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Belluno Province
This mountainous province of northern Italy's Veneto
( or Venezia) Region is home to archaeological ruins
and criss-crossed by many swift, mountain rivers.
The province has the famous and scenic Dolomite mountains
of the south-western Alps.
Tourism is a major employer in the area with nearby
ski resorts and the annual summer crush of mountaineers
and Alpine hikers.
Since the area is so very hilly, it is very sparsely
populated, with several villages and small towns clinging
to mountains and situated in the valleys.
The largest, and the province's namesake city, is Belluno,
protected from the cold of the mountains above and it
was once a major place of commerce en route to Central
Europe. Its unique natural position has made it a settlement
site since pre-Roman by mainly Celtic tribes who occupied
the area in the 5th century BC. Today, the city is home
to a great deal of intact Byzantine and medieval architecture
as well as over 35,000 residents. The city was once
known as a favoured vacation spot for Renaissance-era
Venetians.
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