BELLUNO

city, capital of Belluno provincia, in the Veneto regione of northeastern Italy. The city lies at the confluence of the Piave and Ardo rivers, in the Dolomite Alps, north of Venice. Of pre-Roman origin and known to the Romans as Bellunum, it was a medieval free commune before voluntarily joining Venice in 1404. Taken by the French in 1797, it passed to Austria in 1813 and to the Italian kingdom in 1866. Notable buildings include the 16th-century cathedral, partly rebuilt after an earthquake in 1873; the Renaissance-style Palazzo dei Rettori (1491-96), housing the prefecture; the Church of San Stefano (1980-86); and the Palazzo dei Giuristi (1664), housing the civic museum with a fine art gallery. Agriculture and tourism are the main sources of income. Pop. (1993 est.) mun., 35,497.