Venice Travel Guide

Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore

2007-07-23T06:36:00.000-07:00

The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore of Florence, Italy, is the cathedral church (Duomo) of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Florence, noted for its distinctive dome and being Italy's third largest church after St Peter's in Rome and Milan Cathedral. It's name (“Basilica of Saint Mary of the Flower”) refers to the lily, symbol of Florence, or to the old town name Fiorenza. But a 15th century document on the other hand states that the “flower” refers to Christ.
HistoryAt the end of the 13th century the citizens of Florence, conscious of the growing importance of their city, wanted to erect a great new edifice on the site of the church of Santa Reparata that would surpass the other churches in the city in its beauty and its dimensions. Furthermore, it was becoming too small in a period of rapid population expansion. Prosperous Florence wanted to surpass in grandeur its Tuscan rivals, Pisa and Siena, with a more magnificent church, grander in size and more richly adorned at the exterior. This cathedral was, as a result, the largest in Europe when it was completed, with room for 30,000 people. It is now only exceeded in size by Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City, Saint Paul's Cathedral in London and the Milan Cathedral.The first stone was laid on September 9, 1296 by cardinal Valeriana, the first papal legate ever sent to Florence. The building of this vast project was to last 170 years, the collective efforts of several generations of Famous architects, first Arnolfo di Cambio (from 1294) after Arnolfo died in 1302, work on the cathedral slowed or was suspended during thirty years, In 1331, the Arte della Lana (Guild of Wool Merchants) took over the exclusive patronage for the construction of the cathedral and in 1334 they appointed Giotto as overseer for the work. Assisted by Andrea Pisano, he continued along di Cambio's design. His major accomplishment was the building campanile, but he died in 1337. Andrea Pisano continued the building, until he was stopped by the Black Plague in 1348. Work resumed in 1349 on the cathedral itself under a series of architects, starting with Francesco Talenti who finished the belltower and enlarged the overall project with the apse and the side chapels, but did not alter the outside. After 1359 he was succeeded by Giovanni di Lapo Ghini (1360–1369) who divided the center nave in four square bays. Other architects were Alberto Arnoldi, Giovanni d'Ambrogio, Neri di Fioravante and Orcagna. By 1375 the old church Santa Reparata was pulled down. The nave was finished by 1380, and by 1418 only the dome was left uncompleted. Filippo Brunelleschi was able to crown it with the dome. In 1436 the cathedral was dedicated to St Mary the Virgin and acquired the epithet “del Fiore” from the lily on Florence's coat of arms.The present ornate façade, designed by Emilo de Fabris', was not added until 1875-1887. (The old façade, which had never been completed, was demolished in 1587.)During its long history, this cathedral has been the seat of the Council of Florence (1439), heard the preachings of Girolamo Savonarola and witnessed the murder of Giuliano di Piero de' Medici on 26 April 1478 (with Lorenzo Il Magnifico barely escaping death).
LocationPiazza del DuomoBus: 1, 6, 7, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 23.
DomeThe dome was not built until the early 15th century, when Filippo Brunelleschi, a goldsmith and sculptor, began to make statues for the cathedral. Gradually he became interested in the building itself and built some smaller parts of it. In about 1415 he prepared a design for the dome that he daringly proposed to build without the aid of formwork, which had been absolutely necessary in all previous Roman and Gothic construction. He built a 1:12 model of the dome in brick to demonstrate his method; the design was accepted and built under his supervision from 1420 to 1436. The construction of the dome began in the summer of 1420 and was finished by 1436. The lantern, designed by Brunelleschi, was completed after his death. The copper sphere was placed on the top by Verrocchio in 1472. The construction embodies a rigorously geometrical design. This enormous construction weighs 37,000 metric tons (40,785 t) and contains over 4 million bricks.
FaçadeThe original façade, designed by Arnolfo di Cambio and usually attributed to Giotto, was actually begun twenty years after Giotto's death. A mid-15th c. pen-and-ink drawing of this so-called Giotto's façade is visible in the Codex Rustici, and in the drawing of Bernardino Poccetti in 1587, both on display in the Museum of the Opera del Duomo. This façade was the collective work of several artists, among them Andrea Orcagna and Taddeo Gaddi. This original façade was only completed in its lower portion and then left unfinished. It was dismantled in 1587-1588 by the Medici court architect Bernardo Buontalenti, ordered by Grand Duke Francesco I de' Medici, as it appeared totally outmoded in Renaissance times. Some of the original sculptures are on display in the Museum Opera del Duomo, behind the cathedral. Others are now in the Berlin Museum and in the Louvre. The competition for a new façade turned out into a huge corruption scandal. The wooden model for the façade of Buontalenti is on display in the Museum Opera del Duomo. A few new designs have been proposed in later years but the models (of Giovanni Antonio Dosio, Giovanni de' Medici with Alessandro Pieroni and Giambologna) were not accepted. The façade was then left bare until the 19th century.In 1864 a competition was held to design a new façade and was won by Emilio De Fabris (1808-1883) in 1871. Work was begun in 1876 and completed in 1887. This neo-gothic façade in white, green and red marble forms a harmonious entity with the cathedral, Giotto's belltower and the Baptistery.
ExteriorThe exterior has an abundance of sculpted figures: on the top spandrel of the façade “God the Father”, with, immediately below, busts of famous Florentine artists; below a hugh rose window “Virgin and Child” and statues of the apostles; below that in the niches of the four pillars are bishops of Florence and Pope Eugene IV who consecrated the church in 1436. The bronze doors have reliefs of Mary and allegorical figures of the Christian virtues.A walk round the cathedral should include a look at the four portals. On the right-hand side near the Campanile is the Porta del Campanile, with “Christ giving a Blessing” in the gable and “Madonna and Child” in the lunette, both in the style of Andrea Pisano. Next comes the Porta dei Canonici with, above the “Porch of the Canons”, a “Virgin and Child” by Lorenzo di Giovanni d'Ambrogio. Nearby are the memorials to the architects Arnolfo di Cambio and Brunelleschi and a stone with the inscription “Sasso di Dante” marking the spot where the poet is supposed to have watched the cathedral being built.On the left side the “porta della Balla” (late 14th century) has a polychrome “Madonna and Child and two Angels”. The twisted columns at the sides are supported by lions. Also on the left, the “Porta della Mandorla”, the finest portal in the church, was designed by Giovanni d'Ambrogio and Nanni and completed by various artists (Donatello, Niccolò di Pietro Lamberti and Ghirlandaio). Above the door in the almond can be seen the Virgin borne up by angels (1421, by Nanni di Banco); in the lunette is a mosaic of the “Annunciation” by Domenico and Davide Ghirlandaio (1491).
InteriorThe cathedral is built as a basilica, with a nave and two aisles, forming a Roman cross. The nave and the aisles are divided by wide pointed arches with composite pilasters, dividing the nave into four square bays.Its dimensions are enormous: length 153 metres (502 ft), width 38 metres (124 ft), width at the crossing 90 metres (295 ft). The height of the arches in the aisles is 23 metres (75 ft). The height from pavement to the opening of the lantern in the dome is also 90 metres (295 ft).Rectitude and beauty are also the theme of the interior of the cathedral which makes its impact through its Gothic forms, its soaring arches and pillars, untrammelled by large ornamentation to detract from the feeling of spaciousness (later additions were removed during restoration), while the sense of severity is heightened by the earthy hue of the stonework.The naves and the tribune are illuminated by the beautiful 15th century stained glass windows created by artists like Ghiberti, Paolo Uccello, Donatello and Andrea del Castagno. The internal façade, which is the oldest part of the church, should be observed with some care. The lunette above the door in fact contains a mosaic by Gaddo Gaddi (early 14th century). The famous clock on the inner façade, with its quadrant and medallions, was painted in fresco by Paolo Uccello (1443). It is one of the few mechanical clocks that still exists and works: it has only one hand and tells the time by going round in the opposite direction compared to modern clocks because it measures the time from sunset to sunset. The wall also contains the tomb of Bishop d'Orso (1321), one of the most beautiful works of sculpture in the Cathedral.
CryptThe cathedral has undergone difficult excavations between 1965 and 1974. The subterranean vaults were used for the burial of Florentine bishops throughout the centuries. Recently the archeological history of this huge area was reconstructed remains of Roman houses, an early Christian pavement, ruins of the former cathedral of Santa Reparata and successive enlargements of this church. Close to the entrance, open to the public, is the tomb of Brunelleschi, as proof of the high esteem he was given by the Florentines.
Useful informationOpen 7:30 till 12:00 and 14:30 till 18:00 Monday to Sunday.No access to the dome on Sunday.Every first Saturday of every month opens from 10 to 3:30pm. http://www.filcoo.com/

