45°26′12″N 12°19′59″E / 45.43667°N 12.33306°E
The Grand Canal (Italian: Canal Grande, Venetian: Canałasso) is the most important canal in Venice, Italy. It forms one of the major water-traffic corridors in the city. Public transport is provided by water buses and private water taxis, but many tourists visit it by gondola.
At one end the canal leads into the lagoon near Santa Lucia railway station and the other end leads into Saint Mark Basin: in between it makes a large S-shape through the central districts ("sestieri") of Venice. It is 3800 m long, 30-70 m wide, with an average depth of five meters.
Description edit
The Grand Canal banks are lined with more than 170 beautiful buildings, most of which date to 13th/18th century and demonstrate the welfare and art created by the Republic of Venice. The noble venetian families faced huge expenses to show off their richness in suitable palazzos: this contest reveals the citizens’ pride and the deep bond with the lagoon.
Amongst the many are the Palazzi Barbaro, Ca' Rezzonico, Ca' d'Oro, Palazzo Dario, Ca' Foscari, Palazzo Barbarigo and the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, housing the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. The churches along the canal include the basilica of Santa Maria della Salute. Centuries-old tradition such as the Historical Regatta are perpetuated every year along the Canal.
Because most of the city's traffic goes along the Canal rather than across it, only one bridge crossed the canal until the 19th century, the Rialto Bridge. There are currently two more bridges, the Ponte dei Scalzi and the Ponte dell'Accademia. A fourth bridge designed by Santiago Calatrava is now under construction, connecting the train station to the vehicle-open area of Piazzale Roma. As was usual in the past, people can still take a ferry ride across the canal at several points by standing up on the deck of a simple gondola called traghetto.
«In this way, the mansions arranged along either bank of the canal made one think of objects of nature, but of a nature which seemed to have created its works with a human imagination.»
Most of the palaces emerge from water without pavement: only sailing one can contemplate continuously this peaceful sequence of façades illuminated by water reflections, isolated from people streams and "fenced" with piles. The Grand Canal is thus an enchanted place, contributing to the magic of one of the most beloved cities in the world.
History edit
The first settlements edit
The Grand Canal probably follows the course of an ancient river (maybe a Brenta's branch) flowing into the lagoon. Adriatic Veneti groups already lived beside the formerly called "Rio Businiacus" before the Roman age. They lived in stilt houses and on fishing and commerce (mainly salt). Under the rule of the Roman empire and later of the Byzantine empire the lagoon became populated and important, and in the early 800s the doge moved his seat from Malamocco to the safer "Rivoaltus".
The increasing trades followed the doge and found in the deep Grand Canal a safe and ship accessible canal-port. As the whole city, this area became compact as we can see today after drainage: at that time the Canal was wider and flowed between small, tide subjected islands connected by wooden bridges.
The "fondaco" houses edit
Along the Canal increased the number of "fondaco" houses, buldings combining the warehouse and the merchant's residence.
A portico (the curia) covers the bank and facilitate the ships' unloading. From the portico a corridor flanked by storerooms reaches a posterior courtyard. Similarly, at the first floor a loggia as large as the portico illuminates the hall in which open the merchant's rooms. The façade is so divided in an airy central part and two more solid sides. A low mezzanine with offices divides the two floors.
The fondaco house had often two lateral defensive towers (torreselle), as in the Fondaco dei Turchi (13th century, almost rebuilt in the 19th). As the Fondaco dei Tedeschi (also facing Grand Canal) it witnesses the high number of foreign merchants: there the Republic supplied them with storerooms and lodging and simultaneously controlled their trades.
More public buildings were built along the Canal at Rialto: palaces for commercial and financial Benches (Palazzo dei Camerlenghi and Palazzo dei Dieci Savi, rebuilt after 1514 fire), a mint. In 1181 Nicolò Barattieri carried out a pontoon bridge connecting Rialto to Mercerie area, later replaced by a wooden bridge with shops on. Warehouses for flour and salt were more peripheral.
The Venetian-Byzantine style edit
From the Byzantine empire arrived goods together with sculptures, friezes, columns and capitals to decorate the fondaco houses of patrician families. The Byzantine art merged with previous elements resulting in a Venetian-Byzantine style; in architecture it was characterized by large loggias with round or elongated arches and by polychrome marbles abundance.
