Venice


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Venice, an outsider from history


Venice: a town where you don’t have to look for anything, you just plunge into its beauty and feel plenty of emotions. Every single wave goes straight to the art since Venice shows its uniqueness on board of gondolas, ferries, steamboats and motorboats.



Especially in the Grand Canal that crosses the heart of the town along four kilometres making a big reversed “S” whose banks display hundreds historical palaces that have been built in the last five-hundred years. And just round the corner, behind the arcade of Rialto Bridge where the Grand Canal suddenly turns, the scene becomes even more majestic and the shape of Palazzo Barzizza, Palazzo Mocenigo, Palazzo Giustiniani, Ca’ Foscari, Palazzo Grassi and Ca’ Rezzonico unveil. And, what can we say about ST. Mark? It is an amazing synthesis of thousands of years of history of the Serenissima, St. Mark square – the only true square in Venice, since all the others are called “campo” – shows a unique personality derived from the beauty of buildings around it and the elegance of the architectural details that border it. An icon within an icon is the St Mark’s Basilica, a fabulous tribute to Bisanzio, built after centuries of exchanges with the Eastern Empire. In 829 its construction had started to keep the relics of Mark the Evangelist and this new temple dedicated to the new patron of the town replaced the one of S. Teodoro, the first patron of Venice. Taking inspiration from S. Sofia of Istanbul, the five domes that had been built since 1060 contributed to bring the Basilica to its completion. The upper side of the façade is featured by a terrace from where the Dodge watched the ceremonies that used to take place in the below square while in the centre of it there are the replicas of the famous four golden bronze horses - the original ones are kept in the near museum to protect them from environmental damages – and the interior is incomparable too: more than 4.000 square metres of mosaics and gold works of art.

Venice doesn’t mean St. Mark only or the enchantment of the lagoon: there is also a fortified Venice that a few people know: from the very old defensive structure a number of fortifications survived, many of which are now dedicated to cultural events. Forte Marghera, for instance, featuring a star-shaped drawing is the most ancient end the biggest too. From there you can reach Forte Manin and Forte Bazzera, where you will see the gunpowder barrels from World War I. Among archaeological excavations, estuaries and lookout towers you will reach Forte Carpenedo that shows the military sites dating back to the XIXth century that have been perfectly rebuilt, including the stables.



An alternative route is the Jewish “ghetto”, as a starting point, up to Campo Sant’Alvise and the Church having the same name, the interior is enriched with the paintings by Tiepolo, then you can go up to S. Giacomo dell’Orio, one of the oldest worship sites of the town. “The main entrance” of the Ghetto looks out on Cannaregio, one of the main “sestieri” (districts) together with St. Mark, Dorsoduro, S. Croce, S. Polo and Castello. Let’s have a look at the history: on March the 29th 1516 the Jewish district was built on a former foundry’s site where the operation of “getto”, that is the casting was carried out. That’s the origin of this name: the first “ghetto” of history was coined in Venice.


For more information of Venice city: click here


Luciana Francesca Rebonato

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