My homage to the wonderful Venice.. Veneto region, Italy

Venice is unique and very special! And 'as built unique, special atmosphere and the air we breathe. It feels like entering a dream in another dimension.

It is the most visited city in Italy. Go for the first time is a discovery, and come back a little 'how to relive the excitement of that discovery and finding new ones. Walking through its narrow streets, leaning out from a bridge to watch a channel, see the laundry hanging on the wires that pass through channels or narrow alleys, children running through the street, older women pull the wagon of expenditure, the colors of the fruit on market stalls or some cat dozing on a canal or outside the door of the house, these are the images that I like to remember in Venice, the true essence of Venice.
It is certainly beautiful as the Venice of the great and sumptuous buildings, the Venice of bridges on the Grand Canal, the beautiful churches, museums and its islands. But it was also nice to walk away from most tourist sites in search of Venice every day far from the crowded masses of tourists.

Venice was built on more than 100 islands in a marshy lagoon. This environment has not at all easily sharpened the wit of the early Venetian builders who had to resort to it as the unique construction techniques. The city and its buildings rest on piles of species which are long wooden stakes driven into the ground of the marsh. This unique technique has still functioned as the city has, for better or worse, survived until today.
In 1966 the city was hit by a terrible flood that stirred concern about the survival of this city so strong yet so fragile. Erosion, pollution is an ugly beast for this city which threaten its survival.

 

We reach Venice by train. It is perhaps one of the most convenient for the city. The square in front of the station is directly located on the Grand Canal. The vaporetto stops, which are the city buses are in front of them. The cost of the ticket, each way, is 6.50, a ticket valid for 12 hours, which also allows you to go on the other islands of the lagoon, it costs 16 euros. There are other formulas for tickets of different duration.
The station is located on the grounds of Saint Lucia in which stood the church of the same name and port number 1 of Cannaregio.

Tradition has it that Venice was founded in 421 AD Many Venetians, to escape from the Goths who crossed the Veneto in Rome to go plundering and ruining everything, so they took refuge in the lagoon, building this city.
It was during the Middle Ages that the city grows from all points of view and his power extends throughout the Mediterranean.
In the sixteenth century, the domination of the city is huge, and its monopoly in terms of trade extended throughout the Mediterranean and its possessions were from the Alps to the Adriatic. Such a vast territory and a monopoly business so unique is that the city did, in order to maintain its rule, was continually at war. Diplomacy, even then, as now, was not working properly.
In the eighteenth century, the glorious past of the Serenissima was only a memory. The aristocrats squandered their wealth in the festivities in Venice and then electing a symbol of decadence In 1797 Napoleon put an end to this decadence besieging the city and by dismissing the Duce. The city is then transferred, by Napoleon, Austrian Empire. What you did not like the Venetians. It was not until 1870 because Venice is freedom from Austrian domination.
Which brings us to the present day, where Venice is a lively bustling city by millions of tourists from every corner of the world. An important film festival held annually in Venice Lido. In short, the city has been able to return to its original splendor.

Leaving our luggage at the hotel we spend the remainder of the afternoon discovering the Sestriere di Cannaregio.
In Venice there are no neighborhoods or villages, but the districts, there are no roads, but canals, alleys and street, and apart from Piazza San Marco, there are not squares, but only fields. Only St. Mark's, being great enough to have deserved the name of the square, all the others are too small to demand and obtain that title.

Cannaregio The name seems to have two sources: from the Royal Canal which was the ancient name of the Cannaregio Canal, which was before the rail link, the main access road to the city or from regional cannarum, because in the past there were in this area , a lot of reeds.

Let a busy street full of tourists, shops and cafes to send us through the alleys and canals of a very picturesque corner of this district. We meet very few other tourists, and it is indeed pleasant to walk these streets. The bridges crossing the canals now have all the railing in the past was not so. For the Venetians stroll at night could be dangerous if they were careful not to fall into the canal. Among other things, I also read that initially the bridges were private and had to pay a duty for them to cross.
Along foundations Sella, a quiet road that runs along a channel can see the typical Venetian facades crumbling and the house where he lived and died on Tintoretto. Anagrafe called Tintoretto Jacopo Robust but was nicknamed because of his father's trade, which is precisely dyed silk. He also did color it certainly a good use!
Among the most famous people who were born in the Cannaregio district of Venice, there was also a great traveler, perhaps the first par excellence: Marco Polo. He was a Venetian merchant who traveled to China where he spent at the court of Kublai Khan more than twenty years. A curious thing, when the book was published many did not believe his story and dubbed Marco Polo, The Travels of Marco (a million lies, to be precise). This nickname explains the name given to the two small courtyards (Milion Court and Court of First of Two Milion) where lived the family of Marco Polo. Venetians sti Awful!

