It is a beutiful sunny and warm October day in 2001 - an unsually sunny
and warm October in Europe this year. Come visit Venice with
us. Discover this unique city built on oak piles in the lagoon.
here, many things are different - there are no streets, but many channels.
There are virtually no modern buildings and, with the exception of the
ugly area around the parking garages at Tronchetto and Piazzale Roma, the
city has not changed much since many centuries. In Venice, there
are no cars or even bicycles: just boats and pedestrians.
The old historical center of the city is situated four kilometres from the mainland, on 118 islands of the Venetian Lagoon. (This is The Venice: the 19th and 20th century expansion on the mainland has no character in comparison.) Venice is criss-crossed by more than 150 canals and 400 bridges, and is divided into 6 districts known as 'sestieri' (San Marco, Castello Cannaregio, Santa Croce, San Polo, Dorsoduro). Characteristic buildings look onto hundreds of small squares (campi and campielli) linked by narrow streets called calli. The municipal territory also includes the mainland areas of Mestre and Porto Marghera connected to the lagoon city by road and rail bridges. The lagoon centres of Burano, Murano, Lido, Cavallino, Malamocco, San Michele and Torcello are also administrated by Venice. Early historical information
on Venice dates back to the fifth and sixth centuries when, to escape the
Barbarian invasions, refugees from the Venetian countryside took shelter
in the Lagoon. At first, they were ruled by Maritime Tribunes then
by the Doges (the first was Paolo Lucio Anafesto, in 697), gradually
eluding Byzantine influence, partly as a result of the initiative of the
inhabitants, who transformed it into an important trading centre for shipping
in the Mediterranean and towards the Orient. Its importance increased during
the Crusades, when it extended its rule over the Aegean islands, Peleponesia,
Crete and part of Constantinople. Rivalry with Genoa and the other Italian
maritime republics served only to
In the same period, Venice increased
its territories on the Venetian mainland, occupying Treviso, Padua, Vicenza
and later Verona, Feltre, Belluno and Bassano (1404-1405), until in 1454,
its boundaries stretched to the Adda river to the west,
It is a very difficult task to squeeze in a few lines the countless attractions that make Venice one of the world's most famous tourist cities. So here are a few - those that must absolutely not be ignored. First and foremost, Piazza San Marco, the traditional postcard scene of Venice with its famous cafés and surrounded by beautiful Renaissance buildings, with the Basilica of the same name, of Byzantine inspiration, (11th-15th century) overlooking the whole square. Nearby is Palazzo Ducale (14th-15th century), a typical example of Gothic-Venetian architecture, housing works by famous artists. By taking a boat on the Grand Canal, you admire the many noble Gothic-Venetian buildings overlooking the waters: Cà Foscari, Palazzo Giustinian, Palazzo Cornèr (Cà Grande), Palazzo Grimani, Palazzo Vendramin Calergi, the very famous Cà d'Oro and many others. The churches include Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (13th-14th century) housing works by Titian and Giambellino, S. Zanipolo, Santa Maria dei Miracoli (Renaissance), Santa Maria della Salute (17th century) with paintings by Titian and Tintoretto, San Giorgio Maggiore (17th century). The campi (the small squares) are of great environmental and artistic interest, always surrounded by buildings or churches worthy of a visit. Among others are Campo S. Moisè, S. Bartolomeo, S. Cassiano, S. Maria Mater Domini, S. Polo, S. Zulian, Saints Giovanni and Paolo (monument to Bartolomeo Colleoni). Lastly, you must not fail to take a trip under the famous Ponte di Rialto and the even more famous Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs). So here we are in Venice - we have the choice to take a public water-bus - a vaporetto - or a taxi - motorboat - to drive along the Canale Grande - the main 'street'- passing all these fairy-tale palazzi. Early in the morning, the city still sleeping, wait for the sunrise on Piazza San Marco, the main square, watch the beautiful setting of the the Basilica, the palace of the Doges, all the surrounding buildings and the waterfront with gondolas waiting for the first tourists. Slowly the sun is rising and Venice comes alive. A small bakery opens with warm croissants and cappuccino. Start walking through the mazeof narrow streets across stone bridges, without a map - enjoying getting lost and discovering what square with a magificent pallace or cathedral will lurk behind the next corner . There are yellow signs indicating the general directions, just in case you do get really lost. But it really does not matter - there is so much to discover: photographer's heaven. One day is not enough. One has to get into the Venice-mood: forget the outisde world, the industrial parks on the mainland, the ugly entrance the to historical center. Here, there is seemingly no hurry, no cars, no parking meters to obey - just fabulous food, good wine, Vivaldi, and all sorts of architectural corners providing endless scenes for the occassional photographer. There are cops in Venice. They seem to worry primarily about the tie being straight and the Armani-esque dark-blue uniforms nicely pressed. We wondered if - in the total absence of doughnut shops - they gather at Florian's at Piazza del Marco and drink espressi. We remember seeing them making an arrest: a rose vendor on Piazza del Marco, being escorted away for some reason or other; two young cops - a man and a woman - leading the "perp" away, gently holding his elbow, like a maitre d' leading a guest to a table at Antoine's. This is Venice-mood. Take a trip on a water bus to the neighboring island of Murano. Passing a large cemetary with above-ground tombs, you realize that Venice - due to its sea-level location - has a lot it common with New Orleans. Next, visit the glass-blowing factories and discover that the very first one, immediately next to the vaporetto stop is owned by a family with New Orleans ties. We met Giancarlo, one of the owners, and foundout that, having been in the glass business in Murano for 600 years, the family has trong New Orleans ties: a Nawlins-native wife, children born at Touro hospital: we get talked easily into doing business with Giancarlo and impuls-buy and chandellier... This is Venice-mood, too. And then you leave, and return
to the real world: on a water-bus or taxi on the Grand Canal, or - after
a few days navigating the narrow alleys of Venice like a native - back
to your car at the parking garage. Cross the causeway onto the mainland,
dive into the heavy traffic on the A-4 Autostrada from Milan
to Udine and Klagenfurt, and Venice seems like a distant dream.
Here is a summary of the places one should see while in Venice: Basilica di San Marco
Palazzo Ducale
Canal Grande
Galleria Dell' Accademia
Ponte di Rialto
Chiesa dei Frari
Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni
Scuola di San Rocco
Ca' d' Oro
Campo dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo
Santa Maria della Salute
Ca' Rezzonico
Chiesa di San Sebastiano
Chiesa di San Zaccaria
Sources: Windows
on Italy, Surprise
Talks about Life
Continue your virtual visit on these websites:
How's the weather over there now?
Last updated October 28, 2001 |