The name of the town
One of the first questions we ask ourselves when visiting a town is regarding the origin and significance of its name. No doubts, however, with regard to the term “porto”, as the town was founded on the banks of the Lemene and, from the very beginning, an important waterway port and trading emporium. The second term, “gruaro”, has produced unconvincing suppositions among the numerous local historians who have dealt with the history of Portogruaro from the end of the previous century up to the present day. Some of whom have taken the term “gruaro” back again to the celtic “gruarius” which defines the words guardian of the forest; others to the Latin word “groa-groua” which links it to the idea of marshlands. There are no absolute certain sources for the origin of this name, the various hypotheses are credible and evocative and could all have some truth in them.