The building, despite its peculiar appearance reminiscent of times long gone, was actually built at the beginning of the 20th century, on the orders of the Ciga, an important hotel chain, which, as soon as the work was completed, sold it to the Venetian nobleman Bortoluzzi, who made it his summer residence. Until some time ago the “castle” was lived in by Bortoluzzi’s daughters, until it was purchased by a property firm. The building was in a state of complete disrepair and required significant restoration. The necessary work was recently completed, and the structure was organised into 19 apartments, now known by the name of “Residenza Castello”. The complex is made up of several buildings of different shapes: the one closest to the river has crenellated towers (built on four levels), with circular-shaped corner, while further north there are two tower-shaped buildings with five floors, including an attic with windows. The whole complex is in bare stone, with brick frames around the openings, which vary in shape and do not follow a set pattern, with two and three-light windows alternating on the tower to the north-west; on the building that juts out from the complex we can observe two and three light windows, as well as pointed arch single-light windows on the ramparts at the corners. Access to the ground floor is through round-arched doorways. On the west side, in the garden, is a sort of display of “ruins”, featuring columns, rounded arches and three-light windows. The garden is surrounded by a crenellated wall, from where a stairway sets out that goes down to the river. The castle is built in a particular position, on the edge of the gorge of the Piave, next to the bridge at Santa Caterina, from which it is clearly visible.

The castle can be reached from the A27 motorway exit for Belluno. After Cadola, at the roundabout, take the first exit towards Cadore-Cortina, and just after the bridge over the Piave you can see the building to the left of the bridge; 100 m further on is the little square on the right, where you can park.

ACCESSIBLE: from the outside only
MUNICIPALITY: Ponte nelle Alpi
PLACE: Santa Caterina
GEOGRAPHICAL COORDINATES: X 1753433 - Y 5118545
PROVINCE: Belluno

FILE COMPILED BY: Guadagnin

Well worth exploring is the circular Piave Ecomuseum route, which starts out from Paiane and touches upon the various outlying neighbourhoods of Ponte.
At the base of the arch on the right side of the bridge over the Piave, we can see the coat of arms of the Serenissima Republic of Venice, of the Municipality of Belluno and of Marco Giustiniani, the Podestà and Captain of Belluno (Praetor Praefectusque) from 21 December 1603 to 25 June 1605, together with a fragment of the inscription MARCO IVSTIN. P.P.Q. … MDCV.
In a residential area of Ponte nelle Alpi, in a side road that takes off from Via Dolomiti, we can observe a building featuring clean-cut architectural lines and an unusual use of materials. This detached house, designed by the architect Pison between 2000 and 2005, has all its main openings concentrated on the south edge, guaranteeing maximum exposure to the sun, to exploit solar energy, as well as an exceptional view over the Piave (131 CA).

T. Motti & C. Guida ai Diritti del Comune di Ponte nelle Alpi, 2004
F. Pellegrini, Notizie storiche su Ponte nelle Alpi, Bologna, 1985
A. Boito, Studio d’ambiente –  il comune di Ponte nelle Alpi, Ponte nelle Alpi, 1963