FIume Sile

From the heart of the Veneto plains, the FIume Sile emerges. It doesn’t tumble down from towering Alps like other rivers. The FIume Sile springs from the earth, a constant flow in all seasons. These pure springs even supply some of Italy’s most famous bottled water brands. The FIume Sile is a river of silence, a “Silis” as the ancients called it. Its flow is a steady murmur, not a roaring torrent. This 95-kilometer waterway, the longest resurgence river in Europe, meanders through the landscape, shaping the history and culture of the Veneto region. The FIume Sile’s journey begins in the fields near Vedelago, in the Province of Treviso. From there, it winds past Santa Cristina, Quinto di Treviso, and reaches the historic city of Treviso. Here, the FIume Sile becomes a vital artery, its waters once powering mills and supporting bustling trade. The river continues past Silea, Casier, and other towns towards the Venetian Lagoon. It once flowed directly into the lagoon at Portegrandi. However, in 1683, the Republic of Venice diverted the FIume Sile. They channeled its flow into the old, dry bed of the Piave River. This final section of the Piave is now called Piave Vecchia, or Old Piave. The FIume Sile’s original route to the lagoon still exists, its flow controlled by locks, and is now known as Canale Silone. The FIume Sile has witnessed centuries of history. During Antiquity, it provided a vital connection to the port town of Altinum. Later, the river played a role in the rise and fall of Torcello, a prominent island in the Venetian Lagoon. Even Dante’s “Paradiso” mentions the FIume Sile, referencing its confluence with the Cagnan River near Treviso. Today, much of the FIume Sile and its surrounding area is protected as the Parco Naturale del Sile. This park preserves the river’s unique ecosystem. It’s a haven for diverse flora and fauna. Here, amidst the reeds and willows, you can still sense the silence that gave the river its name, a tranquility that echoes through the ages.