Among the hidden treasures of the Pedemontana del Grappa, the little church of San Martino in Castelcies is undoubtedly one of the most precious.
The beauty of this small church nestled on a meadow among the woods, the short path to reach its natural courtyard, and the simplicity of the structure make it a poetically enchanting destination, where it’s lovely to sit in peace for a few minutes or linger longer in the shade of the trees.
The church of San Martino was built around the year 1000. A little higher up stood a castle site, of which only a few ruins remain, built during the time of Henry II (1002-1024) by Gherardo Maltraverso. The location was strategic for controlling the foothills and the outlet of the Piave River into the plain. The castle was besieged and completely destroyed in 1284 by Gherardo Da Camino, during the fierce disputes among the Caminesi, the Collalto, the Ezzelini, and the bishops of Treviso, Feltre, and Belluno, for the dominance of the Treviso and Feltre counties.
Inside, two stone artifacts are preserved: a stele with two faces bearing an inscription in the Raetic-Etruscan alphabet and in ancient Latin, a priceless testimony of the two ancient peoples who inhabited the hills of the foothills.
Opposing this is the funerary stele of Calpurnius Saturninus, a local figure from the Roman era.
The internal facades are decorated with a series of frescoes from 1568 executed by Marco da Mel.
