Castello di Conegliano Historical Timeline

Origins

A fortress is documented on this hill from the tenth century, controlling the route from the plain into the Alpine valleys and giving the town its name and its shape.

Turning points

It was contested repeatedly through the medieval centuries between Treviso, the Da Camino family and the Scaligeri of Verona, before Conegliano submitted to Venice in 1389.

Influential people

Under the Republic the fortress lost its military purpose -- Venice's mainland defences ran elsewhere -- and it was progressively dismantled, its stone reused in the town below.

Cultural evolution

The Torre della Campana survived because it served as a bell tower and civic timekeeper rather than a defence.

Present-day significance

The tower has housed the Museo Civico since 1946, and the surrounding walls and gardens are a public park.