Along the Grand Canal this elements are well preserved in Ca' Farsetti, Ca' Loredan (both municipal seats) and Ca' da Mosto, all dating back to 12th-13th century. During this period Rialto had an intense building development, determining the conformation of the Canal and surrounding areas. As a matter of fact, in Venice building materials are precious and foundations are usually kept: in the subsequent restorations, existing elements will be used again, mixing the Venetian-Byzantine to the new styles (Ca' Sagredo, Palazzo Bembo). Polychromy, three-partitioned façades, loggias, diffuse openings and rooms disposition will form a particular architectural taste that will continue in the future.
The fourth crusade, with the enormous loot of Costantinople sack (1204), and other historical situations will induce Venice to look at eastern art until the late 14th century.
The Venetian Gothic edit
Gothic architecture will therefore find favour quite late, but as a splendid flamboyant Gothic ("gotico fiorito") which will grace Venice, beginning from the southern façade of the Doge's Palace. The verticality and the illumination characterizing the Gothic style found in the porticos and loggias of fondaco houses their natural context: columns get thinner, elongated arches are replaced by pointed or ogee or lobed ones. Porticos rise gently intertwining and drawing open marbles in quatrefoils or similar figures. Façades were plastered in brilliant colors.
The open marble fascias, often referred as "laces", quickly diffused along the Grand Canal. Among the 15th century palaces still showing the original appearance are Ca' d'Oro, Palazzo Bernardo, Ca' Foscari (now housing the University of Venice), Palazzo Pisani Moretta, Palazzi Barbaro, Palazzo Cavalli-Franchetti.
Renaissance edit
By the end of the 15th century Renaissance architecture motifs appears, for example in Palazzo Dario and Palazzo Corner Spinelli; the latter was designed by Mauro Codussi, pioneer of this style in Venice. Ca' Vendramin Calergi, another project of him now hosting the Casino, reveals a completed transition: the numerous and large windows with open marbles are round arched and have columns in the three classical orders.
Classical architecture themes are more evident in Jacopo Sansovino's projects, who arrived from Rome in 1527. Along the Canal he designed Palazzo Corner and Palazzo Dolfin Manin, characterized for grandiosity, for the horizontal layout of the white façades and for the development around a central courtyard. Other Renaissance buildings are Palazzo Papadopoli and Palazzo Grimani. Several palaces of this period had façades with frescoes by painters such as Il Pordenone, Tintoretto, Paolo Veronese, all of them unfortunately lost.
The Venetian Baroque edit
In 1582 Alessandro Vittoria began the construction of Palazzo Balbi (now housing the Government of Veneto), in which Baroque elements can be recognized: fashioned cornices, broken pediments, ornamental motifs.
The protagonist of Baroque architecture in Venice was Baldassarre Longhena. In 1631 he began to build the magnificent Santa Maria della Salute basilica, one of the most beutiful churches in Venice and a symbol of Grand Canal . The classical layout of the façade is stirred by decorations and by many statues, the latter crowning also the refined volutes surrounding the major dome.
Longhena later designed two majestic palaces like Ca' Pesaro and Ca' Rezzonico (with many carvings and chiaroscuro effects) and Santa Maria di Nazareth church (Chiesa degli Scalzi). For various reasons the great architect did not see any of these buildings finished, and they were all modified after his death but the Salute.
Longhena's themes recur in the two older façades of Palazzo Labia, containing a famous fresco cycle by Giambattista Tiepolo. In the Longhenian school grew Domenico Rossi (San Stae's façade, Ca' Corner della Regina) and Giorgio Massari, who later completed Ca' Rezzonico.
The 16th and 17th centuries mark the beginning of the Republic's decline, but nevertheless they saw the highest building activity on the Grand Canal. This can be partially explained by the increasing number of families (like the Labia) becoming patrician by the payment of an enormous sum to the Republic, in financial difficulties. Once gained this status, these families provided themselves of adequate residences on the Canal, often inducing other families to renew theirs.
