Among fascinating centuries-old villas and ancient monasteries, a suggestive itinerary articulated in six stages reveals the formidable historical and natural heritage of the municipality of Monastier di Treviso. Particular attention is dedicated to the locations that saw the passage of the great author Ernest Hemingway, whose war experiences in Italy inspired the writing of the novels A Farewell to Arms and Across the River and Into the Trees.
Villa Fiorita
Ernest Hemingway: from Chicago to the trenches of the Piave
Recognition as one of the most influential authors of the 20th century
Recognized as one of the most influential authors of the 20th century, Ernest Hemingway was born in Oak Park, a suburb of Chicago in Illinois, on July 21, 1899. After graduating in 1917, Hemingway moved to Kansas City where he began working for the local newspaper, The Kansas City Star. This professional experience would have a significant impact on the writer’s growth, whose style is characterized by concise, essential, and incisive sentences. To quote Hemingway himself: ‘Use short sentences, use short first paragraphs, use vigorous English, be positive, not negative‘, these are the main rules that distinguish the objective and effective journalistic language that would influence the stylistic evolution of the future Nobel Prize winner in literature.
Volunteer during the war and work as an ambulance driver
Of resolute and strong-willed temperament, Hemingway decides to fight as a volunteer shortly after the United States of America enters the war against the Triple Alliance. Rejected his application to enlist in the Marine Corps due to an eye defect and his young age, Ernest Hemingway falsifies his birth certificate to be recruited into the American Red Cross as an ambulance driver.
Service in Italy during the war
Arrived in Italy in the summer of 1918, he takes care of the wounded victims of the explosion of a munitions factory in Milan. On June 9, he leaves for Schio in the province of Vicenza, where he begins to fraternize with Italian soldiers. During the Battle of the Solstice, the fierce fighting at Monte Grappa and on the Piave front make necessary the intervention of additional ambulances to assist the rescuers already present.
Activity as a volunteer on the front
Hemingway is transferred to the locations of Fossalta di Piave and Monastier and, straddling a bersagliere bicycle, he takes care of communicating information to soldiers and providing them with comfort items along the trenches. On July 7, after news of an imminent Austro-Hungarian attack arrived, Ernest Hemingway decides to approach a machine-gun post near the Piave River to witness the action with his own eyes. At midnight, he was shaken by the roar of an Austrian trench mortar, whose fragments hit the young writer.
The wounds and the recognition for courage
Despite the injuries and the trauma of the explosion, Hemingway hoists a seriously wounded soldier onto his shoulders and, while trying to reach a safe place, is pierced in the leg and foot by a burst of machine-gun fire. Stoic, Hemingway continues to advance until, hit a second time by Austrian bullets, he collapses to the ground.
The courage of the daring volunteer will be rewarded with the Silver Medal for Military Valor and the Iron Cross for Military Valor.
Casa Botter
Where is Casa Botter located?
Casa Botter is located at Via Castelletto, 16, 31050 Botter, in the province of Treviso (TV).
Dating back to the 15th century, the architectural complex consists of a three-story main building flanked by a large porticoed barchessa. The historic residence is linked to one of the most decisive phases of the First World War. Due to the heavy losses during the Battle of the Solstice, Ernest Hemingway, a young ambulance driver, was sent near the front along with other rescuers to assist the wounded and lodged precisely in the ancient rooms of Casa Botter.
Villa Albrizzi
Where is Villa Albrizzi located?
Villa Albrizzi is located at Via Barbarana, 27, 31050 Monastier di Treviso (TV).
Description of Villa Albrizz
Immersed in the lush tree vegetation that gives it a romantic and mysterious aura, the sumptuous gentleman’s residence rises on two floors and culminates with a refined tympanum that concludes its vertical development. The main body, flanked by two large porticoed barchesse, is surrounded by a vast garden in which stands a charming oratory.
