Castello di San Vito al Tagliamento

The castle and tower of San Vito were first mentioned in a document from 12 August 1298, where they were described as already being in ruins - probably destroyed in retaliation by Patriarch Berthold von Meran. At the end of the 13th century Patriarch Raimund von Thurn (della Torre) restored the remains, adding a crenellated curtain wall and some sturdy towers; in 1366 the castle was refurbished again. In 1533-34, on the orders of Patriarch Marino Grimaldi, a circle of walls was erected around the neighbourhood of Tagliano and a moat was dug around San Lorenzo; the Patriarch also ordered the enlargement of the “Altan” tower and the restoration the Patriarchal palace, also adding a garden. Alterations to the fortified complex began in 1649, when the curtain wall was first modified; in 1909 the local municipality, wanting to widen the roads, completely changed the lay-out of the area. The town contains important buildings and historical monuments.