Belvedere: Churches, Dune Landscape and Lagoon-Side Cycle Path

Belvedere appeals to travellers who wish to combine Italian cultural history with a distinctive landscape. Churches, a protected dune landscape, abundant birdlife and a cycle path near the lagoon give the area a variety of facets.

Protected Landscape with a Special Natural Environment

The area of Centenara, San Marco and neighbouring Belvedere is designated as a protected landscape. The landscape includes two low postglacial sand hills covered with pine trees. They preserve remnants of an ancient coastal pine forest and give the area a distinctive combination of sand, woodland and proximity to the coast.

The sandy elevations of the dune landscape of Belvedere and San Marco are also home to remnants of a pine forest and heat-loving vegetation. The area's abundant birdlife is also noteworthy for nature enthusiasts: Belvedere is particularly home to birds of prey, waterfowl and large flocks of wood pigeons. Those who wish to plan nature observation and church history in Belvedere separately can consider the sand hills and birdlife on the one hand, and Sant’Antonio Abate and San Marco on the other, as separate themes.

Churches and Venetian Traces

The history of the Chiesa di Sant’Antonio Abate comprises two precisely datable stages. The present-day church was rebuilt in 1746; in 1749, it was consecrated by Daniele Dolfin, the last Patriarch of Aquileia. Three years elapsed between the rebuilding and the consecration.

The Chiesa di San Marco stands in a pine forest near Belvedere and has a small cemetery. According to local tradition, the site is said to be where Saint Mark landed. From there, the church is said to have contributed to the evangelisation of these areas. Inside is an important Baroque altar made of polychrome marble, with a statue of Saint Mark. The statue is attributed to the Venetian sculptor Morlaiter.

Villa Fior in Belvedere is part of the network of Venetian villas included in the regional landscape plan. The Museo archeologico nazionale Aquileia is also located in the vicinity of Belvedere. The museum complements the sacred and villa-related connections with an archaeological focus. For those interested in culture, the thematic range thus extends from the churches in Belvedere and Villa Fior to the archaeology in the surrounding area.

Exploring Belvedere by Bike

For active planning, a section of Regional Road 352 measuring more than 4 kilometres provides a clear point of reference: it runs as a cycle path near the lagoon to Belvedere di Aquileia. The length of the route helps to treat the cycling section as an independent part of a tour. Those who wish to include a cycling route in Belvedere alongside churches and landscape thus have a specific distance for this part of the journey. The kilometre figure is suitable for roughly dividing up a cycling tour when the section is to be considered as a separate part alongside the cultural and historical themes.

For the overarching travel overview: Aquileia.