Santa Maria delle Grazie

2007-07-12T06:24:00.000-07:00

Santa Maria delle Grazie is a Unesco world heritage site. The church is also famous for the mural of the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci which is in the refectory of the convent. This famous church was completed in 1490. 5 years later by “il Bramante” on the wishes of Ludovico il Moro. The famous architect designed the wonderful apse, the cloisters and the old sacristy., Leonardo da Vinci was asked to paint a mural on the refectory wall and the result was one of his most famous masterpieces. Reservations are highly recommended if you do want to see this church, because of this only a limited number of people are allowed to view it at any one time.
HistoryThe Duke of Milan Francesco I Sforza ordered to build a Dominican convent and a church in the place where a small chapel dedicated to St. Mary of the Graces was. The main architect was Guiniforte Solari, the convent was completed by 1469 while the church took more time. The new duke Ludovico il Moro decided to have the church as the Sforza family burial place and rebuild the cloyster and the apse which were completed after 1490. Ludovico's wife Beatrice was buried in the church in 1497.The night of August 15, 1943, Anglo-American bombers hit the church and the convent. The refectory was grounded, but for some walls, including the one that hold the Last Supper.
LocationSouthwest of the Castello, past the Northern Station and along Via Boccaccio and Via Caradosso, can be found the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, in the Corso Magenta.Address: Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie 2, I-20100 MilanTransit: Underground MM1: Conciliazione, Cadorna. Underground MM2: Cadorna Tram 24: Corso Magenta.
The Last SupperThe painting measures 460 x 880 centimetres (15 feet x 29 feet) and can be found in the refectory, it represents the scene of The Last Supper from the final days of Jesus as depicted in the Bible. The painting is based on the account, in John 13:21, of Jesus announcing that one of his twelve disciples would betray him. The painting is one of the most well known and valued in the world; unlike many other valuable paintings, however, it has never been privately owned because it cannot easily be moved.
Donato Montorfano's CrucifixionThe wall facing the Last Supper is decorated with a the last earthly episode from the Passion Cycle - a Crucifixion by Donato Montorfano, an exponent of the old Lombard school of painting.
Useful informationTelephone: 02 89 42 11 46Open: Tuesday-Sunday 8am - 7.30pm the ticket office closes 45 minutes before first admissions at 8.15am closed on Mondays.Closed:New Year's Day (January 1)Epiphany (3 Kings' Day ) - Christian (January 6)Easter - ChristianEaster Monday - ChristianLiberation Day - Italy (April 25)May Day / Labor Day (May 1)Festival of the Tricolor - Italy (May 12)Feast of St John the Baptist - Christian (June 24)Assumption Day - Christian (August 15)All Saints' Day - Christian (November 1)Victory Day / National Unity Day - Italy (November 4)Christmas - Christian (December 25)Day after Christmas, St Stephen's Day, Boxing Day (December 26)Disabled: Full facilities for persons with disabilities. http://www.filcoo.com/

Santa Maria delle Grazie

2007-07-12T06:03:00.000-07:00

Santa Maria delle Grazie

2007-07-12T05:43:00.001-07:00

Santa Maria delle Grazie

2007-07-12T05:39:00.000-07:00

Santa Maria delle Grazie

2007-07-12T04:34:00.000-07:00

La Scala Theater

2007-07-12T01:43:00.000-07:00

The Teatro alla Scala (or La Scala, as it is known), in Milan, is one of the world's most famous opera houses where world famous composer, singers, and orchestra conductors make their debuts. This theatre had a total over 3,000 seats organized into 678 pit-stalls, arranged in six tiers of boxes above which is the 'loggione' or two galleries. The stage is one of the largest in Italy; the proscenium is 26m wide and 27m high, and the stage was originally 20m deep. The season begins in early to mid-December and runs through May.
HistoryThe theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778, under the name Nuovo Regio Ducal Teatro alla Scala with Salieri's L'Europa riconosciuta. The current edifice is the second theatre on the site. A fire destroyed the first, the ancient Teatro Ducale, on 25 February 1776, after a carnival gala. A group of ninety wealthy Milanese, who owned palchi (private boxes) in the theater, wrote to Archduke Ferdinand I of Austria asking for a new theatre and a provisional one to be used while completing the new one. The neoclassical architect Giuseppe Piermarini produced an initial design but it was rejected by Count Firmian (an Austrian governor).A second plan was accepted in 1776 by Empress Maria Theresa. The new theatre was built on the former location of the church of Santa Maria della Scala, from which the theatre gets its name. The church was deconsecrated and demolished, and over a period of two years the theater was completed by Pietro Marliani, Pietro Nosetti and Antonio and Giuseppe Fe. La Scala opened on 3 August 1778 with Antonio Salieri's opera L'Europa riconosciuta, to a libretto by Mattia Verazi.The original structure was renovated in 1907, when it was given its current layout with 2,800 seats. In 1943, during WWII, La Scala was severely damaged by bombing. It was rebuilt and reopened on May 11, 1946, with a memorable concert conducted by Arturo Toscanini, with a soprano solo by Renata Tebaldi, which created a sensation. On 8 March 1913 the Scala Theatre Museum was opened, after the purchase of collections from the Parisian antique-dealer Jules Sambon.
LocationAddress: Teatro alla Scala, Corso Magenta 71, I-20123 MilanTransit: By Bus: 61. By tram: 1 or 2. By metro: red line: Duomo. Yellow line: Duomo or Montenapoleone.
Principal conductors/Music directors of La ScalaDaniel Barenboim, (2006 -) (as Principal Guest Conductor)Riccardo Muti, (1986 - 2005)Claudio Abbado, (1968 - 1986)No music director between 1956 and 1968Guido Cantelli, (1956) (Died in an airplane crash one week after his appointment)Carlo Maria Giulini, (1953 - 1956)Victor de Sabata, (1929 - 1953)Arturo Toscanini, (1921 - 1929)La Scala closed from 1918 to 1920Tullio Serafin, (1917 - 1918)Tullio Serafin, (1909 - 1914)Arturo Toscanini, (1898 - 1908)
Useful informationTelephone: +39 0288791Email: biglietteria@teatroallascala.orgBox Offices: Central Box Office - Duomo.Galleria del Sagrato, Piazza Del Duomo, Metro Station Duomo.Open every day from 12 to 6 pm.Closed for the summer holiday from 29 July to 28 August and on the following days: 8, 24, 25 and 26 December; 1, 6 and 7 January; 8, 9 and 25 April; 1 May; 2 June.Evening Box Office - Teatro. Teatro alla Scala,Via Filodrammatici 2.Open 2 hours before and until 15 minutes after the start of the performance. Only for the sale and collection of tickets for the same evening.Infotel Scala Service: Information on seating availability and guidelines for purchasing subscriptions and tickets.Every day from 9 am to 6 pm. Tel: +39 02 72003744 (10 lines).In the event of evening performances, open until 8 pm.Service active on opening days of the Central Box Office.Disabled: No facilities for persons with disabilities. http://www.filcoo.com/