Importance of Villa Albrizzi during World War I
Wrapped in a dense mantle of tree vegetation, the 18th-century noble residence played a significant role during the First World War, particularly in the context of the Battle of the Solstice. The noble home was in fact the seat of the soldier’s home, a Catholic recreational organization that provided soldiers with adequate facilities to wash, rest, engage in recreational activities, and send letters to their loved ones.
Hemingway and his stay at Villa Albrizzi
Hemingway stayed in the majestic rural building in June 1918 and spent a night in one of the buildings adjacent to the villa dedicated to sericulture. The American novelist’s experience is described in Insomnia, one of the short stories that make up the anthology The Fifth Column and the First Forty-Nine Stories (originally I quarantanove racconti), of which we report an excerpt below:
“That night we were lying on the floor of the room and I listened to the silkworms munching. The silkworms fed on mulberry leaves and all night you could hear them munching with a noise like rain falling on leaves. I did not want to sleep because for a long time I had lived with the belief that if I closed my eyes in the dark and let myself fall asleep, my soul would leave my body.“
Abbazia di Santa Maria di Pero
Where is the Abbey of Santa Maria di Pero located?
The ancient Benedictine monastery is located at Via Monastero, no. 3, 31050, Monastier di Treviso (TV).
The monastery during the Second Battle of the Piave
The rooms of the ancient place of worship were the seat of a detachment of the American Red Cross during the Second Battle of the Piave. The suggestive monastery was a point of reference for Hemingway during the rescue operations of the wounded.
Description of the Benedictine Abbey of Santa Maria di Pero
Surrounded by the serene rural environment of the Treviso area crossed by the placid course of the Meolo River, the millenary abbey represents one of the most fascinating monuments of the historical and cultural heritage of the Veneto region.
The suggestive porticoed cloister and the lush garden
One of the most characteristic elements of the architectural complex is the suggestive porticoed cloister, whose structure, illuminated by mullioned windows on the second floor, frames the lush garden where ancient tree varieties grow.
Events and hospitality at the abbey
The spacious rooms of the enchanting abbey and the splendid green area that frames it represent the ideal setting for hosting unforgettable events in a dreamlike atmosphere.
To obtain more information about the fascinating history of the abbey, to check the availability of rooms or apartments, and to taste the specialties of the vast wine estate, we recommend visiting the official website of the abbey.
Santuario della Madonna Nera
Where is the Sanctuary of the Black Madonna located?
The Sanctuary of the Black Madonna is located at Via Pralongo, 113, 31050 Pralongo (TV).
The Sanctuary of the Black Madonna: Architectural and artistic elements
Built on the foundations of a 16th-century noble chapel, the splendid brick church is the result of an accurate reconstruction process that took place in the first decade of the 20th century, after a fire had irreparably compromised the structure of the previous place of worship.
The facade and interiors of the church
The characteristic gabled facade features a wooden door adorned with a stained glass window, surmounted by a fine three-light window enclosed by a round arch. Inside, the church has a central nave flanked by two side aisles in which two niches open, one housing the Neogothic altar bearing the sculpture of the Madonna and Child, the other the wooden confessional.
Hemingway’s presence in the sanctuary
Hemingway’s presence is attested in these places precisely during this crucial and bloody phase of the conflict.
Parco Einaudi
Where is Parco Einaudi located?
The municipal park is located at Via Luigi Einaudi, 31050 Monastier di Treviso (TV).
Studded with numerous trees whose canopies seem to invite rest and relaxation in their shade, the bright green lung is the ideal location both for lovers of individual sports and team games and for those who wish to spend the day in absolute tranquility surrounded by a serene and unspoiled atmosphere. The strip of the park that develops along the course of the Meolo represents the starting point for rowing activities along the placid course of the river.
For enthusiasts of recreational activities, Parco Einaudi is crossed internally by a pleasant and winding cycle-pedestrian path and also includes a football field, a volleyball court, a playground with various and fun attractions, and an area equipped with gymnastic equipment to keep fit while staying outdoors and in contact with nature.
