Inside Venice [antikvár]

I.' ^^ Mm I I 2-3 The Grand Canal seen tram the Ponte Deit'Accademia. On the right is the church of Santa Maria deiia Saiute and the Punta delta Dogana. 4 This statue of a chimera (a winged lion) is situated in St. Mark's Square. 6 The church of San Giorgio was founded in the loth Century and was rebuilt between 1565 and 1610 tea design by Palladio. 7 The "pettrne" (comb) of a gondola cuts through the waters of the Grand Canal near Rialto. Why is it that Venice appears different from all other cities in the world? One answer could be that the city is made not only of stone, water and air, but is a combination of all these elements. They interact to form a splendid edifice of light, colour and form which is re-invented daily with changes in perspective, the time of day and the seasons. The marvellous uniqueness of its structure makes Venice the place where everyone would like to live or at least spend a part of their existence. Surrounded by the sea, it appears touchingly fragile: a dream made of marble and of dull, almost threatening, skies; a fascinating marvel, built on millions of wooden poles by an indomitable people who represented the last bulwark against the assault of an uncivilised epoch. The first town plan of the city was probably traced by the course of the river Brenta which was prevented from flowing into the sea by the opposing thrust of the Adriatic. Originally, the Canal Grande (Grand Canal) was nothing other than the final stretch of the course ofthe river which snaked its way between islands of mud on its way from the lagoon to the sea. Venice had still to be founded, and all that existed were sparse settlements of fishermen scattered along the coast and in the lagoon area. Around the turn of the 5th century, the new centres of Grado Eraclea, Concordia and Torcello were founded. Waves of refugees abandoned the ancient but Insecure cities of Aquileia, Altino and Caorle, which had been devastated by barbarian invaders, and congregated araund the shores of the large lagoon, squashed between the mouth of the Brenta and the Malamocco coastline. They immediately felt the need to provide themselves with a government and first they elected maritime tribunes who were dependent on the Exarch of Ravenna, and then a "Doge" who established himself first at IVIalamocco, before moving to the safer zone of Rialto. The 120 small islands became united little by little as long tree trunks were driven into the sediment, providing foundations for wooden houses; 450 large and small bridges were built to connect houses, streets and squares. The first Doge of the city was elected in 726 and, from then on, Venice really became an island of happiness which looked on as the rest of the peninsula was devastated by the Ostrogoths. It was to flee from an umpteenth invasion, that of Charlemagne's son Pepin in the year 800, thatthe Venetians founded the fortified heart of Venice. Only 20 years later, this people, who possessed great independence of spirit, were building a basilica to house the sacred mortal remains of Saint IVIark, purloined from Alexandria in Egypt and brought to the lagoon after an adventurous voyage. The relic was accompanied by a symbol, a winged lion with a proud and radiant gaze. This wild beast became the symbol ofthe new powerthat kings and popes, emperors and caliphs would have to learn to take account of. The splendid liberty of Venice transformed it into a republic of oligarchs and this guaranteed it complete autonomy As hertrade increased, the power of the city also grew, to the point where Venice controlled the Mediterranean. Venice, the trading power, established bases at all the strategic points along the trade routes, also thanks to her subtle diplomacy On these shores, Venice was establishing herself as one of the four great