We arrive in front of the beautiful Gothic church of Our Lady of that for a few minutes has already closed. It is also known as the English church in Venice, nickname (here's another one!) That has been given because, after the terrible flood of 1966, the restoration of this church was made with funding from the British. The church was originally dedicated to St. Christopher, but after the discovery, in a garden not far away, a statue of the Virgin Mary that appeared to have miraculous powers, the church was dedicated to Our Lady. Inside the splendid works by Tintoretto.

It's really nice to walk the almost deserted streets of this district, we come also to the bag of Mercy from which we can see a glimpse of this lagoon, the island of Murano and the island of San Michele.

Even in the history of Venice there was a ghetto, and it was in this district. In 1516 the Council of Ten decided that all Venetian Jews were confined on an islet of Cannaregio. Obviously, the area was isolated by wide channels with the locks operated by guards. The legend or the story has it that the term ghetto, assigned to this portion of Venice, comes from the fact that in this area there was a large foundry casting or call the ghetto that meant 'casting'. This term has been borrowed and then used to describe a little 'enclaves of Jews everywhere around the world that followed in the centuries to come. The inhabitants of this ghetto days could leave the confines of the ghetto. Many people living there in 1797 and destroyed the gates Napoleon but all was like before the Austrians. Only in 1866 he was granted bail. What happened next we know all too well.
Although the Venetian Jews today can live rightly, where he likes, but the neighborhood has retained its identity. In addition to two synagogues, there are also a Jewish library and local shops.

Let these little corners of Venice trafficked by tourists resume direct to the busy Strada Nova Ca 'd'Oro. The best view on the house you are cruising along the Canal Grande, where the Ca 'd'Oro, overlooking the fact. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful buildings in Venice. Romantic and austere façade with well-decorated ogival windows. It was built in 1420 for work of a rich aristocrat who wanted to have the most beautiful building in the city. The building changed several times until you get the owner, in 1846 in the hands of the Russian prince Troubetzkoi, but it is now rather dilapidated and semi-abandoned. Troubetzkoi bought it for a dancer, that Marie Taglioni and renovated it for her .... I wonder who she was! The palace now houses an art gallery.

Sail along the Grand Canal from the train station of Saint Lucia to Piazza San Marco is not an easy journey, but the discovery of this world of lavish mansions, banks and aristocratic overlooking the canal.
We bought our tickets a day vaporetto number 1, which travels slowly towards Piazza San Marco and allows us to calmly observe the palaces and the houses that run along the canal. The channel is 4 kilometers long and wide from 30 to 70 meters to go on until we get to our destination more than 30 minutes. To cross it, there are only three bridges, one in front of the station, the barefoot, as the famous Rialto and the Accademia. In some places you can cross the channel using a kind of ferry service did with the gondolas. Along the Grand Canal and the smaller canals are often seen surfing the gondolas that gently lead the tourists to walk.

At St. Zacaria change and we take a vaporetto to Murano. Stop the island of San Michele, where there is the current cemetery and the church of San Michele.
The journey seems endless but finally we arrive in Murano. Like Venice, Murano is located also on some small islands connected by bridges. Murano is the island of glass artists, where they are produced beautiful glass objects. Murano became the center of glass making since 1291, when Venetian glassmakers to move left on these islands. The reasons why they left Venice were due to fire hazards caused by the furnaces, the glass needed to work, and that these caused by smoking. The island thanks to glass prospered so long as to be independent and to mint its own currency. In the fifteenth and sixteenth century had become the major center of glass manufacturing in Europe. The glass masters enjoyed many privileges, but for those who moved elsewhere were rather harsh penalties provided for in some cases even death. What an exaggeration!

Although the furnaces are now quite a bit smaller than last time, you can watch the production of glass in one of the furnaces still in use. We're going to see we too one of these artists at work. The teacher is well presented, is working on the creation of a large eagle in the glass. Some assistants and a young apprentice assisting him. We remain a lot to observe the various steps of processing. Output is a must ride in a company store. There are beautiful glass objects, real works of art.

