. The Viosa electric power station was destroyed along with the stone crushing machinery of the Pralongo mines.

The granite bridge over the Vanoi river and the bridges on the Riù and Lozen fell, the bakers oven in Canale was blown up, whilst the Cortella road at St. Antonio and the Brocon pass road at the tunnel were mined and became impassable.

After the battle of Vittorio Veneto, which ended with the fall of the Austrian front, the Italians returned to the valley. On 4th November 1918 the Austrians signed the Amnesties.