Ospitale di Cadore, located just 470 meters above sea level. The town winds along the right side of the Piave river and is a place of passage for all the towns of Cadore.
Ospitale has always been a communication passage between north and south. This is noted by the ancient Roman road that runs along the Piave river.
In 1300 ca. a small fort was built, which over the centuries has been used as a base for the construction of some houses in the town. Stone is an important element and can be seen from the decorative elements on the facades, which also testify to the expertise of local craftsmanship in the processing of the material from the Castellavazzo quarry.
In the elevated part of Ospitale di Cadore we find the building that gives rise to the name of the town: the hospice.
It once served to receive pilgrims and travelers who passed through these areas. The building still retains a Gothic-style mullioned window, present since the 14th century.
In the Davestra hamlet it is possible to see the site of Paluc, an early medieval metallurgical village, dated around 1000-1100 AD. The excavations have brought to light stone houses, with dry stone walls, and “low fire” furnaces for the of iron ore. The Val Tovanella Nature Reserve protects the nature of this area.
Dense vegetation, anumed rocks and mountains are part of this landscape where you can find old fortifications dating back to the period of the Serenissima, which obtained timber from the Cadore woods and used the Piave river as a means of transport.
A small hamlet near Ospitale is Termine di Cadore which marks the end of the Cadore area.