Vela – Archaeology, Cemetery Chapel and Peaks Nearby
Accommodation in Vela
Vela between archaeology and history
La Vela is considered one of the symbolic sites for the archaeological study of the Alpine region. The alluvial fan of the Vela stream was already inhabited by groups of Early Mesolithic hunters from the second half of the 8th millennium BC.
In 2006, an exceptionally well-preserved Copper Age place of worship dating from the last centuries of the 4th to the 3rd was excavated in La Vela; it is considered unique in the Adige Valley. The archaeological site yielded beads made from marine Spondylus shell and obsidian from Lipari; these finds indicate far-reaching cultural contacts and long-distance trade in goods.
Archaeological traces and finds in La Vela
Cemetery and chapel of Vela
Vela’s first cemetery was located where the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian now stands. The present-day cemetery of Vela was established in 1843. A multi-layered cemetery along an ancient route parallel to today’s Via Santi Cosma e Damiano preserves evidence of burials from Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages; they are dated to the 4th to 7th centuries AD.
Between 1919 and 1920, as part of the cemetery’s expansion, it was decided to build a chapel to serve as a mortuary chapel, ossuary and memorial to the sixteen soldiers from Vela who fell in the First World War. The chapel in Vela cemetery has a portal with simple Neo-Renaissance lines and a small porch with a wooden roof supported by two columns. Its interior features a wooden coffered ceiling, a large bronze crucifix on wood dating from 1928, and bronze plaques bearing the names of those from Vela who fell in the First and Second World Wars.
Orchards, farmsteads and peaks
Vela and its surroundings are rich in orchards and old farmsteads and have been destinations for walks since the time of the Council of Trent (1545–1563). Monte Alto is a peak in the immediate vicinity of Vela. Montesel is a peak in the vicinity of Vela. Cornetto di Mugon is a peak in the vicinity of Vela. Monte Celva is a mountain near Vela.
Museums and palaces in the immediate vicinity
The Museo Storico delle Truppe Alpine is a museum in the immediate vicinity of Vela. Palazzo Geremia is a palace in the immediate vicinity of Vela. Monte Palace is a palace in the immediate vicinity of Vela. The Museo della Società Alpinisti Trentini is a museum in the immediate vicinity of Vela. For local orientation, the following is also important: Vela cemetery can be reached by buses 2 and 12 via the Vela stop.
More destinations for planning your trip
If you would like to combine Vela with other places, here are the neighboring destinations: Spormaggiore, Vigo Rendena, Crosano, Sover, Giovo, Portolo, Calliano and Ischia Di Pergine.
For the higher-level travel overview: Trentino.
