The Wonders of Venice

Arriving at Marina S. Ellena, Venice

After a lovely stay at Burano, we motored down the Venetian lagoon via Canale Giacomo and Canale delle Navi, arriving at the southeast end of Venice and moored at modern Marina S. Ellena with the usual stern-tie procedure. 

Marina courtesy skiff guides boaters into an assigned space 

To make things easier, marina staff use a skiff to push boats into position, a helpful aid in windy conditions.  This part of town is a quiet residential area, offering a genuine Venetian culture with family-run restaurants, removed from the throngs of tourists.  But a visit to Venice is not complete without seeing the magnificent splendor and wealth of the past found at St. Mark’s Square.  Thanks to Danielle and her parents who arranged an all-day tour (with breaks), including many of these must-see sites:  Palaces of the Grand Canal via a private excursion tour boat; a personal tour of the impressive Doges’ Palace; the awe-inspiring St. Mark’s Basilica; the Clocktower; and the Bridge of Sighs, including the prison cells.  The official birthday of Venice is March 25, 421, according to tradition when the population fled the barbarian invasions and established the first settlement on the islands of the lagoon.  At that time Venice was an unhealthy swamp whose inhabitants eked a living by fishing and salt production. 

A Private Tour of the Grand Canal with friends Mark and Danielle

The term Venetia was used to refer to all of Veneto, the area of the lagoons still in Byzantine hands.  In the 13^th Century, sixty parishes joined forces.  Each parish corresponded to an island with some houses and palaces; the islands were linked by ferries or by foot bridges. 

Opulent Palaces line the Grand Canal

The islands constituted a single territory under a government that had already started to claim its independence in the 9^th Century.  The fortune of Venice came from its position  and its efficient merchant fleet and participation in the Crusades.  St. Mark’s Square, the only real square in Venice, is the location of St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doges’ Palace, the Clocktower, the Procuratie (museum of artifacts), and the Campanile (bell tower).  A Doge was the chief magistrate and leader of the Serene Republic of Venice (697-1797).  Doges were elected for life by the aristocracy.  The man selected as Doge was usually the wisest elder in the city; being an elder, his term of office was often short-lived. 

St. Mark's Square

The Doges’ Palace was the residence for the Doge and was the seat of government.  It was Doge Enrico Dandolo that promoted the Fourth Crusade, which led to the overthrow of the Greek Byzantine Empire.  The Gothic architecture and opulence of the palace is a masterpiece. 

The internal courtyard of the Doges' Palace

The Palace has an internal courtyard with a grand staircase that leads to the Doges’ apartments.  Doges were expected to bring their own furnishings for their apartment.  When the Doge passed away, the family was expected to immediately clear out the apartment. 

The Golden Staircase, Doges' Palace

Other rooms in the Palace were for government administration and judicial purposes, entered by the Golden Staircase with a 24-carat ceiling. 

The Largest Room in the Doges' Palace

The room known as the largest in the world was used for social gatherings. Huge friezes and paintings adorn all of the walls and ceilings of the Palace.  Only the best Venetian painters were contracted to do the work. 

The Senate Hall

The legislators, chaired by the Doge, debated and passed laws in the Senate Hall.   The Hall of the Council of Ten is where 10 judges along with the Doge and his advisers met to hand out punishment to traitors and violators.  A secret door in one of the wood panels leads to the prison. 

Bridge of Sighs (set back) connects the Doges' Palace with the prison cells

By the 1500’s, the dungeons were full of political prisoners so new prisons were built across the canal connected by a bridge, the Bridge of Sighs, from which prisoners saw their last glimpse of Venice. 

Walking through the Bridge of Sighs

Next to the Doges’ Palace is the incredibly rich and beautiful Basilica, a mix of East and West with Muslim-shaped onion domes, Roman-style arches and marble columns, Byzantine mosaics, and carvings from Constantinople. 

St Mark's Basilica

Surprisingly, all these elements come together, creating the most interesting church in all of Europe.  St Mark’s Basilica is a treasure chest of booty from Venice’s glory days.  The Doge-led Crusaders brought back valuables from the Byzantine capitol, Constantinople, including bronze horses, bronze doors, enamels, and marbles. 

The Basilica Treasury holds an amazing collection of treasures from Constantinople.  Golden mosaics cover all the walls and domes of the Basilica, reflecting light as if from heaven; the artistry is stately and awe inspiring. 

Pieces of gold leaf were adhered to small cubes of glass or stone and pressed into wet clay – assembled on the ground – then cemented onto the walls.  Thousands of square meters of gold mosaics include the Pentecost Mosaic, Ascension Mosaic, the Last Supper, and many other Bible stories.  The Golden Alter piece is made of 250 enamels, 15 large rubies, 300 emeralds, 1,500 pearls, and assorted sapphires, amethysts, and topaz; all part of the Venetians’ plunder of 1204, subsequently pieced together by Byzantine craftsmen.  Even the floors are mosaics, with geometric patterns, made from colorful natural stone.  Visitors will notice that the floors are uneven due to the sinking and shifting of Venice.  Think of all the weight from the many buildings atop foundations constructed over marsh land of a lagoon; Venice is indeed a marvel.

If you would like more information on Canal Boating in Europe, or to book a canal boat trip for 2019, contact Mark Bunzel, (mark.bunzel@gmail.com) for information and briefings on canal boat trips in France and Italy now being planned.