Mestre

Mestre lies on the mainland at the edge of the Venetian Lagoon. The bishops of Treviso built its first castle in the eleventh century, west of the settlement of San Lorenzo. Venice conquered Mestre in 1337 and erected a larger fortress to guard its mainland approaches. During the War of the League of Cambrai, German and Spanish troops burned the town in 1513, bringing the conflict to Venice's doorstep.