The Duomo

2007-07-11T02:51:00.000-07:00

The cathedral of Santa Maria Nascente, a cruciform basilica faced with white marble, is one of the world's largest and most magnificent churches. This cathedral looms mighty over the piazza named after it in the center of the city. The most outstanding example of Gothic-Lombard architecture. This imposing religious building, second only to St Peter's Cathedral in Rome, houses almost 3500 statues that are spread over an area of almost 12,000 square meters. Made of marble and incorporating a evolution of styles from Baroque to Gothic it's an interesting spectacle. The tallest spire, which has the famous “Madonnina” on top of it, is 108 meters high and is covered in 3900 pieces of gold leaf. To fully appreciate the interior it is recommended that you buy a detailed guide book, or pay for the 1 hour audio guides. Absolutely do not miss a trip to the roof! It is amazing. You can walk among statues, gargoyles, flying buttresses and the 14 foot gilded statue of the Madonna while taking in wonderful views of the city.
HistoryCommissioned in 1386, by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, the Duomo was not finished until the early 1800s. The building began life as a Gothic cathedral, but over the centuries the designs went through several modifications, and the finished Duomo is a strange mixture of styles.The street plan of Milan, with streets either radiating from the Duomo or circling it, indicates that the Duomo occupied the most important site in Roman Mediolanum.Saint Ambrose's “New Basilica” was built on this site at the beginning of the 5th century, with an adjoining basilica added in 836. When fire damaged both buildings in 1075, they were rebuilt as the Duomo.In 1386 the archbishop, Antonio da Saluzzo, began the new project in a rayonnant Late Gothic style that is more characteristic of France than Italy. Work proceeded for generations.The main spire was topped off in 1762 with a polychrome statue of the Madonna, to whom the Duomo and its predecessor have always been consecrated.Even now, some uncarved blocks remain to be completed as statuary. Gothic construction on the rest of the Duomo was largely complete in the 1880s.The Duomo has been under major renovations and cleaning for several years, obscuring the glorious facade with scaffolding. Works should be completed sometime in 2007.
LocationAddress: Piazza del Duomo, I-20100 MilanTransit: Bus: Metro station Duomo (Metro lines 1 and 3)
PinnaclesThe roofline dissolves into openwork pinnacles that are punctuated by a grove of spires, topped with statues that overlook the city. The main spire is 109 meters high. These can all be investigated up close on a breathtaking walk on the roof.
RoofThe roof is open to tourists (for a fee), which allows many a close-up view of some really spectacular sculpture that would otherwise be unappreciated. On the roof the view is spectacular (elevators on the church's exterior northeast corner; stairs on the exterior north side), where you also get to wander amidst the Gothic pinnacles, saintly statues, and flying buttresses. You are joined high above Milan by the spire-top gold statue of Madonnina (the little Madonna), the city's beloved protectress.
InteriorThe rather dark interior, in striking contrast to the brilliant and richly patterned exterior, nevertheless makes a powerful impression with its 52 gigantic pillars. The stained-glass windows in the nave (mostly 15th-16th centuries) are the largest in the world; the eight windows in the dome date from 1968. 15th century stained glass windows can be seen in the south aisle. In the north transept is a fine seven-branched bronze candelabrum by Nicholas of Verdun (c. 1200), and on the east wall of the south transept is a statue, by Marco Agrate (1562), of St Bartholomew Flayed. The poet Shelley used to sit and read Dante here amid monuments and the tombs of Giacomo de Medici, two Visconti, and many cardinals and archbishops.
CryptThe crypt contains the remains of San Carlo Borromeo, one of the early cardinals of Milan, richly adorned with gold and jewels. A far more interesting descent is the one down the staircase to the right of the main entrance to the Battistero Paleocristiano, the ruins of a 4th-century baptistery believed to be where Saint Ambrose baptized Saint Augustine.
Main monuments and sightsThe interior of the cathedral includes a huge quantity of monuments and artworks. These include:The Archbishop Alberto da Intimiano's sarcophagus, which is overlooked by a Crucifix in copper laminae.The sarcophagi of the archbishops Ottone Visconti and Giovanni Visconti, created by a Campionese master in the 14th century.The sarcophagus of Marco Carelli, who donated 35,000 ducati to accelerate the construction of the cathedral.The three magnificent altars by Pellegrino Pellegrini, which include the notable Federico Zuccari's Visit of St. Peter to St. Agatha jailed.In the right transept, the monument to Gian Giacomo Medici di Marignano, called “Medeghino”, by Leone Leoni, and the adjacent Renaissance marble altar, decorated with gilt bronze statues.In front of the former mausoleum is the most renowned work of art of the cathedral, the St. Bartholomew statue by Marco D'Agrate.The presbitery is a late Renaissance masterpiece composing a choir, a Temple by Pellegrini, two pulpits with giant telamones covered in copper and bronze, and two large organs. Around the choir the two sacristies' portals, some frescoes and a fifteenth-century statue of Martin V by Jacopino da Tradate) can be seen.The transepts house the Trivulzio Candelabrum, which is in two pieces. The base (attributed to Nicolas of Verdun, 12th century), charcterized by a fantastic ensemble of vines, vegetables and imaginary animals; and the stem, of the mid-16th century.In the left aisle, the Arcimboldi monument by Alessi and Romanesque figures depicting the Apostles in red marble and the neo-Classic baptistry by Pellegrini.A small red light bulb in the dome above the apse marks the spot where one of the nails from the Crucifixion of Christ has been placed.
Useful informationTelephone: +39 (02) 86463456Open: Roof: daily 7am-7pm. Crypt: daily 9am-noon and 2:30-6pm. Baptistery: Tues-Sun 10am-noon and 3-5pm. Museum: Tues-Sun 9:30am-12:30pm and 3-6pm.Disabled: Full facilities for persons with disabilities. http://www.filcoo.com/

The Pantheon

2007-07-11T02:28:00.000-07:00

The Pantheon, in Greek, meaning “Temple of all the Gods”) is a building in Rome which was originally built as a temple to the seven deities of the seven planets in the state religion of Ancient Rome. The architectural form of the Pantheon, the largest and best preserved monument of Roman antiquity, is so simple that the structure has survived the hazards of the centuries almost intact. Since the 7th century, the Pantheon has been a Christian church.
HistoryIn 27 b.C., Agrippa, son-in-law and architect of Augustus, erected the Pantheon on the site where according to legend is where the founder of Rome, Romulus, at his death was seized by an eagle and taken off into the skies with the Gods. The name comes from two Greek words pan, “everything” and teon “divine”. In 80 A.D. Domitian rebuilt it after a fire; thirty years later it was hit by lightening and caught fire again. It was then rebuilt in its present shape by the Emperor Hadrian between 118 and 128 A.D. Under his reign, Rome reached its maximum splendour, and the present structure is probably the fruit of his eclectic genius and exotic tastes. In fact, the Pantheon combines a clearly Roman, cylindrical structure with the splendid outer colonnade of Greek inspiration. Although the new structure was very different to the original, Hadrian wanted a Latin inscription on the façade, that translated means “It was built by Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, consul for the third time”.In 609 the Byzantine emperor Phocas gave the building to Pope Boniface IV, who reconsecrated it as a Christian church titled Santa Maria ad Martyres (or in English the Church of Mary and all the Martyr Saints). Since the Renaissance the Pantheon has been used as a tomb. Among those buried there are the painters Raphael and Annibale Caracci, the architect Baldassare Peruzzi. Pope Urban VIII (died 1644) ordered the bronze ceiling of the Pantheon's portico melted down. Most of the bronze was used to make bombards for the fortification of Castel Sant'Angelo, with the remaining amount used by the Apostolic Camera for various other works.In 1747, the broad frieze below the dome with its false windows was “restored”, but bore little resemblance to the original. In the early decades of the twentieth century, a piece of the original reconstructed from Renaissance drawings and paintings, was recreated in one of the panels. The Pantheon is still a church and masses are still celebrated, particularly on important Catholic days of obligation, and for weddings.
LocationAddress: Piazza della Rotonda, I-00186 Rome, Italy.Transit: Metro: Bus: 70, 81, 86, 87, 90, 64, 119, 170
What's to seeFrom the Piazza della Rotonda from which the Pantheon is seen hemmed in by buildings and the semicircular dome appears much flatter than it really is, steps lead down into the porch: formerly there were steps up to the entrance, but the ground level has risen considerably since then. he porch, 33m/108ft wide and 13.50m/44ft high, has 16 granite columns with Corinthian capitals (12.5m/41ft high, 4.5m/15ft apart) and two massive ancient bronze doors. The building is circular with a portico of three ranks of huge granite Corinthian columns (eight in the first rank and two groups of four behind) under a pediment opening into the rotunda, under a coffered, concrete dome, with a central opening (oculus), the Great Eye, open to the sky. A rectangular structure links the portico with the rotunda. Though often still drawn as a free-standing building, there was a library building at its rear into which it abutted; of this building there are only archaeological remains. The overwhelming effect of the interior results from the harmonious proportions of the whole vast structure: the height is the same as the diameter (43.2m/142ft), while the walls of the cylinder supporting the dome measure half the diameter (21.6m/71ft). The restrained decoration of the interior enhances the effect of the architecture. The harmony and perfect proportions of the Pantheon - built in the image of the earth with the vault of the firmament above it - have impressed artists and visitors down the centuries. (The magnificent acoustics will be demonstrated by an organist for a small donation.)The Pantheon is the place of burial of the Italian kings (Victor Emmanuel II, second niche on right; Umberto I, second niche on left); the greatest Cardinal Secretary of State of modern times, Consalvi (tomb by Thorvaldsen, 1824, third niche on left) and the great Renaissance painter Raphael (between second and third niches on left) are also buried here.
Useful informationTelephone: 06/68300230Open: Monday to Sunday 8:30 to 19:30Closed: August 15, December 25 and December 26Cost: FreeAccessibility: Full facilities for persons with disabilities.