We stroll through the alleys of Murano, we visit the Basilica of Saints Mary and Donato. Particularly its apse facing the canal of San Donato.

Let us go back a crowded boat that takes us to Burano. The trip was rather long and uncomfortable for the effect of sardines! Once we arrived at the ferry to Burano Island Torcello fortunately attracts fewer tourists than the other islands for which we do a short ferry ride comfort.

The island of Torcello is a quiet place, although in the past was a thriving island with nearly 20,000 live today only 60 remain. What brought us here is the Byzantine cathedral, the church of Santa Fosca and the chair of Attila. A pleasant walk along a small canal, leads from the jetty to the cathedral. It is a quiet place, you can hear the birds sing, many cats dozing in the meadows and bustle of tourists, the crowds at the ferry to Burano seems light years away.
There are some restaurants and some homes for sale.

In the shade of a tree is the chair of Attila. A photo of what was sitting on the throne of Attila and a must.
The church of Santa Fosca dates from the eleventh and twelfth century, while the cathedral was built in 1008, but it houses much more ancient elements. A noteworthy feature of the mosaic dell'Giudizio universal and the pulpit.
Inside the museum are treasures Estuary that come from old churches and even archaeological finds.

We leave the quiet and pleasant to return to Burano Torcello. Still delighted with the peace and tranquility of Torcello, Burano start our visit from a side street, so postponing the crowds of tourists who crowd the main streets.
Burano is a gem, perhaps the most picturesque islands of the lagoon. The houses of Burano are all colored blue, yellow, red, green, orange, pink. A festival of colors and joy. Cats that wander through the street and front of the homes, the flowers on the windowsills and the laundry hanging in the windows make every corner of Burano a striking picture. A painter does not know what angle to choose, it's all so beautiful and evocative. The church tower is terribly slanted. If Merano is the island of glass Burano lace it is (there is also a museum). The center island and full of tourists and sweet shops and lace. In the sixteenth lace here was expertly worked by women, while men were fishermen, was the most sought after in Europe. The decline of the Venetian Republic also mark the decline of this thriving business. In 1872 a school was founded to recover this lost tradition that was going. The shops are full of lace, but I read that the authentic Burano lace is very hard to find especially since it uneconomical for its realization requires many weeks of work.

The return to Venice we do it again on a crowded boat.

After dinner awaits us night tour of Venice. We take advantage of our piece of the boat to give us a ride on the vaporetto on the Grand Canal. I was expecting more but lighting the buildings are poorly lit. Suggestive but the Rialto bridge until we come to Piazza San Marco and stay a while 'to enjoy the city in evening dress sitting on the many catwalks to the high water placed on the square. We return, again by boat sailing again along the Grand Canal. Always charming.

