La Storia di Dese

The name of the locality derives from the legendary Eridamo son of Medauco, one of the condottieri who fled from the destruction of Troia who landed in the current beach of Sant’Erasmo exploring the lagoon to the mouth of the river Dese, thus entering the territory of Altino and Dese . In ancient times, there was an immense forest, and the forest took the name of Fetontea. At the time of the Roman Empire, the locality and the river, they gave it the name of “Eridesium”, in memory of the first explorer of these lands. The locality was aggregated to the territorial toponymy of the Agro Romano Altinate.

Furthermore, the river that gave its name to the town was a convenient communication route that connected the interior of the mainland with the lagoon. In this village called “Pegasus”, there was a small port for water transport with the exchange of agricultural and fish products. Over the centuries the locality changed its name several times, in the 2nd century AD (100) Eridesio, from the 7th century (600) up to the Middle Ages Desio, then Desium. In ancient times the parish of Dese was managed by the diocese of Altino, also considered a suburb of the great Roman city. In 1152 it appeared that Dese had a chapel of St. John the Baptist where he could be baptized. The locality is described in the “books of salt” and was a rule of San Martino in Strada (Campalto). In 1155 Pope Alexander III granted the master’s right over the area to the Prior of Crociferi. In 1231 in this locality the Counts of Colalto were owners of some assets.

In 1551 the Order of the Crociferi was suppressed by Pope Alexander VII, and the properties passed to the Republic of Venice. After a few years, the Republic sold them to the Minelli family, who by destiny assigned the assets to the Espositi – Istituto della Pietà of Venice. The territory was covered with woods and forests, then over the years it was deforested. The town was described and drawn in the old papers deposited in the State Archives of Venice, where the houses were built along the Via Altinia and the river Dese. In 1546 to the south of the territory is mentioned the location of a monastery of the Frari (Venice) with adjoining land and barchesse. It is necessary to arrive at 1700 to have the current denomination of Dese. In 1989 a quadrangular tower was built, with a height of 20 meters that, even today we can admire located in Via Litomarino (formerly called Rio Marino).

In the 4th and 5th century AD (300-400), all the Venetian territories, up to the edge of the lagoon, were destroyed and looted by the barbarian invasions. The Hungarians were a fierce and violent people, coming from Pannonia (current Hungary). In ancient times, thanks to the watchtower, the barbarians were faced and defeated. Text taken from cultural association eridesium land and traditions. Venetian curiosities 2007 – legends and mysteries between history and myth.