St Peter's Basilica

2007-07-11T02:26:00.000-07:00

The Basilica of Saint Peter, officially known in Italian as the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano and colloquially called Saint Peter's Basilica, ranks second among the four major basilicas of Rome (St John Lateran, St Peter's, Santa Maria Maggiore and St Paul outside the Walls). It is the most prominent building inside the Vatican City. Begun by Pope Julius II in 1506 and completed in 1615 under Paul V. It is designed as a three-aisled Latin cross with a dome at the crossing, directly above the high altar, which covers the shrine of St. Peter the Apostle. Ancient tradition holds that his tomb is below the baldachino and altar; for this reason, many Popes, starting with the first ones, have been buried there.
LocationTake Linea A (red line) toward Battistini and exit at Ottaviano-S. Pietro. Walk south on Via Ottaviano toward St. Peter's Square. Walking - From the city center, the most direct route is to cross the Tiber and walk straight up Via Conciliazioni. A more interesting route is to go under the Passetto arch near Castel S. Angelo and walk up Pio Borgo, providing a more dramatic entrance from the right (north) side of the Piazza.
HistoryThe idea of building the church was conceived by Pope Nicholas V (reigned 1447?55), who was prompted by the state in which he found Old St. Peter's Basilica?walls leaning far out of the perpendicular and frescoes covered with dust. In 1452 Nicholas ordered Bernardo Rossellino to begin the construction of a new apse west of the old one, but the work stopped with Nicholas's death. Paul II, however, entrusted the project to Giuliano da Sangallo in 1470.On April 18, 1506, Julius II laid the first stone for the new basilica. It was to be erected in the form of a Greek cross according to the plan of Donato Bramante. On Bramante's death (1514) Leo X commissioned as his successors Raphael, Fra Giocondo, and Giuliano da Sangallo, who modified the original Greek-cross plan to a Latin cross with three aisles separated by pillars. The architects after Raphael's death in 1520 were Antonio da Sangallo the Elder, Baldassarre Peruzzi, and Andrea Sansovino. After the sack of Rome in 1527, Paul III (1534-49) entrusted the undertaking to Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, who returned to Bramante's plan and erected a dividing wall between the area for the new basilica and the eastern part of the old one, which was still in use. On Sangallo's death (1546) Paul III commissioned the aged Michelangelo as chief architect, a post he held under Julius III and Pius IV. At the time of Michelangelo's death in 1564, the drum for the massive dome was practically complete. He was succeeded by Pirro Ligorio and Giacomo da Vignola. Gregory XIII (1572?85) placed Giacomo della Porta in charge of the work. The dome, modified from Michelangelo's design, was finally completed at the insistence of Sixtus V (1585?90), and Gregory XIV (1590?91) ordered the erection of the lantern above it. Clement VIII (1592?1605) demolished the apse of Old St. Peter's and erected the new high altar over the altar of Calixtus II.Paul V (1605?21) adopted Carlo Maderno's plan, giving the basilica the form of a Latin cross by extending the nave to the east, thus completing the 615-foot- (187-metre-) long main structure. Maderno also completed the facade of St. Peter's and added an extra bay on each end to support campaniles. Although Maderno left designs for these campaniles, only one was built, and that was of a different design executed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1637. Under the commission of Alexander VII (1655?67) Bernini designed the elliptical piazza, outlined by colonnades, that serves as the approach to the basilica.
St Peters TombOn December 23, 1950, in his pre-Christmas broadcast on radio, Pope Pius XII announced the discovery of Saint Peter's tomb far below the high altar of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. This was the culmination of 10 years of archaeological research under the crypt of the basilica, carried out by two Jesuit archaeologists and their colleagues. Monsignor Ludwig Kaas, the administrator of St. Peter's, had overall authority over the project and reported about it directly to the Pope himself.Between 1939 and 1949 this team had uncovered an impressive complex of mausoleums under the foundations of the church, dating to the 2nd and 3rd centuries. From their perspective the most spectacular find was, beyond doubt, the small monument under the present altar of the church which, all evidence suggests, was built as early as AD 160 to mark the tomb of St. Peter below it. Little did they know what a bizarre episode in Christian archaeology lay ahead of them. Although the scant remains of bones found in the tomb were initially identified as those of a man in his late sixties, more extensive study later revealed that they actually belonged to an older man, a younger man, a woman, a pig, a chicken, and a horse.In 1942 Monsignor Kaas made a visit, he had noticed this second tomb in the monument, newly uncovered but yet unopened, and he ordered the workman accompanying him to open it. The tomb was not empty, and convinced that this was yet another burial that would soon be desecrated by the Jesuit archaeologists, Kaas ordered that the remains be removed and stored for safekeeping. Guarducci discovered these events by pure chance, and by that time Kaas had died. So when Paul VI, a family friend of the Guarduccis, was elected pope, she informed him of her belief that in fact these remains were the true remains of Peter. The bones were found where Kaas had stored them and when testing revealed that they did indeed belong to a man in his sixties, Paul VI officially announced, on June 26th 1968, that the relics of St. Peter had been discovered.
The DomeThe dome, or cupola, was designed by Michelangelo, who became chief architect in 1546. At the time of his death (1564), the dome was finished as far as the drum, the base on which a dome sits. The dome was vaulted between 1585 and 1590 by the architect Giacomo della Porta with the assistance of Domenico Fontana, who was probably the best engineer of the day. Fontana built the lantern the following year, and the ball was placed in 1593.As built, the double dome is brick, 42.3 metres (138.8 ft) in interior diameter (almost as large as the Pantheon), rising to 120 metres (394 ft) above the floor. The four piers of the crossing that support it are each 18 metres (59 ft) across. It is not simply its vast scale (136.57 m or 448.06 ft) from the floor of the church to the top of the added cross) that makes it extraordinary. Michelangelo's dome is not a hemisphere, but a paraboloid: it has a vertical thrust, which is made more emphatic by the bold ribbing that springs from the paired Corinthian columns, which appear to be part of the drum, but which stand away from it like buttresses, to absorb the outward thrust of the dome's weight. Above, the vaulted dome rises to Fontana's two-stage lantern, capped with a spire.The egg-shaped dome exerts less outward thrust than a lower hemispheric one (such as Mansart's at Les Invalides) would have done. The dome conceived by Donato Bramante at the outset in 1503 was planned to be carried out with a single masonry shell, a plan discovered to be infeasible. San Gallo came up with the double shell, and Michelangelo improved upon it. The piers at the crossing, which were the first masonry to be laid, and which were intended to support the original dome, were a constant concern, too slender in Bramante's plan, they were redesigned several times as the dome plans evolved.
The InteriorWalking along the right aisle of the basilica, there are several noteworthy monuments and memorials. The first is Michelangelo's Pieta, located immediately to the right of the entrance. Up the aisle is the monument of Queen Christina of Sweden, who abdicated in 1654 in order to convert to Catholicism. Further up are the monuments of popes Pius XI and Pius XII, as well as the altar of St Sebastian. Even further up is the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, which is open during religious services only. Inside it is a tabernacle on the altar resembling Bramante's Tempietto at San Pietro in Montorio. Bernini sculpted this gilded bronze tabernacle in 1674. The two kneeling angels were added later. Further still are the monuments of popes Gregory XIII (completed in 1723 by Carlo Rusconi) and Gregory XIV.In the northwestern corner of the nave sits the statue of St Peter Enthroned, attributed to late 13th century sculptor Arnolfo di Cambio. The foot of the statue is eroded due to centuries of pilgrims kissing it. Along the pilasters are niches housing 39 statues of saints who founded religious orders.Walking down the left aisle there is the Altar of Transfiguration. Walking down towards the entrance are the monuments to Leo XI and Innocent XI followed by the Chapel of the Immaculate Virgin Mary. After that come the monuments to Pius X and Innocent VIII, then the monuments to John XXIII and Benedict XV, and the Chapel of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin. After that comes the Monument to the Royal Stuarts, directly opposite the one to Maria Clementina Sobieska. Symmetrically, the two monarchs who gave up their thrones for their Catholic faith in the 17th century, are honored side by side in the most important church in Catholicism. Finally, right before the end of the church, is the Baptistry.The right transept contains three altars, of St Wenceslas, St Processo and St Martiniano, and St Erasmus. The left transept also contains three altars, that of St Peter's Crucifixion, St Joseph and St Thomas. West of the left transept is the monument to Alexander VII by Bernini. A skeleton lifts a fold of red marble drapery and holds an hourglass symbolising the inevitability of death. He is flanked on the right by a statue representing religion, who holds her foot atop a globe, with a thorn piercing her toe from the British Isles, symbolizing the pope's problems with the Church of England.Over the main altar stands a 30 metres (98 ft) tall baldachin held by four immense pillars, all designed by Bernini between 1624 and 1632. The baldachin was built to fill the space beneath the cupola, and it is said that the bronze used to make it was taken from the Pantheon. The representation of a chair, part of the sculpture, is said to contain the remnants of the chair belonging to Saint Peter (It is also said that it is the largest bronze piece in the world.) Underneath the baldachin is the traditional tomb of St Peter. In the four corners surrounding the baldachin are statues of St Helena, St Longinus, St Andrew and St Veronica. Each of these statues represents a relic associated with the person, respectively, a piece of The Cross, the Spear of Destiny, St Andrew's head (as well as part of his cross) and Veronica's Veil. In 1964, St Andrew's head was returned to the Greek Orthodox Church by the Pope. It should be noted that the Vatican makes no claims as to the authenticity of several of these relics, and in fact other Catholic churches also possess "the same" relics. Along the base of the inside of the dome is written, in letters 2 metres (6.5 ft) high, TV ES PETRVS ET SVPER HANC PETRAM AEDIFICABO ECCLESIAM MEAM. TIBI DABO CLAVES REGNI CAELORVM (Vulgate, from Matthew 16:18-19; "...you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. ... I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven...."). Near the top of the dome is another, smaller, circular inscription: S. PETRI GLORIAE SIXTVS PP. V. A. M. D. XC. PONTIF. V. (To the glory of St Peter; Sixtus V, pope, in the year 1590 and the fifth year of his pontificate). The Burial of St Petronilla is an altarpiece painted by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (Guercino) in 1623. It simultaneously depicts the burial and the welcoming to heaven of the martyred St Petronilla. The altar is dedicated to the saint, and contains her relics.At the apse of the church is the Triumph of the Chair of Saint Peter (1666) by Bernini, a focus of the Feast of Cathedra Petri celebrated annually on February 22 in accordance to the calendar of saints. The triumph is topped by a yellow window in which is a dove, portraying the Holy Spirit, surrounded by twelve rays, symbolising the apostles. Beneath it is the bronze encasing of the relic of the chair of St Peter, given to the Vatican from Charles the Bald in 875. To the right of the chair are St Ambrose and St Augustine (fathers of the Latin church), and to the left are St Athanasius and St John Chrysostom (fathers of the Greek church). Further to the right is the monument to Urban VIII, by Bernini, and further to the left is the monument to Paul III.
Useful numbersHours: St. Peter's Basilica is open daily, Apr-Sep 7:00-19:00; Oct-Mar 7:00-18:00Sacristy (011) 39 06 6988 3712Parish Office (011) 39 06 6988 5435Vatican Switchboard (011) 39 06 6982 http://www.filcoo.com/

