Manzonian places: the castle of Quero

Quero - Near Quero there is a fortress, called Castelnuovo di Quero. Its structure is very particular: in fact it has an arch that is crossed by the road that runs along the Piave. It has a central body and two towers: one perched on the mountain, the other instead that laps the waters of the river. This is because the building was erected in 1376 by the Serenissima, as a customs house.

In fact, the portal could be closed if necessary; in addition, the fortress exercised surveillance on the river with a chain and a ferry. 18 soldiers were stationed here and received higher pay than the others. The most famous castellan who lived within these walls was Girolamo Emiliani, who according to some commentators provided inspiration for the figure of the Unnamed in I Promessi Sposi by Alessandro Manzoni. In 1511 Emiliani was defeated by the French and imprisoned: he converted in prison and dedicated the rest of his life to abandoned youth. When Venice fell, the fortress was bought by the Somascan fathers and transformed into a house of prayer.