Environs of Mestre

Environs of Mestre

Quarto d'Altino
At east of Mestre Altino is situated; it was already a paleo-venetian village. In the roman age Altinum, together with Patavium and Aquileia, represented one of the three most important centers in the Decima Regio (Venetia et Histria): the Municipium of Altino was placed at the confluence of Annia Road and of Claudia-Augusta Road. Today the very interesting National Archaeologic Museum contents the roman finds of the zone of the ancient town and necropolis: vases, amphorae, jewels, coins, mosaics, statues and inscriptions on grave-stones. Around the Museum may be admired the wonderful mosaics and the remains of floorings found during the archaeologic excavations. The chief town of the commune is today Quarto d'Altino.

Marcon
Marcon is situated at north-east of Mestre.

Mogliano Veneto
10 km at north of Mestre, along the Terraglio, in direction of Treviso, there's Mogliano Veneto, in the ancient times named "Mogliano of Mestre".

Martellago
At north-west of Mestre lies Martellago, agrarian town, together with the hamlets of Maerne and Olmo of Maerne. In Martellago there's the sixteenth-century Villa Grimani - Morosini, called Ca' della Nave and rich in eighteenth-century scultures. In Martellago the local historian Francesco Scipione Fapanni lived.

Spinea
At west of Mestre, along the Miranese Road.

Malcontenta
Locality divided between Mestre (commune of Venice) and the commune of Mira. In the part administratively belonging to the commune of Mira there's the very famous Villa Foscari, named La Malcontenta, that acording to the legend is called after a lady who was locked up inside it but more probably after the zone. Villa Foscari, built in 1571 by Antonio Palladio, is opposite the Naviglio Brenta with its Ionic pronaos, accessible from two side-flights of stairs, with two smaller bodies. The inside frescoes represent the fall of the giants, various allegories and the lady who gave origin to the above legend.

Oriago
Today it's one of the hamlets of Mira, but Oriago was quoted already by Tito Livio as the place where the consul Marco Elpidio Lepido crushed a rebellion and by Dante Alighieri (Purgatory, V, 72) as the locality in which Jacopo del Cassero was murdered. Noteworthy are the Casino Querini Stampalia, Villa Moro and the Parish Church of Saint Mary Maddalena.

Other cities near Mestre:

Padua (28 km west-south-west of Mestre): Padua introduces its visitors first of all to the Basilica of Saint Antonio with the Giotto's frescoes and the nearby Scuola of the Santo, the monumental square Prato della Valle, the Convent and the Basilica of Saint Giustina, the Monument of Gattamelata, the Botanic Garden, the Cathedral with its Baptistery. In the area of the Roman arena there are the Church of Eremitani with the paintings by Mantegna and the enearby Chapel of Scrovegni frescoed by Giotto: between these two religious buildings one can find the Civic Museums of Eremitani, that unite the Archaeologic Museum, the Bottacin Museum, with its important numismatic collections, and the Museum of Mediaeval and Modern Art and Moderna. We should also mention the university, one of the more ancient in Europe, and in particular its central seat in the sixteenth-century Palace of Bo. Between this last palace and the Palace of Ragione there's, in the context of the Squares (Square of Fruits, of Herbs and of Lords) the complex of the municipal palaces: Palace of Anziani, Palace of Consiglio and Palace of Podestà. Deserve a special mention also the sixteenth-century bastioned system, La Specola, the Reggia Carrarese, the Antenore's tomb in Saint Francesco Street and Palace Zabarella, seat of remarkable art exhibitions.

Treviso (21 km at north of Mestre): The center of the city is the Square of Lords, on which lies the Palace of Trecento (1217), the Palace of Podestà with the Tower of the Commune and the Magisterial Palace. Among the churches, should be mentioned the Cathedral (almost interily re-built in the eighteenth century) and The gothic Church of Saint Nicolò. The Civic Museum is in 22 Borgo Cavour and interesting art exhibitions are organized in the House of Carraresi.

Venice (8 km at south of Mestre): City famous for its particular urban structure, being built on hundreds of islands divided by canals and united by bridges inside the venetian lagoon. Famous landskapes are, in the are of Saint Mark Square, The Ducal Palace, The Bell Tower with its Small Loggia, the Basilica of Saint Mark, the Correr Museum, the Procuratie and the Library by Sansovino. On the edges of Canal Grande one could see Saint Mary of Salute, the Bridge and the Galleries of Accademia, Palace Corner, Ca' Rezzonico, the Bridge of Rialto, Ca' D'Oro, Ca' Pesaro, the Fondaco of the Turkish and Ca' Vendramin Calergi. Moreover are visited also the Church of Frari, the Scuola Grande of San Rocco, the Naval Historical Museum, the Library Querini Stampalia and the Collection Guggheneim, in addition to the islands of Murano, Burano, Torcello and so on. Venice is the chief town of the commune whose hamlet is Mestre.

Bibliography and further informations:

Various authors, Guida d'Italia: Veneto, Touring Club Italia