Casella, Asolo

Casella is the most populous frazione (hamlet) of the municipality of Asolo, Italy with a population of 4,500. The hamlet covers an area of 6 km², sitting 97–108 m above sea level. Casella lies 1.5 km from downtown Asolo.

History

During the Roman period, the territory of the hamlet was crossed by the Via Aurelia (today Via Loreggia), an important route connecting the municipalities of Asolo and Padua. A centuriated agricultural district was established along this road, traces of which are still visible, particularly in the southern part of the hamlet. Sporadic discoveries of houses and burials, especially near the parish church and in the localities of Cà Vescovo and Tuna, attest to the presence of rural settlements. In the Tuna area, the Via Aurelia intersected with an ancient road connecting the Brenta and Piave rivers before continuing toward the Roman municipality of Asolo.

Furlani reports the presence of a stone slab bearing Roman inscriptions in the old church, although it has since been lost. The presence of Roman remains and the dedication of the church, originally a rural oratory, to Saint Apollinaris suggest that religious activity may have existed in the area as early as the Late Antique period.

The locality of Casella, situated at a busy crossroads, was also certainly inhabited from the Roman period. Its place name is associated with the presence of a farrier's workshop, documented in the late medieval period. From 1518, there is evidence of the Feast of Saint Roch, which was held there. An oratory dedicated to Saint Roch was also located there; it was demolished in the late 19th century to enlarge the market square and rebuilt in 1900.

The hamlet of Villa Raspa is probably of Lombard origin. Its place name derives from the verb raspòn, meaning "to scrape", and it has been suggested that taxes may have been collected in this area. Comacchio has even hypothesized the presence of a curtis, an agricultural estate with a private oratory. The existence of a place of worship is historically attested from 1556, when a print depicts the name Villa Raspa surmounted by a cross. In the 17th century, the oratory was rebuilt by the nobleman Giovanni Pasini, who also built his country residence beside it. Nearby, close to Borgo Mestre, Cà Cinel was built during the period of the Venetian Republic, as a rural dwelling dependent on Villa Barbini.

The main settlement, however, remained Sant'Apollinare. Its oratory, documented as early as 1470, soon became a subsidiary church of the Collegiate Church of Asolo. In 1744, the chaplain's residence was built next to the oratory. The chaplain was responsible for the Villa d'Asolo, meaning the entire Asolo plain, which included Sant'Apollinare (then known as Frattalonga) and present-day Villa d'Asolo (then Pradazzi). A chaplain was later also appointed for Pradazzi. The oratory was demolished in 1790 to make way for a larger church. The main body of the building, despite subsequent alterations and extensions, has survived to the present day.

The presence of a chaplain and its own subsidiary church increased the importance of the hamlet, which made several attempts to achieve greater religious and administrative autonomy from Asolo, though not always successfully. The hamlet remained connected to Asolo, particularly in religious matters, until 1967, when the parish of Sant'Apollinare Vescovo e Martire was established following the division of the Asolo Prepositure. In 1853, a new municipal cemetery of Asolo was established at Sant'Apollinare, as the cemetery of Sant'Anna had become too small.

See also

• Asolo
• Pagnano (Asolo)
• Villa Barbini-Rinaldi