 Fort Carpenedo
The portal of entrance in Istrian stone, in composite style,
principally neo-classic, has two semi-columns enriched with the typical horizontal bands
of late-Renaissance; the trabeation is surmounted by the original coat of arms of the
house of Savoia from the end of 19th century, with the symbol of the arm of
Artillery that garrisoned these fortresses.
When you enter, you pass through a gallery called "alla prova" (because it was
resistent to enemy attacks), immediately ahead, on the left the Guard corps and on the
right the prison.
Going through the entrance gate, you can still see written operating directions for the
opening and closing of the drawbridge.
In fact, the final part of the bridge was in the past a real drawbridge, as is proved by
the two long openings on the upper part of the portal, which were used for the opening and
closing operations. A moat surrounds the entire structure. Originally the moat was about 5
and 6 metres deep and it was excavated by hundreds of workers.
Next to the bridge, there is a long structure with many loop-holes, stretching over the
water: it is one of four "caponiere" placed on the corners of the polygonal
figure formed by the fort, and it could keep the whole moat and the whole exterior
perimeter of the fort within range.
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