The Mills Valley, in Gallio.

Since the 16th century the presence of some factories for tanning leather, moved by the water of the stream, is documented in the valley of Valle della Covola, just south-east of the Gallio’s centre. At the end of the 19th century there were eight tanneries in the valley, with about fifty between tanks and vats. Other buildings were used for the beating of the fir barks from which the tannin was extracted, others again were instead mills for grinding wheat and barley.

Reconstruction of an ancient mill.

During the First World War, the Italian army built near the spring a hydroelectric power station and a waterpump station, which was pushed up to the Monte Zebio. A marked path descending from the village of Gallio allows you to see the traces of these ancient activities. The Covola valley then goes, as Valle Ghiaia, to the Santuario (sanctuary) del Buso, beyond the ancient village of Ronchi, then descends towards Valstagna and Val Frenzela, for a long time one of the main access routes to the Asiago Plateau.