Castello di Stigliano

The first written records date back to the twelfth century and precisely to the year 1152 when Stigliano was a fiefdom with a castle and rich farms; belonged to the diocese of Treviso but politically it was subject to the City of Padua. At the time it was feudatory the bishop of Treviso who in 1158 in turn passed Guido Tempesta di Noale, descendant of the Counts Camposampiero. The Tempest had the specific title of defenders (advocates) of the feudal rights of the bishop lord. The investiture included in particular the "proprietas frate et fosati et castellarii".

In 1220 Guido Tempesta, to restore at least part of its financial situation, ceded the feud to Count Aldevrandino de Soprovo. The castle, the motte, the mills, numerous mansi and lands were ceded for more than 756 inhabitants or Paduan camps, the tithes, the quartesi, the jurisdiction over the village, the giuspatronato on the church of San Nicolò or Palù.
From Aldevrandino the feud then passed into the ownership of his son Soprovo who, in 1245, ceded half of it, with the relative rights, to his brother Enrico.
The castle then passed into the possession of Henry's son, Avanzo, who later bought the assets that had previously been alienated, restoring the integrity of the fief.
In 1282 Avanzo de Soprovo, while he was in Acre in Palestine, gave the fief to the friars Alemanni, of the Order of Teutonic Knights, one of the many Orders of chivalry that arose after the first crusade with the aim of continuing to defend the sacred places. The deed of gift was stipulated in the old palace of the master of the order in the presence of some friars among whom the marshal and lieutenant of the great master, Corrado Danevelt. The donation was confirmed the following year by Pope Martin IV and Brother Bertoldo, Grand Master of the Paduan "domus", took possession of the fiefdom and appointed Giovanni de Romagna as a gastaldo. Later, in 1305, Avanzo de Soprovo, repentant of the donation made, tried in vain to get back the fief.

During the XIII and XIV centuries the castle was often the center of the struggles between the Padovani on one side and the Trevigiani, the Venetians and their allies on the other. In 1234 we remember, for example, a famous peace between Padovani and Ezzelini, lords of Treviso and Bassano, promoted by the bishop of Treviso and by the blessed Giordano Forzatè, prior of the convent of San Benedetto di Padova, stipulated right in the church of San Nicolò.

In 1370 Francesco da Carrara the Elder, to protect himself against Venice, built the menagerie of the Muson. This was a powerful embankment raised on the right side of the river by the excavation and enlargement of its riverbed, from Camposampiero to Oriago, forcing the river, in full floods to pour into enemy territory. Along this embankment was created a system of fortifications consisting of bastions, casemates, towers of wood and stone and having as strongholds the castles of Camposampiero, Stigliano and Mirano. In the Muson's bed the waters of the Vandura and the Rosada were also poured, so that the greatest possible amount of debris to the detriment of Venice was discharged into the lagoon. To the Venetians this act seemed a challenge and in 1372 the dismantling of the Stigliano castle was imposed on the Carraresi. War broke out, in 1373 the captain of the Venetians occupied Stigliano and Francesco da Carrara suffered a resounding defeat.
Five years later the Carraresi, allied with the Hungarians, took their revenge, defeating the Venetians in more places, including Stigliano. In 1388 the Carraresi replied against the Milanese, allies of the Venetians; the Milanese, with a large body of expedition commanded by Giacomo dal Verme, had stationed near the Muson between Stigliano and Mirano with the intent to force the menagerie and occupy the castle of Stigliano defended by the captain Giacomo da Scaltenigo, who also had built of tunnels that underwent the Muson river for the secret transport of troops in Zianigo, Castelliviero and Mirano. As soon as the Dal Verme soldiers had spread their tents, Giacomo da Scaltenigo, aided by Giacomo Enselmini and Andrea da Curtarolo, captains respectively of the castles of Camposampiero and Mirano, cut the Muson's left bank in several places, flooding the enemy camps who, frightened, had to leave the company and go elsewhere.
However, the castle was definitively conquered by the Venetians in 1404, after Malatesta da Pesaro, at the service of the Venetians, won Ludovico Buzzacarini who defended Stigliano, making him a prisoner and taking him to Venice.

In the 16th century the castle became the property of the noble Priuli da Cannaregio, who turned it into a palace. A plaque on the south façade of the castle tower recalls the restoration and rebuilding works (Stian vetustate collapsum / a Petro Aloysio Priolo patre ereptum / Angelus Maria perfecit / MDXXX), while a tower room was decorated with some views of the castle and with characters remembered by history. It seems we owe to the Priuli also the erection (or reconstruction), in the first decades of the 1600s, of the oratory of the castle where the altarpiece was placed with Saint Mark, Saint Anthony and the Blessed Virgin, unfortunately stolen some decades does.
In 1555, as in the past, a plaque, unfortunately disappeared, affixed on the wall of the mills' bridge, stayed in the castle the queen of Poland, Bona Sforza, welcomed by the wise landlord Giovanni Capello, while it was directed to the baths of Abano, accompanied by cardinals of Ferrara and Augusta. Another illustrious visit to the castle took place at the end of the seventeenth century by the Duchess of Mantua on the occasion of a trip to Germany. In the eighteenth century in the ownership of the castle succeeded to the Priuli, first the Venier, then the Fracasso. Subsequently, Mr. Marchi, i Montagna, the owner Cosulich, the Province of Venice and finally Paolo Bertan, current owner. During the First World War the castle was used as a villa Farsetti in a military hospital.

Today the complex consists of the actual castle (the tower), a rustic annex and a private chapel, all of which are enclosed in a vast area between the Noalese road to the west and the Muson Vecchio river to the south. The tower, located in the southeast corner, is the pivot of the main body, which develops to the west. This is articulated on three levels completed by hanging arches on stone shelves and a brick battlements. In addition to the tower, to the northeast, there is another four-storey body, completed by a terracotta cornice and a pavilion roof. The buildings are laid out like an "L" and a basement extends over the entire surface.
The skilful renovation that has benefited the structure, has defended the old origins, making wise, new details, giving spaces, striking and unique backgrounds for the realization of large events.
Inside, you will be welcomed in rooms furnished in a medieval style, with armors, frescoes and elements that recall the charm of the time. The interior spaces, complete with every comfort, can be used both during the summer and during the cold. In the outer part, the charming garden, with its splendid statues, is suitable for the organization of buffets, aperitifs and the entire wedding banquet, as well as a beautiful background for souvenir photos and for cutting the cake.

The services offered are in line with the class and the elegance of the place, where professionalism, experience and friendliness of the staff will be the elements assured for an impeccable event.
From the preparation of the spaces to consultancy on musical and photographic entertainments, you can count on the experience of the staff who will give you valuable and useful advice for a wedding event that meets your expectations. In addition, the structure will place at your disposal and in exclusivity, the spaces and the private chapel for the celebration of the civil or religious wedding ceremony.