A distinctive feature of the landscape in the area in the north of the province of Treviso is the “Brentella” Canal, significant from both an architectural point of view – with the villas and mills dotted around the area – and from the point of view of nature. The canal runs alongside the Piave until Crocetta before branching off into two parts, with one running towards the east along the Montello and the other heading south-west, touching upon Caerano San Marco and Montebelluna. At Pederobba, where the Curogna torrent meets the Piave, are the “Terze Porte”: a construction built in 1577 to regulate the flow of the Brentella Canal, so called because it was the third such structure to be built from the point where the canal picks up the water. The four heights it was composed of could be closed by sluice gates operated from inside the building, while a fifth sluice gate regulated the flow of water to the Uliana irrigation channel. The waters of the Curogna were required to help supply the Brentella, but it was important to prevent the rushing waters of the torrent carrying gravel and debris into the Canal when it flooded. Over the centuries, a number of different solutions were adopted for the crossing of the two watercourses, and today the canal crosses the Curogna with a reinforced concrete bridge-canal built in 1903. The waters of the torrent are no longer intercepted so the terze porte have been abandoned, although they are still in good condition, and may be visited.

Along the SR348 Feltrina, coming from the Belluno area, go through the village of Pederobba, and after the commercial area, take the road on the right for Onigo; after 300 m, a fork on the left marks the beginning of Molini. From here, continue for about 600 m and then take the road on the left that runs under the SR348 and leads to the building. In the area there is also a good road that goes up the banks of the canale on the left.

ACCESSIBLE: yes
MUNICIPALITY: Pederobba
PLACE: Terze Porte; confluence of the Curogna and the Piave
GEOGRAPHICAL COORDINATES: X 1729990 - Y 5084908
PROVINCE: TV

FILE COMPILED BY: Antoniol

In the area around Pederobba there are two important nature sites that can be visited: the Settolo Basso Park (163 NS), located in a humid area characterised by the presence of watercourses, springs and wells, and, on the River Piave, the Città degli Aironi (169 NS), where you can admire a large number of grey herons and egrets. The park has a well-equipped nature trail and is considered an important site at European level thanks to the biodiversity and variety of bird species present.

O. Pierdonà, Itinerario turistico lungo il canale Brentella
R. Vergani, Brentella. Problemi d’acqua nell’alta pianura trevigiana dei secoli XV e XVI, Treviso 2001