Castle is the largest district of Venice. It takes its name from the eighth century fortress that stood on the island where now stands the church of San Pietro di Castello, the former religious center of the city.
Very beautiful the facade of Santa Maria dei Derelitti, also known as the hospice is right next to the church of Saints John and Paul. It was built in 1527 to assist the sick, the elderly and to educate girls orphaned or abandoned. The church that was part of the Ospedaletto was designed by Andrea Palladio in 1575.
The investigation of Saints John and Paul is one of the largest Gothic churches in the city. It 'was built between the thirteenth and fourteenth. Surprising its size and its austerity. The church is also known as the Pantheon of Venice because of the countless graves, some real works of art contained inside of the Doges. Ben 25, to be exact!
Piazza San Marco, described by Napoleon as "the most elegant drawing room of Europe", is the only one who can boast the title of the square in Venice.
This large square has always been theater performances, a place of processions, political movements and the parade and festivities associated with Carnival.
The origins of what is one of the best known and most popular carnivals in the world are very old. The word 'carnival' appears for the first time in official documents of Serenenissima dated 1094, but the real holiday is sanctioned by an edict in 1296. He was born a little 'with the same respect with which the Romans had created the Colosseum of ancient Rome and the various circuses. All this served to give the people, even the lower classes, a bit 'of fun and a chance to participate in the festivities. Anonymity was guaranteed by the masks and costumes.
During Carnival, all passed into the background, priority was having fun and celebrating. Many shows and festivals that were set up in Piazza San Marco and in the main street of the city.
Napoleon, in 1797 also brought an end to the Carnival of Venice. What a killjoy! We had to wait until 1979 to see the historic Venice carnival reborn from its ashes and return in a short time to be what we all know.
Piazza San Marco is overlooked by some cafes with their tables outside, the tourists interested in walking and captured the place and the pigeons are undeterred in search of crumbs.
The Basilica of San Marco and the Doge's Palace are close to the additional jewels that decorate this square.
The Basilica of San Marco is imposing, the exterior is impressive as the inside even though I find it always dark and gloomy. Has a structure of a Greek cross and five huge domes. This is the third church erected in this place. The first, which was built in the ninth century to house the body of St. Mark's, was destroyed by fire. The second, built in the eleventh century, was demolished to make way for a basilica that best suited the style of the Venetian republic growing. So in 1063-94 was built the first version of the Basilica, which throughout history has undergone various enlargements and modeling. Only in 1807 became the Cathedral of Venice instead of San Pietro di Castello, which until then was the Basilica of the Doge used for private use and for state ceremonies.
On the front, now partly under renovation, you can see a copy of the original bronze horses which are kept in the Basilica. A curiosity that I read in a magazine these days, which covers precisely these horses ... until 1204, when they were stolen by the Crusaders, along with other priceless furnishings, these horses were part of the artistic heritage of Santa Sophia in Istanbul!
The interior of the Basilica is a wonderful combination of art and objects. The Golden Blade (access to which is free of charge) is unique and attracts floods of tourists in the queue waiting for their turn to see it.
Ducal Palace dates from the ninth century. He was then a fortified castle that was later destroyed by a series of fires. The current building was built between the fourteenth and fifteenth century. A true example of a Gothic masterpiece.
The Venetian Republic was ruled by the Doge, an elected, even if in fact the power to decide was held by the Council of 10 and the board size increased by about 2000 members.
The visit to the palace is amazing. The rooms, the frescoes, the scale of Gold, the room most of the board, everything is really nice. To up the prisons, with their dark rooms and heavy wooden doors and iron offer a glimpse of what were the golden years of the Serenissima.
During the visit we cross the famous Bridge of Sighs, on which passing the defendants directed the inquisitors of State, in a time when torture was a practice. The name in fact is due to the complaints of prisoners. The bridge was built in 1600.
On the square of San Marco, rise, the columns of San Marco and San Teodoro. These are also a booty, so to speak, of war and come from Constantinople. They were erected in 1172. columns between the two executions of criminals were held until the middle of the eighteenth. The criminals who were guilty of terrible crimes were then shot to pieces and scattered throughout the city in order to be a warning to all others who were planning to commit similar crimes ... a macabre and a bit questionable.
Even now, the Venetians superstitious, avoid switching between the two columns.
We travel to visit the streets and the area west of St. Mark's Square, many shops and boutiques along Calle Larga XXII Marzo, and many tourists who stroll. This road takes its name from the March 22, 1848 when there was the revolt of the Manin.
The Teatro La Fenice theater and opera houses. It has an entrance on the ground and on a channel for the lucky ones who can reach the scene by boat or even a gondola. It was rebuilt in 1996, in fact, destroyed by fire. The fires seem to be a constant of this theater since it was built, for the first time in 1792. A fire destroyed it in 1836, was rebuilt the following year. It owes its name to the mythical bird, the phoenix rising from its ashes. The fate of this theater it was to be reborn from the ashes several times. Maybe it was better to choose another name!
We cross the Grand Canal on one of its three bridges, the Bridge Academy to move in the Dorsoduro district which takes its name from the substratum of land on which it built this silk.
We stroll through the lanes until you reach the tip of the island, Santa Maria della Salute. The church in baroque style, was built as a thanksgiving for the end of the plague in 1630, hence the name 'health'. Every year on November 21, the feast of Health, the faithful will come across the Grand Canal on a bridge of boats, decorated for the occasion.
The arsenal was the heart of town maritime power. The Arsenal was founded in the twelfth century and enlarged, then, from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century. In the period of greatest splendor of the maritime republic here we washed up to 16,000 people. We build, repair and equip the great Venetian ships: the galleys. The huge entrance topped by two towers are the only remaining evidence of this place which is said to be a city within a city, because there were workshops, factories, warehouses, docks and foundries. With the fall of the Serenissima this place lost its importance and activity