The Sistine Chapel

2007-07-11T02:02:00.000-07:00

The Sistine Chapel (Italian: Cappella Sistina) is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Roman Catholic Pope in the Vatican City. The Sistine Chapel originally served as a Palatine Chapel. The chapel is rectangular in shape and measures 40.93 meters long by 13.41 meters wide, i.e. the exact dimensions of the Temple of Solomon, as given in the Old Testament. It is 20.70 meters high and is roofed by a flattened barrel vault, with little side vaults over the centered windows. The architectural plans were made by Baccio Pontelli and the construction work was supervised by Giovannino de' Dolci. The first Mass in the Sistine Chapel was celebrated on August 9, 1483. Its decoration, frescoed thoroughout by the greatest Renaissance artists, including Michelangelo, whose ceiling is legendary; and its purpose, as a site of papal religious and functionary activity, notably the conclave, at which a new Pope is selected.
HistoryBuilt between 1475 and 1483, in the time of Pope Sixtus IV della Rovere, Its basic feature is the papal function, as the pope's chapel and the location of the elections of new popes. It was consecrated and dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin on 15th August 1483. The architectural plans were made by Baccio Pontelli and the construction was supervised by Giovannino de'Dolci. Later alterations modified the original exterior.In 1481 Pope Sixtus IV summoned to Rome the Florentine painters Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Cosimo Rosselli, as well as the Perugian Pietro Perugino to decorate the walls with frescoes. (According to Vasari, Luca Signorelli was also involved in the decoration.) The painting of the walls took place over an astonishingly short period of time, barely eleven months, from July, 1481 to May, 1482. The ceiling was frescoed by Piero Matteo d'Amelia with a star-spangled sky.Michelangelo was commissioned by Pope Julius II della Rovere in 1508 to repaint the ceiling; the work was completed between 1508 and 1512. He painted the Last Judgement over the altar, between 1535 and 1541, being commissioned by Pope Paul III Farnese.For great ceremonial occasions the lowest portions of the side walls were covered with a series of tapestries depicting events from the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. These were designed by Raphael and woven in 1515-19 at Brussels. The building in some respects can be considered a personal monument to the Della Rovere family, since Sixtus IV saw to its actual construction and the frescoes beneath the vaults, and his nephew Julius II commissioned the ceiling decoration. Oak leaves and acorns abound, heraldic symbols of the family whose name means literally “from the oak”. The decoration of the chapel was cleaned and restored in recent decades. The project started with the fifteenth century frescoes in 1965. The restoration of the lunettes, the vault and the Last Judgment started in 1980 and was terminated in 1994. The restoration produced a spectacular result.
LocationViale Vaticano - 0016500120 Città del Vaticano
FrescoesWall FrescoesThe walls are divided into three orders by horizontal cornices; according to the decorative program, the lower of the three orders was to be painted with fictive "tapestries," the central one with two facing cycles - one relating the life of Moses (left wall) and the other the Life of Christ (right wall), starting from the end wall, where the altar fresco, painted by Perugino, depicted the Virgin of the Assumption, to whom the chapel was dedicated. The upper order is endowed with pilasters that support the pendentives of the vault. Above the upper cornice are situated the lunettes. Between each window below the lunettes, in fictive niches, run images of the first popes - from Peter to Marcellus - who practiced their ministry in times of great persecution and were martyred.AlterwallThe pictorial programme for the chapel was comprised of a cycle each from the Old and New Testament of scenes from the lives of Moses and Christ. The narratives began at the altar wall. Michelangelo began work on the large fresco on the altar wall in 1534, in the reign of Pope Paul III, when he was 59. As a counterpart to his depiction of the Creation on the ceiling he painted on this wall the final scene in the story of the world, the Last Judgment, depicting Christ returning as the Judge to summon the righteous to paradise and consign the damned to hell. The theme in all its details is based on the scriptural account. With its dramatic presentation of his subject, which Michelangelo sees as a judgment on the life of the individual human being, this ranks as one of the greatest achievements of European painting.Right WallThe right-hand wall of the Sistine Chapel depicts events in the life of Christ, the liberator of mankind from sin - his baptism in the Jordan; the cleansing of lepers (a magnificent work by Botticelli); the calling of Peter and Andrew; the Sermon on the Mount; Christ giving the keys to Peter; and the Last Supper.Left-hand WallThe left-hand wall of the Sistine Chapel has scenes from the life of Moses, liberator of the Jewish people from their captivity in Egypt; the circumcision of Moses; Moses with the shepherds and the burning bush; the crossing of the Red Sea; Moses receiving the tablets of the law on Mount Sinai; the destruction of the company of Korah; and the death of Moses.The ceiling frescoesThe frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel were painted by Michelangelo in the reign of the great Pope and Renaissance prince Julius II, most of them being his own unaided work. They were painted between the autumn of 1508 and August 1510 and, after a pause, completed in 1511-12. Michelangelo's idea was an ambitious one, never attempted on such a scale before; no less than to depict the Creation as it is described in Genesis.The central part of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (beginning at the near end) depicts God separating light from darkness, creating the sun and the moon, separating land and sea, creating Adam and then Eve; the Fall; Noah's thank-offering; the Flood; Noah's drunkenness. In the lower ranges of the vaulting are colossal figures of the prophets and sibyls who conveyed God's message to the Jews and the Gentiles.The Last JudgmentThe Last Judgment was commissioned from Michelangelo by Pope Clement VII (1523-1534) shortly before his death. His successor, Paul III Farnese (1534-1549). forced Michelangelo to a rapid execution of this work, the largest single fresco of the century. In the Last Judgment Christ is depicted as a powerful youthful god standing on a cloud, surrounded by the Virgin, the Apostles and other saints. The righteous (to the left) rising up into heaven, and the damned (on the right) tumbling into hell form a powerful upward and downward movement which determines the eternal fate of mankind, while below the dead are seen rising from their graves. In the middle are angels blowing their trumpets to summon all men to judgment, and up above other angels carry in triumph the instruments of the Passion. The 381 figures are represented with athletic forms, and many of them have readily recognizable attributes (Peter with his key, Sebastian with his arrows, Lawrence with his gridiron, Bartholomew with his flayed skin, which bears a portrait of Michelangelo himself, Catherine with her wheel).
ConclaveThe election of a new Pope, the conclave takes place in the Sistine Chapel. In those occasions a chimney is installed in the roof of the chapel, from which the smoke arises. If white smoke appears, a new Pope has been elected. Black smoke: no successful election yet. During present-day meetings of cardinals, the chapel is carefully searched for bugs, recorders and cameras, so that the conclave is kept secret.
Useful numbersMusei Vaticani e Cappella SistinaTel. 06.69884947 - Fax 06.69885061 http://www.filcoo.com/