Neoclassical architecture edit
Neoclassical architectures along the Canal date to 18th century: during the first half was built San Simeone Piccolo, with an impressive corinthian portico, central plan and a high copper-covered dome ending in a cupola shaped as a temple. Date to the second half Massari's Palazzo Grassi.
The last two centuries edit
After the Republic fall in 1797 the housing in Venice got frozen, as symbolized in the unfinished San Marcuola and Palazzo Venier dei Leoni (Peggy Guggenheim Collection seat). Patrician families lost their desire of self-exaltation and many of them died out. Several historical palaces were pulled down, but most of them survived and good restorations have saved their 18th century appearance. The most important are owned public and host institutions and museums.
Religious buildings underwent the consequences of religious orders suppression decreed by Napoleon in the Kingdom of Italyperiod. Many churches and monasteries were deprived of furnishings and works of art, changed their function (like Santa Maria della Carità complex, now housing the Gallerie dell'Accademia) or were demolished. The Santa Croce complex naming a sestiere was situated in Papadopoli Gardens area; Santa Lucia complex (partially designed by Palladio) was razed to the ground to build Santa Lucia Station.
The Kingdom of Italy accession restored serenity in the city and stimulated a housing resumption on Grand Canal respecting its beauty, often reproduced in Gothic Revival architectures like the Pescaria at Rialto.
[[Immagine:Grand Canal Venise 07.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Gondolas on Grand Canal.]]
Events edit
Historical Regatta edit
On the first sunday of september takes place the Historical Regatta ("Regata Storica"), a competition between Venetian boats watched by thousands of people from the banks or from floating stands. Competitions are preceded by a historical procession ("Corteo Storico") remembering the entrance of the Queen of Cyprus Catherine Cornaro after abdication in 1489: gondoliers in costumes sail in typical 1500s boats following the Bucentaur, doge's state galley.
The Feast-day of the Madonna della Salute edit
On November, 21st Venetians thank Madonna for saving from a plague epidemic in 1630-31 with a pilgrimage to Santa Maria della Salute. Pilgrims cross Grand Canal on a temporary bridge built on boats from Campo Santa Maria Zobenigo, and enjoy stalls and traditional dishes.
Itinerary edit
| RIGHT SIDE | LEFT SIDE |
|---|---|
| Ponte della Libertà | |
| Santa Chiara ex-monastery (Police Headquarter) | Railway area |
| Canale di Santa Chiara | |
| Calatrava's bridge | |
| Piazzale Roma vaporetto station | Railway Department old seat |
| Rio Novo | |
| Papadopoli Gardens | |
| Rio della Croce | |
| Palazzo Emo Diedo (Tirali, 17th century) | Santa Lucia Station |
| Wool-cloth Weavers Guildhall | |
| File:San simeon piccolo.jpg San Simeone Piccolo (18th century) | |
| Palazzo Adoldo | |
| Palazzo Foscari-Contarini | Santa Maria di Nazareth or Chiesa degli Scalzi File:Santa Maria di Nazareth.jpg |
 Ponte dei Scalzi
| |
| Rio Marin | Ferrovia vaporetto station |
| Campo San Simeon Grande | Palazzo Calbo Crotta |
| Rio Tera' dei Sabbioni | |
| Palazzo Gritti | Palazzo Flangini (Giuseppe Sardi, 16th century) |
