The 15th cent. saw the zenith of the republic’s glory, when her fleet commanded the whole of the E. Mediterranean. But after their capture of Constantinople in 1453 the Turks began to menace the Venetian supremacy. The discovery of America and of the new sea-routes to India carried the world’s traffic into new channels, while her continental possessions involved her in the wars between the rival powers of France, Austria, and Spain. Her protracted conflicts with the Turks led in 1718 to the final loss of all her Oriental possessions, and in 1798 her political independence was destroyed by the French. From 1814 to 1866 Venice belonged to Austria, and since 1866 has formed a part of the kingdom of Italy, under whose auspices her trade has somewhat revived.
The *Canal Grande or Canalazzo, the main artery of Venice, intersects the city from the Railway Station (Pl. C, D, 3) to the harbour (Canale or Bacino di San Marco, Pl. G-K, 6, 7), from N.W. to S.E., and resembles an inverted S in shape. The voyage through it by steamer (p. [419]; 25 min.) or by gondola (p. [419]; 1 hr., preferable) conveys a most striking impression of the magnificence of mediæval Venice. The canal is bordered with fine old guild-houses, sumptuous churches, and stately palaces of the 12–18th cent., and each of its bends reveals a new and picturesque vista.
| Left. | Right. |
|---|---|
| Chiesa degli Scalzi (Pl. D, 3; church of the barefooted friars), in the highly ornate baroque style (1649–89). | |
| Fóndaco dei Turchi (Pl. E, 3; ‘trade hall of the Turks’), a late Romanesque edifice (11th cent.), restored in 1861–9, now the Museo Civico. | |
| *Palazzo Vendramin-Calergi (Pl. E, F, 3), the most beautiful early-Renaissance palace in Venice (1509), in which Richard Wagner died in 1883. | |
| Palazzo Pésaro (Pl. F, 3), the most brilliant example of late-Renaissance (1679), now the Gallería d’Arte Moderna. | |
| *Cà Doro (Pl. F, 3), the most elegant Gothic palace (15th cent.). | |
| Fóndacodei Tedeschi (Pl. G, 4; p. [420]), once the warehouse of the Germans (1505). | |
| The *Ponte di Rialto (Pl. G, 4; ‘Rivo Alto’, the ancient name of Venice; comp. p. [420]), is a marble arch of 29½ yds. span and 74 ft. in breadth, flanked with shops (1588–92). | |
| Near the bridge are the steamboat-piers of Cerva and Riva del Carbón (p. [419]), whence the Mercería (Pl. G, 4, 5), a street of shops, and the Calle dei Fabbri (Pl. G, 5) both lead in 5 min. to St. Mark’s. | |
| Pal. Loredan (Pl. F, 5) and Pal. Farsetti, once Dándolo, both Romanesque (12th cent.). | |
| *Pal. Grimani, high-Renaissance, Sanmicheli’s masterpiece (16th cent.). | Pal. Papadópoli (16th cent.). |
| Pal. Pisani (a San Polo), Gothic (15th cent.). | |
| Pal. Corner-Spinelli, early-Renaissance, in the style of the Lombardi. | Pal. Grimani, high-Renaissance (16th cent.). |
| Near it is steamboat pier San Tomà (Pl. E, 5; p. [419]), for the old Franciscan church *Frari (Pl. E, 5; adm., see p. [420]; ticket valid also for San Tomà), in the Gothic style (1380–1417), the resting-place of many eminent Venetians, with admirable altar-pieces by Giov. Bellini and Titian (temporarily in San Tomà, close by; adm. 9–5, ticket 50 c. admitting also to the Frari church). | |
| *Pal. Fóscari (Pl E, 5), Gothic (15th cent.). | |
| Pal. Rezzonico (Pl E, 6), built in 1680. Robert Browning died here in 1889. | |
| Between the Campo San Vitale (Vidal) and the Campo della Carità is the Ponte di Ferro or dell’Accadémia (Pl. E, 6). | |
| Near the bridge is steamboat pier Accadémia (p. [419]) for the *Accadémia di Belle Arti (Pl. E, 6), containing admirable Venetian pictures (G. Bellini, Carpaccio, Titian, P. Veronese). Adm., see p. [420]. | |