Baths of Caracalla

2007-07-11T01:50:00.000-07:00

The Baths of Caracalla were Roman public baths, or thermae, sixteen hundred persons could bathe here at the same time. There were rooms for cold, hot and warm baths, splendid ceilings, porticoes, pillared halls, gymnasiums, where the rarest marbles, the most colossal columns, and the finest statues were admired by the people; even the baths were of basalt, granite, alabaster. The leisure needs of the population have never been catered for with such magnificence as in the Roman baths; even in ruin their splendor is still apparent.
HistoryThe baths were begun by Septimus Severus in A.D. 206 and completed by Caracalla in 216, during the reign of the Emperor Caracalla. The bath complex covered approximately 13 hectares (33 ac). The bath building was 228 meters (750 ft) long, 116 meters (380 ft) wide and 38.5 meters (125 ft) estimated height, and could hold an estimated 1,600 bathers. The “baths” were the second to have a public library within the complex. The libraries were located in exedrae on the east and west sides of the bath complex. The entire north wall of the complex was devoted to shops. The reservoirs on the south wall of the complex were fed with water from the Marcian Aqueduct.The baths consisted of a central 55.7 by 24 meter (183x79 ft) frigidarium (cold room) under three 32.9 meter (108 ft) high groin vaults, a double pool tepidarium (medium), and a 35 meter (115 ft) diameter caldarium (hot room), as well as two palaestras (gyms where wrestling and boxing was practiced). The north end of the bath building contained a natatio or swimming pool. The natatio was roofless with bronze mirrors mounted overhead to direct sunlight into the pool area. The entire bath building was on a 6 meter (20 ft) high raised platform to allow for storage and furnaces under the building.The building was heated by a hypocaust, a system of burning coal underneath the ground to heat water provided by a dedicated aqueduct. It was in use up to the 19th century.In the early 20th century, the design of the baths was used as the inspiration for several modern structures, including Pennsylvania Station in New York City and National Assembly Building in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
LocationAddress:Via delle Terme di Caracalla 52, I-00186 Rome, Italy.Transit: Metro:Circo Massimo (line B) Bus: 11, 27, 90, 90b, 94, 118, 673. Tram: 13, 30, 30b.
What's to seeThe baths are open to the public on payment of a small charge, which does not apply to students or pensioners. Access is limited to certain areas to avoid damage to the mosaic floors, although such damage is already clearly visible. Also, a total of 22 well-preserved columns looted from the ruins are found in the church of Santa Maria in Trastevere, taken there in the 12th century.Present day cultural usesThe ruins stand as the backdrop for the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma in the summer opera season. It has also become a venue for modern cultural events, such as the gymnastics competition during the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome and the concert of the Three Tenors at the conclusion of the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
Useful informationOpen: Monday to Sunday 9:00am to 7:00pmClosed: January 1 and 6, December 25 and 26.Accessiblity: Full facilities for persons with disabilities http://www.filcoo.com/

The Colosseum

2007-07-11T01:25:00.000-07:00

The Colosseum is the most famous monument of Ancient Rome. Its original name is Flavian Amphitheatre. Originally capable of seating 45,000-50,000 spectators, it was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. It was built on a site just east of the Roman Forum. The Colosseum is hugely impressive. It stands as a glorious but troubling monument to Roman imperial power and cruelty. Inside it, behind those serried ranks of arches and columns, Romans for centuries cold-bloodedly killed literally thousands of people whom they saw as criminals, as well as professional fighters and animals. It was the first permanent amphitheater to be built in Rome. Its monumental size and grandeur as well as its practical and efficient organization for producing spectacles and controlling the large crowds make it one of the great architectural monuments achieved by the ancient Romans.
HistoryConstruction of the Colosseum began under the rule of the Emperor Vespasian in around 70-72. The site chosen was a flat area on the floor of a low valley between the Caelian, Esquiline and Palatine Hills. By the 2nd century BC the area was densely inhabited. It was devastated by the Great Fire of Rome in AD 64, following which Nero seized much of the area to add to his personal domain. He built the grandiose Domus Aurea on the site, in front of which he created an artificial lake surrounded by pavillions, gardens and porticoes. The Colosseum got its popular name, because it was built near where Nero had erected a huge statue, or colossus of himself. It showed him as the god of the sun. It was 100 feet high, and it was the largest gilded bronze statue in antiquity. It was later moved away. It took 24 elephants to move it!The area was transformed under Vespasian and his successors. Although the Colossus was preserved, much of the Domus Aurea was torn down. The lake was filled in and the land reused as the location for the new Flavian Amphitheatre. Vespasian's decision to build the Colosseum on the site of Nero's lake can also be seen as a populist gesture of returning to the people an area of the city which Nero had appropriated for his own use. In contrast to many other amphitheatres, which were located on the outskirts of a city, the Colosseum was constructed in the city centre; in effect, placing it both literally and symbolically at the heart of Rome.The Colosseum had been completed up to the third story by the time of Vespasian's death in 79. The top level was finished and the building inaugurated by his son, Titus, in 80. Dio Cassius recounts that 11,000 wild animals were killed in the one hundred days of celebration which inaugurated the amphitheatre. The building was remodelled further under Vespasian's younger son, the newly-designated Emperor Domitian, who constructed the hypogeum, a series of underground tunnels used to house animals and slaves. He also added a gallery to the top of the Colosseum to increase its seating capacity.In 217, the Colosseum was badly damaged by a major fire (caused by lightning, according to Dio Cassius) which destroyed the wooden upper levels of the amphitheatre's interior. It was not fully repaired until about 240 and underwent further repairs in 250 or 252 and again in 320. The arena continued to be used for contests well into the 6th century, with gladiatorial fights last mentioned around 435. Animal hunts continued until at least 523.The Colosseum underwent several radical changes of use during the medieval period. By the late 6th century a small church had been built into the structure of the amphitheatre. The arena was converted into a cemetery. The numerous vaulted spaces in the arcades under the seating were converted into housing and workshops, and are recorded as still being rented out as late as the 12th century. Around 1200 the Frangipani family took over the Colosseum and fortified it, apparently using it as a castle.Severe damage was inflicted on the Colosseum by the great earthquake of 1349, causing the outer south side to collapse. Much of the tumbled stone was reused to build palaces, churches, hospitals and other buildings elsewhere in Rome. A religious order moved into the northern third of the Colosseum in the mid-14th century and continued to inhabit it until as late as the early 19th century. The interior of the amphitheatre was extensively stripped of stone, which was reused elsewhere, or (in the case of the marble facade) was burned to make quicklime. The bronze clamps which held the stonework together were pried or hacked out of the walls, leaving numerous pockmarks which still scar the building today.In 1749, Pope Benedict XIV endorsed as official Church policy the view that the Colosseum was a sacred site where early Christians had been martyred. He forbade the use of the Colosseum as a quarry and consecrated the building to the Passion of Christ and installed Stations of the Cross, declaring it sanctified by the blood of the Christian martyrs who perished there. Later popes initiated various stabilization and restoration projects, removing the extensive vegetation which had overgrown the structure and threatened to damage it further. The facade was reinforced with triangular brick wedges in 1807 and 1827, and the interior was repaired in 1831, 1846 and in the 1930s. The arena substructure was partly excavated in 1810-1814 and 1874 and was fully exposed under Mussolini in the 1930s.In recent years it has become a symbol of the international campaign against capital punishment, which was abolished in Italy in 1948. Several anti-death penalty demonstrations took place in front of the Colosseum in 2000. Since that time, as a gesture against the death penalty, the local authorities of Rome change the color of the Colosseum's night time illumination from white to gold whenever a person condemned to the death penalty anywhere in the world gets their sentence commuted or is released.Due to the ruined state of the interior, it is impractical to use the Colosseum to host large events; only a few hundred spectators can be accommodated in temporary seating. However, much larger concerts have been held just outside, using the Colosseum as a backdrop. Performers who have played at the Colosseum have included Ray Charles (May 2002), Paul McCartney (May 2003) and Elton John (September 2005).
LocationAddress: Piazza del Colosseo, I-00186 Rome, Italy.Transit: Metro: Colosseo (line B) Bus:11, 15, 27, 81, 85, 87, 88, 118, 673; Tram: 13, 30, 30b.
What's to seeThe Colosseum measures 48 metres (157 ft / 165 Roman feet) high, 189 metres (615 ft / 640 Roman feet) long, and 156 metres (510 ft / 528 Roman feet) wide, with a base area of 6 acres. The north side of the perimeter wall is still standing; the distinctive triangular brick wedges at each end are modern additions, having been constructed in the early 19th century to shore up the wall. The remainder of the present-day exterior of the Colosseum is in fact the original interior wall.The structure of the Colosseum is so well preserved that it still creates a powerful impression of its original form. The surviving part of the outer wall's monumental facade comprises three stories of superimposed arcades surmounted by a podium on which stands a tall attic, both of which are pierced by windows interspersed at regular intervals. The arcades are framed by half-columns of the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian orders, while the attic is decorated with Corinthian pilasters. Each of the arches in the second- and third-floor arcades framed statues, probably honoring divinities and other figures from Classical mythology.Below the wooden arena floor, (little now remains of the original arena floor), there was a complex set of rooms and passageways for wild beasts and other provisions for staging the spectacles. Eighty walls radiate from the arena and support vaults for passageways, stairways and the tiers of seats. At the outer edge circumferential arcades link each level and the stairways between levels. Underneath the arena were changing rooms and training rooms for gladiators, cages for wild beasts and store-rooms, the walls of which are now visible since the collapse of the arena floor. There is now a museum dedicated to Eros located in the upper floor of the outer wall of the building.Around the perimeter of the Colosseum, at a distance of 18 m (59 ft) from the perimeter, was a series of tall stone posts, with five remaining on the eastern side. Various explanations have been advanced for their presence; they may have been a religious boundary, or an outer boundary for ticket checks, or an anchor for the velarium or awning.
Useful informationTelephone:Open: March 1 to October 31 Monday to Sunday 9:00am to 6:30pmNovember 1 to February 28 Monday to Sunday 9:00am to 3:00pm Closed: New Year's Day (January 1)Christmas - Christian (December 25)Cost: 8.00 Euros www.filcoo.com

