From
the Fondamenta Nuove to the Biennale
This
route begins at the Fondamenta Nuove and crosses the
district of Castello, the largest in Venice. Following
the signs for Rialto you proceed through the maze of
narrow streets as far as the church of San Canciano.
After
crossing Campo Santa Maria Nova, you reach the church
of Santa Maria dei Miracoli, a renaissance jewel in
the heart of Venice with its facade completely adorned with
polychrome marble; inside a painting of the Madonna executed
in 1408. Next to the church is the late Gothic Palazzo
Soranzo van Axel.
Turn
left into the Calle delle Erbe which leads to campo
SS. Giovanni e Paolo.In
this campo are the Monastery and the Basilica of SS.
Giovanni e Paolo and the Scuola di San Marco,
now housing a hospital; many works of art formerly contained
here are now in the Gallerie dell’Accademia. In the
middle of the campo is the equestrian monument to Bartolomeo
Colleoni sculpted by Andrea Verrocchio.
The
Basilica of SS. Giovanni e Paolo, as well as the Basilica
Dei Frari, provides a remarkable example of a grand Venetian
sacred Gothic architecture. The former has traditionally been
the burial place of the Doges.
Inside
there are artworks by Bellini and Piazzetta. Beyond the basilica
stands the small church of Santa d Derelitti also called dellìOspedaletto,
planned by Longhena. Continue on to the calle Barbarie
delle Tole, along which there is a series of fascinating
palaces, such as Palazzo Morosini, palazzo Muazzo and Palazzo
Gradenigo with its private bridge. Beyond the brige, in
the campo stands the former church of Santa Giustina.
Proceed
along calle del Tedeum and calle San Francesco
which leads to the church of San Francesco della Vigna, planned
by Sansovino, although the facade was after completed by Palladio.
Beyond the church, after crossing Campo della Celestia
and the Rio with the same name, through Campo Santa
Ternita, into Calle dell'Olio, the Salizada
delle Gatte leads to the Campiello Ugo
Foscolo; here stands the house where the poet lived as
an adolescent.
Further
ahead there is the Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni
which houses the St. George cycle of paintings
by Carpaccio, in the lower hall.
Beyond
Rio della Pietà you reach an area where the community
of the Greeks settled after the fall of Costantinople
in 1453. They still practise the Greek Orthodox rite in the
Church of San Giorgio.
Calle
Bosello leads to Campo San Giovanni in Bragora;
the Gothic church with the dame name houses some masterpieces
by Vivarini and Cima da Conegliano. After calle
della Crosera, calle Erizzo leads to Campo San
Martino. The church with the same name Wad planned by Sansovino.
Next
to the church stands the former Scuola di San Martino,
premises of the Confraternity of caulkers working
in the nearby Arsenale. It was there that the ships of the
Venetian Republic were built. The sumptuous portal provides
the first example of Renaissance art in Venice. The
Arsenale is not opened to the public, you can however
visit the Museo Storico Navale housed in the old granaries
of the Republic. From St. Mark’s Basin you can see the Island
of San Giorgio Maggiore with its Palladian church,
San Clemente, San Lazzaro and the Lido.
After crossing the bridge begins Via Garibaldi, an
extraordinary large street in Venice. Towards the end of the
street you get to the Island of San Pietro, premises
of the former Venice Cathedral from 1451 to 1807.
On
the picturesque campo, with grass and trees, stands the bell
tower planned by Codussi and the cloister of the ancient Patriarchal
Palace. This route ends on the Riva dei Sette Martiri,
in front of the Giardini della Biennale.
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