| Palazzo Corner | Scuola dei Morti (Confraternity praying at funerals) |
| Palazzo Donà Balbi | San Geremia (18th century) 
|
| Palazzo Zen | Palazzo Labia (17th century, frescoes by Giambattista Tiepolo) 
|
| Riva di Biasio vaporetto station | Canale di Cannaregio |
| Palazzo Marcello Toderini | Palazzo Emo |
| Palazzo Querini | |
| Rio di San Zan Degolà | Palazzo Correr Contarini Zorzi |
| Palazzo Giovanelli | Palazzo Gritti |
| Casa Correr | San Marcuola (18th century, unfinished) 
|
| Traghetto Museo | Traghetto San Marcuola |
| Fondaco dei Turchi (Venetian-Byzantine, Venetian Museum of Natural History) |
San Marcuola vaporetto station |
| Rio del Fondaco dei Turchi | Rio di San Marcuola |
 Fondaco del Megio |
Ca' Vendramin Calergi (Mauro Codussi, Renaissance, 15th-16th century; Wagner died here; Casino winter seat) 
|
| Palazzo Belloni Battagia (Baldassare Longhena, Baroque, 17th century) | |
| Rio di Ca' Tron | |
| Ca' Tron (16th century, IUAV) | Palazzo Marcello (Benedetto Marcello was born here) |
| Palazzo Duodo | Palazzo Erizzo |
| Palazzo Priuli Bon | Palazzo Soranzo Piovene |
| San Stae vaporetto station | Palazzo Emo at Maddalena |
 San Stae (18th century) |
Palazzo Molin Querini |
| Gold Craftsmen Guildhall | Rio della Maddalena |
| Rio della Rioda | Palazzo and Palazzetto Barbarigo |
| Palazzo Coccina Giunti Foscarini Giovannelli | |
| Rio della Pergola | Palazzo Gussoni Grimani Della Vida |
.jpg) Ca' Pesaro (Longhena, Baroque, 17th century, Museum of Modern Art) |
Rio di Noale |
| Rio di Ca' Pesaro (or delle Due Torri) | Palazzetto da Lezze |
| Palazzo Donà | Palazzo Boldù |
| Palazzo Correggio | Palazzo Contarini Pisani |
| Ca' Corner della Regina (18th century; Caterina Cornaro was born in a previous palazzo on the same area) | |
| Ca' Favretto (Giacomo Favretto lived here) | Rio di San Felice |
| Rio di San Cassiano | Palazzo Fontana Rezzonico (the Pope Clement XIII was born here) |
| Palazzo Morosini Brandolin | Palazzo Giusti |
| Fondamenta dell'Olio | Ca' d'Oro (Gothic, 15th century, Galleria Franchetti)
|
| Ca' d'Oro vaporetto station | |
| Palazzo della Pretura | Palazzo Giustinian Pesaro |
| Rio delle Beccarie | Ca' Sagredo |
| Pescaria (Gothic Revival, 20th century) |
Campo Santa Sofia |
| Traghetto Pescaria | Traghetto Santa Sofia |
| Campo della Pescaria | Palazzetto Foscari |
Palazzo Michiel dalle Colonne 
| |
 Fabbriche Nuove (Sansovino, 16th century) |
Palazzo Michiel del Brusà |
| Palazzo Smith Mangilli Valmarana | |
| Rio dei Santi Apostoli | |
| Ca' da Mosto (Venetian-Byzantine, 13th century) | |
| Palazzo Bollani Erizzo (Pietro Aretino lived here) | |
| Rio di San Giovanni Crisostomo | |
| Fabbriche Vecchie (Scarpagnino, 16th century) | Campiello del Remer |
| Palazzo Civran | |
| Palazzo Ruzzini | |
| Rio del Fontego dei Tedeschi | |
 Palazzo dei Camerlenghi (Renaissance, 16th century) |
Fondaco dei Tedeschi (XVI century, Poste italiane seat in Venice) 
|
 Rialto Bridge
| |
 Palazzo dei Dieci Savi (Scarpagnino, 16th century) |
Riva del Ferro |
| Fondamenta del Vin | Rialto vaporetto station |
Palazzo Dolfin Manin (Sansovino, Renaissance, 16th century, Banca d'Italia Venice seat) 
| |
| Rio di San Salvador | |
| Palazzo Bembo (Gothic, 15th century; Pietro Bembo was born here) | |
| Traghetto Rialto | |