VENICE COMMENTS

2007-06-24T03:42:00.000-07:00

"The women of Venice are beautiful but, more to the point, they are flirtatious."Ange Goudar"Between the still-slumbering walls of brick and marble, beneath the ribbon of the sky, more and more brightly gleamed the ribbon of the water."Gabriele D'Annunzio"As sailors and merchants, town-builders and politicians, the Venetians were the forerunners and the youth of today's civilization."Le Corbusier"I have never witnessed such an ecstasy of joy as that shown by the audience when they saw themselves and their families so realistically portrayed on the stage. They shouted with laughter from beginning to end."Goethe"Nothing is simpler than to lose oneself in Venice; and nothing is more fun than to be in this labirinth without a Minotaur, as a Theseus without an Ariadne's thread."Jean-Louis Vaudoyer"The Grand Canal, the most beautiful thoroughfare in the world that I know of, has the best houses along it, and runs from one end of the city to the other."Philippe de Commynes"When I went to Venice, I discovered that my dream had become-incredibly but quite simply- my address."Marcel Proust"It is charming to disembark at the polishedsteps of a little campo- a sunny, shabby square with an old well in the middle, an old church on one side and tall Venetian windows looking down."Henry James"And at night they sang in the gondolas, and in the barche with lanterns; the prows rose silver on silver,taking light in the darkness."Ezra Pound"Here it is S. Marco, the tower, the piazza, Palazzo Ducale. Probably such a jewel doesn't exist anywhere else in the world."Hippolyte Taine"A realist, in Venice would become a romantic, by mere faithfulness to what he saw before him."Arthur Symons"Venice is not only a city of fantasy and freedom. It is also a city of joy and pleasure."Peggy Guggenheim

2007-06-24T03:34:00.000-07:00

Venice Carnival, History
The Venice Carnival is the most internationally known festival celebrated in Venice, Italy, as well as being one of the oldest. This congregation of masked people, called Venice Carnival, began in the 15th century, but the tradition can be traced back to the beginning of the 14th Century.

During those years one of the first laws made by the Serenissima was that masks cannot be used around the city at night.Later, Venice Carnival attracted foreigners - including princes - from all over Europe, who came to enjoy the wild festivities while spending fortunes.
During the Carnival period Venice offered numerous possibilities for spending money. The choices were various, with activities such as gambling dens, brothels, theatres, cafés, wine shops (licensed and illicit) and restaurants, as well as booths where one could see exotic animals, ropewalkers and jugglers.

The streets of Venice Carnival were full of people in masks, and no differentiation could be made between nobility and the common people. Generally, the costume worn was a cloak with a long-nosed mask. Also popular were masked couples, where a man and a woman would dress as allegorical characters.
In the squares street-artists and singers entertain with songs and music from their guitars, the guests of the Venice Carnival.

The Venice Carnival dissacratory nature reached its bottom when, during its last days, some masked people started to disturb the building of the preaching pulpits that were under construction for the religious traditions of Lent.
Beginning on S. Stefano Day (26th December) costumes were permitted through the entire period of the Venice Carnival (excluding the Festa delle Marie) which ends at the beginning of Lent. While the Doges reigned, costumes were also allowed from Ascension Day to 10th June, as well as for public banquets and other celebrations. However, they were not allowed to be worn from 5th October to 16th December.

Hiding personal identities was accepted by the "moral in kidding" of the aristocracy as well as by the interclassism Venice was founding its integrity of people on.
There is not much left today of the historical tradition of the Venice Carnival.

In the late 1970's a popular spirit of Venice Carnival bloomed wild, young masked gangs started to throw weethstraw and eggs to not masqued people and spontaneous bands were playing everywhere around Venice; soon the aggressivity dimmed and city authorities began what is now a celebration of the Carnival, mainly for tourists. Unlike many Venetian celebrations that remain almost unknown to the public, Venice Carnival seems to be thriving as much as it ever did.
There are many enterteinments and interesting performances, aside of the real parties in Venetian taste that are often hidden for the large public, which is morelike to enjoy the Venice Carnival on the road.
Pay-for-the-party and souvenir shops are yet the easiest track for the tourists, but many curious meeting and experiences are as well available around, in Venice Carnival time.
The Venice Carnival is anyway an adventure worth to be experienced; better if you can do it with a native friend!

San Marco Bell Tower

2007-06-24T02:52:00.000-07:00

The Piazza di San Marco would not be complete without the rectangular towering Campanile in front of the Procuratie Nuove that links the Piazza and the Piazzetta. The Campanile is 98.6m/322.5ft high and has a double wall. A lift goes up to the Belfry from where there is a magnificent view of the city. In the Middle Ages the Campanile was also used as a pillory: wrongdoers - including adulterers and renegade priests - were closeted in a cage and hoisted half-way up the tower. This breezy punishment could last for several weeks.
HistorySt. Mark's Bell Tower was built in the 9th century as lighthouse and tower to sight enemy fleets. Modifications were made in the 12th and 16th centuries and it the reached the present appearance in 1514 by Bartolomeo Bon.On July 14, 1902 at about 10am, the campanile collapsed completely (also demolishing the logetta) because of wrong repairs that caused structural changes. Remarkably no one was killed. The Basilica was barely scratched by bricks and the Libreria Sansoviniana lost just its corner-wall. It was decided to rebuild the tower exactly as it was, with some internal reinforcement to prevent future collapse. The reconstructed campanile was opened on St Mark's Day, April 25, 1912. The Campanile contains just one bell, the marangona, that survived the fall. It was the biggest bell and tolled the beginning and the end of the working day.The bell tower has played an essential role in the political and social life of the city for centuries. The bells were rung to inform the city's inhabitants of all the main events organized in Venice. At the foot of the bell tower there were popular wine sellers who moved around to stay under the bell tower's shade depending on the time of day. This ancient custom is where the term that the Venetians use for a glass of wine comes from: ombra (shade in Italian).
LocationAddress: Piazza San Marco I-30100 VeniceTransit: From Piazzale Roma:By the water-bus lines :1 (in about 40 minutes)52 direct (in about 20 minutes)82 direct (in about 30 minutes)On foot it takes about 40 minutes to reach it.From the Train Station (Santa Lucia):By the water-bus lines :1 (in about 35minutes)52 direct (in about 25 minutes)82 direct (in about 25 minutes)On foot it takes about 30-45 minutes to reach it.
Whats to seeThe 100 metre-high tower consists of a sturdy brick shaft, an observation platform, a section housing the five bells, and a pyramidal spire, topped by a golden angel weathervane. The logetta which housed the barracks of the guard for the Doge's Palace lies beneath the campanile. It was built by Sansovino, completed in 1549 and extended in 1663. The Campanile is the tallest structure in the city, and from the top there are wonderful views across the entire city and most of the island of the Laguna Veneta. You can virtually see every building, but not a single canal. On clear days you can also view the Dolomites, which seem to be in Venice's back yard.
Useful informationTelephone: (+39) 041 5225205Open: October 1st - March 31st: 9.45 a.m. - 4.00 p.m.April 1st - June 30th: 9.30 a.m. - 5.00 p.m.July 1st - September 30th: 9.45 a.m. - 8.00 p.m.Always closed on: Good Friday - ChristianEaster - ChristianChristmas - Christian (December 25)Boxing Day (December 26)Disabled: Full facilities for persons with disabilities.