| Pal. Cavalli (Pl. E, 6), now Franchetti, Gothic (15th. cent.). | |
| Pal. Corner della Cà Grande (Pl. F, 6), by Jac. Sansovino (1532). | |
| Pal. Contarini-Fasan (Pl. F, G, 6), Gothic (14th cent.). | *Santa Maria della Salute (Pl. F, G, 6), by Bald. Longhena (17th cent.); fine pictures by Titian in the sacristy. |
| Dogana di Mare (Pl. G, 6), custom-house (1676–82), on the point between the Grand and the Giudecca canals. | |
| Giardino Reale (Pl. G, 6), or royal garden, behind the Procuratie Nuove (p. [423]). | |
| Molo (Pl. H, 6), adjoining the Piazzetta (p. [423]). | |
From the Molo, or from one of the steamboat-piers (p. [419]) of San Marco (Pl. G, 6) or San Zaccaria (Pl. H, 5), we next visit the **Piazza di San Marco (Pl. G, 5), the centre of the traffic of the city. Even now this far-famed piazza (182 yds. long, 100 yds. wide at the E. end, 61 at the W. end; paved with slabs of trachyte and marble) conveys an admirable idea of the ancient glory of Venice.
On the N. and S. sides of the piazza rise the Procuratíe, once the residences of the nine procurators or highest officials of the republic. The Procuratíe Vecchie, on the N. side, were erected in 1480–1517. The Procuratíe Nuove, now used along with the adjacent old Library (see below) as a royal palace, were begun by Vinc. Scamozzi in 1584. The Atrio or Nuova Fábbrica, on the W. side, dates only from 1810. The groundfloors of these buildings, flanked with arcades, are now occupied by cafés (p. [419]) and shops.
The old Campanile di San Marco, at the corner of the Old Library, collapsed in 1902, but has been rebuilt. The top of the tower (adm. 15 c.) commands a fine and extensive *View. The Torre dell’ Orologio, a clock-tower built in 1496–9, adjoining the Old Procuratie, forms the entrance to the Mercería (p. [421]).
The church of **San Marco (Pl. H, 5), which is said to contain the bones of St. Mark, was begun in 830, rebuilt after a fire in 976, and restored after the middle of the 11th cent. in the Byzantine style. The ground-plan (83½ yds. long, 56¾ yds. broad in front) is in the form of a Greek cross (with equal arms), crowned with five domes. The front arm of the cross is flanked with a colonnade. Outside and inside the church is adorned with over five hundred marble columns, mostly Oriental, and with mosaics, chiefly of the 10–16th centuries. The Gothic additions to the façade (15th cent.) enhance its fantastic charm. Over the main portal are four antique bronze-gilt horses from Constantinople.
The Interior is wonderfully impressive. The beauty of the outlines and the magnificence of the decoration are equally striking. The priceless Pala d’Oro, which forms the altar-piece, from Constantinople (1105), is shown on week-days (11–2; ticket, 50 c., admits also to the Tesoro in the right transept, 11–2).
Adjoining the Piazza of St. Mark, on the side next the lagoon, is the *Piazzetta (Pl. H, 5, 6). The *Librería Vecchia, or old library, now part of the royal palace (see above), by Jac. Sansovino (1536–53), is one of the most beautiful secular buildings in Italy. The adjacent Zecca (mint) now contains the famous library of San Marco. On the opposite (E.) side of the square rises the—
**Doges’ Palace (Palazzo Ducale; Pl. H, 5), which is said to have been founded in 814 as the residence of the first doge. It was rebuilt after the fires of 976 and 1105, and has since been repeatedly restored and altered. The Gothic exterior is flanked with two superb arcades with pointed arches; the W. front dates from 1423–8; the S. front, next the lagoon, is of the 14th century.