Italian author Marcella Nardi was born in the small medieval town Castelfranco Veneto, not far from Venice. Her first strong visual memory spans a drawbridge above a moat that leads to a castle, and a real castle it is. Castelfranco Veneto means French Castle; it is here in this area where the Franks invaded Italy under Charlemagne. The town originates from the majestic castle built by the commune of Treviso in the course of its conflict against Padua, which was at that time controlled by the Franks.