The castle of San Martino della Vaneza is a medieval fortress located in San Martino di Cervarese Santa Croce, in the province of Padua.
It stands on the right bank of the Bacchiglione river.
History
The castle was built in a strategic position, on the border between the territories of Padua and Vicenza and along the Bacchiglione, an important trade route. Its oldest part, the tower, dates back to the 11th century[.
It was one of the few castles to be spared the devastation wrought by Ezzelino III da Romano. In 1324, the municipality of Padua donated it to Nicolò da Carrara for defending the city during the struggles against Cangrande della Scala. The Carraresi family carried out major restoration work, focusing in particular on the walls and the battlements of the tower.
With the passage of Padua to the Serenissima, it lost all military importance. However, it did not fall into ruin because, after being rented and then purchased by the Vendramin family, it was converted into a commercial base for collecting timber from the nearby woods, which was then sent to the Venetian shipyards by river. The Vendramins also added a floating mill, which operated until the 19th century.
When trade declined, it was converted into a residential building and subsequently fell into disrepair.
It passed to the Filippini family and, from 1930 to 1978, belonged to the Antonini Papafava dei Carraresi family. Since 1979, it has belonged to the province of Padua, which has restored it and set up the Bacchiglione River Archaeological Museum, which is still open to visitors from Wednesday to Sunday, from 10:00 to 18:00. Following its reopening in 2022, the castle continues to host public events such as the Palio dello Sparviero and private events, upon reservation.