| Traghetto San Silvestro | Ca' Loredan (Venetian-Byzantine, 13th century, Municipal seat) 
|
| Casa Ravà (Gothic Revival, 20th century) | Ca' Farsetti (Venetian-Byzantine, 12th-13th century, Municipal seat) |
| San Silvestro vaporetto station | Palazzo Cavalli |
| Palazzo Barzizza | Palazzo Grimani (Renaissance, 16th century, Appellate court) |
| Palazzo Giustinian Businello | |
| Rio dei Meloni | Rio di San Luca |
| Palazzo Papadopoli | Palazzo Corner Contarini dei Cavalli |
| Palazzo Tron | |
| Palazzo Donà | Palazzo D'Anna Viaro Martinengo Volpi di Misurata |
| Palazzo Donà della Madoneta | |
| Rio della Madoneta | Palazzo Querini Benzon |
 Palazzo Bernardo (Gothic, 15th century) |
Rio di Ca' Michiel |
| Palazzo Querini Dubois | Palazzo Curti Valmarana |
| Palazzo Grimani Marcello | Palazzo Corner Spinelli (Codussi, Renaissance , 15th century) |
| Ca' Cappello | Sant'Angelo vaporetto station |
| Rio di San Polo | Casa Barocci |
| Palazzo Barbarigo della Terrazza (16th century) | Rio di Ca' Garzoni |
 Palazzo Pisani Moretta (Gothic, 15th century) |
Palazzo Garzoni |
| Palazzo Tiepolo | Traghetto Garzoni |
| Palazzo Tiepolo Passi | Fondaco Marcello |
| Palazzo Giustinian Persico | Palazzo Corner Gheltoff |
| Rio di San Tomà | Palazzi Mocenigo (16th-17th century; Giordano Bruno, Thomas Moore and Lord Byron stayed here) |
| Traghetto San Tomà | |
| Palazzo Marcello dei Leoni | |
| Palazzo Dolfin | |
| San Tomà/Frari vaporetto station | |
| Palazzo Dandolo | |
| Palazzo Civran Grimani | |
| Rio della Frescada | Palazzo Contarini delle Figure (Andrea Palladio stayed here) |
| Palazzo Caotorta-Angaran | |
 Palazzo Balbi (Vittoria, Renaissance with Baroque elements, 16th century; Government of Veneto seat) |
Palazzo Erizzo Nani Mocenigo |
| Rio di Ca' Foscari | |
 Ca' Foscari (Gothic, 15th century; University of Venice main seat) |
Palazzo Da Lezze |
| Palazzi Giustinian (Gothic, 15th century; Richard Wagner stayed here) | Palazzo Moro-Lin 
|
| Ca' Bernardo | |
| Palazzo Bernardo Nani | Palazzo Grassi (Massari, Neoclassical, 18th century) 
|
 Ca' Rezzonico (Longhena, Massari; 17th-18th century; Museum of Eighteenth-Century Culture)
| |
| Rio di San Barnaba | San Samuele |
| Palazzo Contarini Michiel | San Samuele vaporetto station |
| Ca' Rezzonico vaporetto station | Casa Francheschinis (20th century) |
| Traghetto San Barnaba | Traghetto San Samuele |
| Palazzetto Stern | Palazzo Malipiero 
|
| Rio Malpaga | |
| Palazzo Moro ("Otello's house") | |
| Palazzo Loredan dell'Ambasciatore (Gothic, 15th century) | |
| Rio di San Trovaso | |
| Palazzi Contarini degli Scrigni and Corfù | Ca' del Duca |
| Rio del Duca | |
| Palazzo Falier | |
| Palazzo Mocenigo Gambara | Palazzo Giustinian Lolin (Longhena, 17th century) |
| Palazzo Querini | |
| Scuola Grande di Santa Maria della Carità (Massari, 18th century; Gallerie dell'Accademia) | Palazzo Civran Badoer Barozzi |
| Accademia vaporetto station | Rio di San Vidal |
| Santa Maria della Carità (Gothic, 15th century; deconsecrated, now part of Gallerie dell'Accademia museum) | Campo San Vidal |
 Ponte dell'Accademia
| |
| Palazzo Brandolin Rota (Toti dal Monte owned it) | Palazzo Cavalli-Franchetti (Gothic, 15th century; Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti) 
|
| Palazzo Contarini Dal Zaffo (Gothic and Renaissance elements, 15th century) | |
