La Rocca dei Tempesta

The imposing fortification, of which only the ruins remain today, was erected on the initiative of Ezzelino III da Romano starting in 1245 and finished in 1272, during the dominion of the Tempestas, feudal lords of Noale. It was originally defended by various perimeter towers (today you can see three) and by a mighty building on the north side (the so-called "keep"). Inside there was space for the residences of distinguished guests and service personnel, but also the prisons, an armory, stables, kitchens, a small church and various warehouses. After submission to the Republic of San Marco in 1339, it was inhabited by administrators and garrisons of soldiers sent from Venice. During the war of 1378-1381 it was subjected to heavy sieges, which ruined many internal structures and finally fell into the hands of the Carraresi, lords of Padua. After the Venetian reconquest, which took place in 1387, it was carefully restored, but the great development of firearms in the following century made it of little military use. In the 17th century it was gradually abandoned by the Venetian administrators, who found it more convenient to move to the buildings in the centre. During the eighteenth century, the state of abandonment caused numerous collapses, also favored by the subtraction of materials that could be recovered in other buildings. In the first half of the 19th century, the fortress ended up being used as a cemetery, a function it maintained until the end of the 20th century. In recent years, after the transfer of the cemetery and the restoration of the surviving wall structures, it has been used as a venue for cultural and folkloristic events.