Mestre

Mestre, is a frazione (subdivision) of the comune (municipality) of Venice, to which it is connected by a functional rail and road bridge. It is the capital of the area extending on the mainland. This area, together with Marghera, comprises the main Venetian industrial pole, boasting some of the most important Italian chemical companies. A legend says that the entire region was founded by the hero Antenor, a fugitive from Troy. He first founded Padua and then whole Veneto. However, the true historical origins of Mestre lie in the Roman Empire, in times of the first settlements right after it was destroyed by Attila and his Huns and then rebuilt around the year 1000. The territory was under different rulers, being the Cangrande della Scala and Venetian dominations the most relevant from the 16th century on. The tourists that every year crowd local hotels, guest-houses and restaurants, truly appreciate to be close to la Serenissima (Venice) and Mestre’s urban and historical places of interest, like the massive Fortresses, strongholds of the ancient military fortification, the majestic Duomo di San Lorenzo (Cathedral of St. Lawrence), Torre dell’Orologio (Watchtower), the Provvediaria, located at the medieval Piazza Ferretto and the spectacular Albanese Bissuola and San Giuliano parks, from where an exceptional view over the lagoon can be enjoyed. Finally, there are many artistic attractions in Mestre, such as the typical Fountain of Via Piave, the famous Monumento alla Resistenza (Resistance Memorial) and the charming Image of the Madonna del Don, kept in the Chiesa dei Cappuccini (Capuchin Church).