About Venice
If time stands still at any place...it is in Venice ...a beautiful, breathtaking city in Italy . It is lovingly called " La Serenissima " by its inhabitants;meaning "most serene".
The city is surprisingly free of cars and motorbikes as people prefer making their way on foot or by boat. Venice is like an ancient maze of narrow streets and winding canals, its charm of an era gone by still intact, giving the city an etherial almost magical feel. The city is filled with many architectural gems, in the form of churches and cathedrals, reminding us of its glorious past.
Venice is made up of 118 bodies of land in a lagoon. It connects to the main land by a causeway at its northwestern end. The Grand Canal snakes through the city, dividing it into Sestieri (sixths, or districts) such as Cannaregio, which has the train station;Castello extending from the east towards the Arsenal, San Marco which fills the area between P.S.Marco and the Grand Canal etc. There are no individual street numbers within each sestiere, door numbers form one long haphazard set.
Venice is notoriously hard to navigate but there are yellow signs in the city indicating certain landmarks.
The people of Venice have retained their culture and traditions and we are more likely to hear them speak regional dialects than standard Italian. Venice cuisine too, just like its landscape is very distinct, the local sea food which includes Calamari, Octopus, Shrimp etc, tempting the taste buds. The beautiful city has in its midst many churches, and is world renowned for them.
Sliding down quietly, Venice's canals in a Gondola, passing its houses and palazzi, a visitor is transported in a different world, where behind its beauty and charm is also the fear of sinking slowly into oblivion. There are innumerable sites of interest in Venice , few of the important ones are listed below:
Piazza San Marco - In contrast to the narrow maze like streets, the Piazza is an expanse of light and space, framed by museums and medieval buildings.
the Basilica Di San Marco houses the remains of St. Mark in an alter guilded with gold and encrusted with precious gems.
Torre'Dell Orologio - This is a 15th century clock tower to the left of S.Marco and it indicates the hour, lunar phase and ascending constellation.
Palazzo Ducale : It was once home to Venice 's mayor and today its the site of Venice 's finest museums.The palace epitomises the Venetian Gothic with elegant arcades and light colored stone cladding.
Museo Civico Correr -This museum houses many neo-clasical masterpieces by Canova.
Chiesa Di San Zaccaria - This Gothic Renaissance church holds one of the masterpieces of Venetian renaissance- Giovanni Bellini's Virgin and Child.
Basilica Di Santa Maria Dei Frar i- It houses a moving wooden sculpture of St.John by Donatello, Bellini's Madonna and Saints and Titian's famous Asuumption, as well as the remains of Titian himself.
Scuola Grande Di San Roco - these are ornate "club houses" like a cross between guilds and religious fraternities. this has 56 Tintorettos which took 23 years to paint.
Accademia -Its a must see for art lovers, it has many world class masterpieces.
Chiesa Di Santassimi Giovanni E Paolo - this is the largest Gothic church in the city built from the mid 13th to mid 15th centuries. It has in its midst a beautiful statue designed by Verrochio, Da Vinci's teacher.
Jewish Ghetto - in 1516 the Doge forced Venice 's Jewish poulation into the old cannon foundary area, coining the modern term "ghetto". several synagogues in this area are open for tours.
Giudecca, San Giorgio Maggiore and the Lagoon - many of Venice 's most beautful churches are a boat ride away from S.Marco.
Towards the north of Venice Streches the enchanting lagoon.
The Rialto Bridge which arches over the Grand Canal was constructed from 1588-91. the view at night, with Dazzling refelections of light are very impressive.
Venice ...where culture and tradition remain almost unchanged in this rapidly changing world...surprises many visitors who are lured to this "bella" of the north.