Right outside Mestre, in the San Giuliano Park area of Venice, lies Forte Manin. This fort has a compelling story that stretches back to the early 1800s. The French built Forte Manin. They originally named it Forte Eau. It was built around the same time as Forte Marghera. Forte Eau was considered an ancillary structure to Marghera.
Imagine the year 1849. Forte Manin is under the command of artillery captain Andreasi. He was known as an excellent, brave young man. On August 15, 1848, the Austrians began their assault. They fired at Forte Marghera and Forte Eau.
Now picture May 18, 1849. An Austrian column advances toward Forte Manin. The defenders, armed and ready, meet them head-on. Protected by the fort’s cannons they forced the Austrian column to retreat. For two days the siege continued. On May 19 and 20, the besiegers fired musket shots at the outposts.
Later in May 1849, the Austrians changed tactics. They built batteries on the mainland. These batteries were positioned to target Forte Manin. Their aim was to disrupt communication with Venice. Captain Andreasi then led thirty gunners in a daring sortie. They moved under the Austrian batteries. They launched rockets causing the enemy to withdraw.
After 1849, the Austrians renamed it Forte Gorzhowsky. Forte Manin remained armed until the late nineteenth century. It then became a simple powder magazine. Sadly nothing remains of the original nineteenth-century buildings. Only the new reinforced concrete structures are visible today.
Forte Manin was designed to protect the Campalto side of Forte Marghera. A water-filled moat completely surrounds the structure. Today, Forte Manin is included in the San Giuliano Park project. Yet it remains in a state of neglect. In 2023, a plan was announced to restore Forte Manin. The project is estimated to cost three million euros from the PNRR.