| Palazzo Balbi Valier | Palazzi Barbaro |
| Palazzo Loredan (Cini Foundation) | Palazzo Benzon Foscolo |
| Rio di San Vio | Palazzetto Pisani |
| Campo San Vio | Rio del Santissimo |
| Palazzo Barbarigo (modern mosaics) | Palazzo Succi |
| Palazzo Da Mula | Casa Stecchini |
| Palazzo Centani Morosini | |
| Ca' Biondetti (Rosalba Carriera lived here) | Casina delle Rose (Antonio Canova and Gabriele D'Annunzio worked here) |
 Palazzo Venier dei Leoni (Peggy Guggenheim collection) |
Palazzo Corner della Ca' Granda (Sansovino, Renaissance, 16th century; Province of Venice and Prefect seat) 
|
| Rio delle Torreselle | Rio di San Maurizio (Venice) |
 Palazzo Dario (Renaissance, 15th century) |
Palazzo Minotto |
| Palazzo Barbaro Wolkoff (Eleonora Duse lived here) | Palazzo Barbarigo |
| Rio della Fornace | Rio di Santa Maria Zobenigo |
| Palazzo Salviati | Santa Maria del Giglio vaporetto station |
| Palazzo Orio Semitecolo Benzon | Palazzo Venier Contarini |
| Traghetto S.Gregorio | Traghetto S.Maria del Giglio |
| Casa Santomaso | Palazzo Pisani Gritti |
| Palazzo Genovese (Gothic Revival, 19th century) | Rio delle Ostreghe |
| San Gregorio ex-abbey | Palazzo Ferro Fini (Regional Council of Veneto) |
| Rio della Salute | |
| Salute vaporetto station | Palazzo Contarini Fasan (Gothic , 15th century; "Desdemona's house") 
|
 Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute (Longhena, Baroque, 17th century) |
Palazzo Contarini |
| Palazzo Michiel Alvisi | |
| Patriarchal Seminary | Palazzo Badoer Tiepolo |
 Punta della Dogana |
Ca' Giustinian (Gothic, 15th century; municipal, Venice Biennale offices) |
| Rio di San Moisè | |
| Hotel Bauer (Gothic Revival, 19th century) | |
| Palazzo Treves de Bonfili | |
| Palazzo Vallaresso Erizzo | |
| Harry's Bar | |
| San Marco/Vallaresso vaporetto station | |
| Fonteghetto della Farina (Renaissance, 15th century) | |
| Venice Pavilion | |
Sister projects edit
Media related to Canal Grande (Venice) at Wikimedia Commons
References edit
- A. Zorzi, P. Marton I Palazzi Veneziani – Magnus Ed., Udine 1989; ISBN 88-7057-083-5
- M. Brusegan La grande guida dei monumenti di Venezia - Newton & Compton Ed., Roma 2005; ISBN 88-541-0475-2.
- E. e W. Eleodori Il Canal Grande. Palazzi e Famiglie – Corbo e Fiore Editori, II ed., Venezia 2007; ISBN 88-7086-057-4.
- Guida d'Italia – Venezia. 3a ed. Milano, Touring Editore, 2007. ISBN 978-88-365-4347-2.
- Alvise Zorzi, P. Marton. I Palazzi Veneziani. Udine, Magnus, 1989. ISBN 88-7057-083-5.
- Venezia e provincia. Milano, Touring Editore, 2004. ISBN 88-365-2918-6.
- Raffaella Russo. Palazzi di Venezia. Venezia, Arsenale Ed., 1998. ISBN 88-7743-185-7.
- Umberto Franzoi, Mark Smith. Canal Grande. Venezia, Arsenale Ed., 1993. ISBN 88-7743-131-8.
- Giuseppe Mazzariol (a cura di). I Palazzi del Canal Grande. Novara, Istituto Geografico De Agostini, 1989.
- Gianjacopo Fontana. Venezia monumentale - I Palazzi. Venezia, Filippi Ed., 1967.
- Andrea Fasolo, Mark Smith. Palazzi di Venezia. Venezia, Arsenale Ed., 2003. ISBN 88-7743-295-0.
- [1]
- Terisio Pignatti (a cura di). Le scuole di Venezia. Milano, Electa, 1981.
- Silvia Gramigna, Annalisa Perissa. Scuole di Arti, Mestieri e Devozione a Venezia. Venezia, Arsenale Coop
- Giuseppe Tassini. Curiosità Veneziane. Venezia, Filippi Ed., 2001.
See also edit