Venice, Italy

 

St. Mark's Square on a rainy day

Venice was probably founded by refugees from nearby cities who were fleeing the waves of Germanic and Hun invasions. Since the invaders had no sailing experience, the islands were a place to live safely. Venice was the Republic of Venice for over 1100 years (697 until 1797), the merchants of Venice trading among Europe and the East. This ended with Napolean, and then in 1861 Venice became part of unified Italy. The city buildings are supported by pylons in what used to be swampland, there is no rock foundation underneath, so the city is slowly sinking (about 5 inches per century). Today there are only 49000 permanent residents in Venice, over 50% of the lodging is for short term rentals.

Mosaics inside St. Mark's

We took a leisurely stroll through Central Venice. The Opera House has been destroyed by fires in 1836 and 1996. Many Italian Operas premiered here. We wandered until we reached St. Marks Square. The Basilica was started in 832 to house the remains of St. Mark, the evangelist. According to legend, the relics of St. Mark were stolen from his tomb in Egypt, covered in pork meat to escape inspection. Today, the entrance to the Basilica is even with the square, the steps to the church are now below ground. The altar holds his remains. The Square is one of the lowest points in Venice which is why the platforms are stored on the square ready for flooding. About 9 months ago the entrance to St. Mark was protected by a glass wall and gates to avoid flooding the church. The church is filled with mosaics, created over a span of 800 years. The interior of the church is Byzantine style in the form of a Greek cross. Beneath the altar is the crypt contains the Graves of past Bishops. It now has seals and pumps to keep it dry. The clock tower has a 24 hour clock, the earth in the center with the moon and sun circling the earth.

Rialto Bridge

In the afternoon, I walked to the Rialto bridge, the oldest of four bridges across the Grand Canal and then continued to the Basilica of Santa Maria Glorios of the Friars. As you walk in, the Assumption by Titian immediately captures your eye. Nearby is a 13th-century crucifix. In nearby naves are paintings by Bellini and Vivarinni as well as a statue of John the Baptist by Donatella. On leaving the choir is stunning.

Assumption and 13th century cross