The Church of San Nicolò

At the cemetery of Arten

The church of Saint Nicolò was born as a capitel of prayer along the roman route Paolina, main street that connected the valley of Feltre with the one of Primiero.
This church was, with the church of Santa Giustina, a reference point of this street (street Pedesalto-Faller) for wayfarers.

Whole valley was a part of the empire of King Berengario that donated to Bishops of Padova the valley of Brenta and the mountainous lands, in which there was the capitel of San Nicolò and the surrounding lands, together with other churches and monasteries.
According to historical sources, this donation came from the fact that King Berengario, worried to create behind the Veneto plain a solid defense against the invasions from nord and not trusting aid that could come from Feltre, gave in donation to the powerful and loyal Bishop of Padova, the mouth of the valley of Cismon and the canal of Quero. Since that time the political jurisdiction was overlapping by the ecclesiastical one, with the borders of the Diocese of Padova still current.

The Capitel was given to friars that simply did secondary religious services and that used also a close building as stable, barn and dormitory (building close to cemetery).

It was embellished with a portico, under which wayfarers could take refreshment with some good dish offered by the friars, fruit of their harvest in the surrounding lands.

The Capitel was widened and used as small monastery, point of control of secular forces of Diocese of Padova. In that time it was provided with a bell tower.

The reporting news configure the existence of the Capitel even before XVIII century.