The most famous churches of Venice

2007-06-24T02:40:00.000-07:00

IntroductionSt Mark's Basilica (Italian: Basilica di San Marco) is the most famous of the churches of Venice and one of the best known examples of Byzantine architecture. It lies on St Mark's Square, adjacent and connected to the Doge's Palace and has been the seat of the Patriarch of Venice, archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice since 1807. For its opulent design, gilded Byzantine mosaics, and its status as a symbol of Venetian wealth and power from the 11th century on, the building was known by the nickname Chiesa d'Oro (“church of gold”).
HistoryOriginally the palace chapel of the Doge, it became important in 829 when the remains of St Mark were transferred to Venice from Alexandria and interred in the Cappella di San Marco, which 150 years later in 976, was destroyed by fire but soon rebuilt. Its present ground-plan, which is derived from the Church of the Apostles at Constantinople, dates from 1063 and consists of a Greek cross, covered by five domes, with two side-aisles on the west arm pointing towards the Piazza di San Marco. In 1094 the basilica was consecrated in the presence of the Emperor Henry IV and was raised to the status of official state church.Three Procurators were appointed “Custodians of St Mark” to supervise the building and maintenance. In the following centuries they supervised structural alterations to the basilica and its decoration; the mosaics were done in the 12th and 13th centuries. The 13th century also saw the raising of the outer domes, the construction of the portico on the façade, the vaulting of the west porch, the installation of the bronze horses and the addition of the Byzantine parts of the Pala d'Oro. In the 14th century the upper part of the façade and the domes were decorated in Gothic fashion and the pulpits and the Baptistery constructed. Further embellishments followed in the 15th-16th century (altars, font, mosaics) and in the 17th-19th century (mosaics).The whole of Venice was legally compelled to take part in the rich furnishing of the State church. In 1075 the Doge Domenico Selvo passed a law that obliged all returning ships to bring back something precious to decorate the “House of St Mark”, which is why today the basilica boasts over 500 columns of rare marble, porphyry, alabaster and jasper brought back from the East and Asia minor.
LocationAddress: Piazza di San Marco I-30100 VeniceTransit: From Piazzale Roma:By the water-bus lines :1 (in about 40 minutes)52 direct (in about 20 minutes)82 direct (in about 30 minutes)On foot it takes about 40 minutes to reach it.From the Train Station (Santa Lucia):By the water-bus lines :1 (in about 35minutes)52 direct (in about 25 minutes)82 direct (in about 25 minutes)On foot it takes about 30-45 minutes to reach it.
West FaçadeThe main façade on the Piazza is divided into five huge doorways. Over the portals is a terrace with a balustrade and above that five blind arches decorated with mosaics and topped by the Evangelists in gilded towers. Late Gothic ornamentation and figures. Above the central arch the so-called “Angel Staircase” leads up to the Patron Saint, St Mark. Behind the façade are the lead-covered domes.The most remarkable of the mosaics decorating the portals is the one in the portal on the extreme left which dates from the 13th century and depicts the Translation of the Body of St Mark to the Basilica.The other mosaics are from the 17th and 18th centuries and the Last Judgment over the center portal dates only from 1836.The central arch and the panels of the doors are richly decorated with reliefs and sculptures.
South FaçadeUntil 1503, when this façade was enclosed, it was intended to be an imposing ceremonial entrance facing the lagoon, with a large door leading into the atrium (left) and the Baptistery (right). Besides the two griffins (in the first arch) it is worth noting a Byzantine mosaic of the Virgin (13th century) between the arches of the upper floor, in front of which nowadays two lamps are kept burning; at the time of the Republic black tallow candles were lit to comfort those under sentence of death who were executed in front of the Colonne di Marco e Teodora on the Molo.Pilastri Acritani In front of the façade are two marble pilasters with magnificent reliefs (sixth century) Also the spoils of war, these were carried off by the Venetians in 1256 from the port of Acre.Tetrarchs As the Roman Empire begun the process of disintegration, Emperor Diocletian imposed a new Imperial office structure: a four co-emperor ruling plan called “The Tetrarchy”. This porphyry (purple marble) statue represents the inter-dependence of the four rulers. It was taken from Constantinople, during the Fourth Crusade in 1204, and set into the south-west corner of the basilica at the level of the Piazza San Marco. The missing foot of one of the figures was discovered in Istanbul in the 1960s, where it is still on display.Porch Like all Byzantine basilicas St Mark's has a porch (narthex). The mosaics of the domes and arches are 13th century (1220-1300); the only later addition was the “St Mark” inserted in the vaulting above the portal recess in 1545. Starting near the Zen Chapel and going north they depict the Creation, the story of Cain and Abel, the Building of Noah's Ark, the Building of the Tower of Babel, the stories of Abraham, Joseph and Moses.Three portals lead to the interior of the church. All three are flanked by marble columns with richly ornamented capitals (sixth-ninth centuries). The left portal shows Abraham with the three angels; the right portal has a bronze door covered in silver with an inscription in Greek (10th century). The middle portal, Venetian 12th century work, was the main entrance to the church until 1064. In the outer wall of the narthex are 12th century tombs of the Doges.
North FaçadeThe north façade of the Basilica of St Mark, facing the Piazzetta dei Leoncini, contains in the last arch the Porta dei Fiori, the Door of the Flowers, which merits close examination. Its relief depicts the Nativity (13th century), framed by foliage, angels and Prophets. Also worth noting are two other relief's (towards the Piazza): the Etoimasia (seventh-eighth century) depicts the throne of the Judge with six sheep on each side (symbolizing the Twelve Apostles). The other relief shows Alexander the Great whose chariot is being drawn upwards by two griffins (10th century).
InteriorThe basic shape of the Basilica di San Marco is Byzantine, yet it is an astonishing mixture of styles containing elements of nearly every architectural from from classical to 19th century. Its form of building and its art treasures, acquired by such a diversity of means, have made the Basilica di San Marco one of the most important works of art in the world.Four huge pillars bearing the domes and six columns with gilded capitals divide it into a nave and two aisles. Each of the five domes is almost 13m in diameter and has 16 windows. The sumptuous mosaics that cover the domes (over a total surface area of 4,240 sq.m) fully justify its being popularly know as the “Basilica d'Oro”(Golden Basilica).Before beginning to look round the church it is worth pausing to look at the dome mosaics, most of which date from between 1160 and 1200. Their chronological order begins in the east (above the choir), runs above the nave and finishes in the domes in the transept. The best view of the mosaics is from the galleries (anyone who is especially interested should take a telescope or binoculars). Access is from the inner portal.The mosaics of the narthex show Old Testament narratives including a fine series showing the creation, on the right hand dome; inside the basilica, New Testament themes are shown, with marked Byzantine influence - the main domes show Pentecost, the Ascension, and the Pantocrator.
FlagpolesThe three huge cedar flagpoles in front of the façade were erected here in 1376 and their rich bronze bases were cast by Alessandre Leopardi in 1505. The base of the middle flagpole has relief's depicting Justice, Strength (an elephant) and Plenty. The southern flagpole base represents Venice's hegemony on land, and the northern one represents the Republic's hegemony at sea.
Useful informationTelephone: (+39) 041 5225205Fax: (+39) 041 5208289Email: biblioteca.proc@patriarcato.venezia.itOpen: From October 1st to March 31st :Basilica: 9.45 a.m. - 4.45 p.m. (entrance free)St. Mark's Museum: 9.45 a.m. - 4.45 p.m.Pala d'oro: 9.45 a.m. - 4.45 -Sunday: 1.00 - 4.45 p.m.Tesoro: 9.45 a.m. - 4.45 - Sunday: 1.00 - 4.45 p.m.From April 1st to September 30th:Basilica: 9.45 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. (entrance free)St. Mark's Museum: 9.45 a.m. - 5.00 p.m.Pala d'oro: 9.45 a.m. - 5.00 p.m.- Sunday: 2.00 p.m. - 5.00 p.m.Tesoro: 9.45 a.m. - 5.00 p.m.- Sunday: 2.00 p.m.- 5.00 p.m.Campanile:October 1st - March 31st: 9.45 a.m. - 4.00 p.m.April 1st - June 30th: 9.30 a.m. - 5.00 p.m.July 1st - September 30th: 9.45 a.m. - 8.00 p.m.Tips: The visit inside the Basilica lasts about 10 minutes.Visitors are recommended to respect the sacred place, in particular:- Clothes be appropriate for a place of worship;- You cannot enter the basilica with luggage. Luggage must be deposited in Ateneo San Basso (Piazzetta dei Leoncini - in front of the Gate of Flowers, north façade);- Photos and filming are forbidden;- Loud explanations are not allowed, the use of earphones is permitted.

my time in venice

2007-06-24T02:28:00.000-07:00

Venice really needs no introduction the watery city thats unique and timeless home to gondoliers in stripey jerseys singing in front of the Bridge of Sighs, has been a fabled holiday destination for centuries. Venice is a stunning, decaying city with no wheels, a labyrinthe of mysterious streets and canals, surprise views, sublime buildings and particularly Piazza San Marco, “the finest drawing room in Europe” according to Napoleon. Venice's nature is dual: water and land, long history and doubtful future, airy delicacy and dim melancholy. When this precious place sinks, the world will be the poorer.
Arrival
By plane:Marco Polo Airport is 13km from Venice it is linked to Piazzale Roma in Venice by ATVO buses, a 20-minute trip that passes by Mestre train station. You can also catch ATVO city bus No 5. By boat, the Alilaguna hydrofoil runs from the airport to Venice or the Lido and Murano, or there are (more expensive) water taxis that can drop you at Piazzetta di San Marco. Land taxis are just as efficient and less costly.San Guiseppe AirportBuses to/from Piazzale Roma take 1 hour and 15 minutes. If no buses appear, you can catch local bus No 6 to the main train station in Treviso and proceed to Venice by rail.Treviso Airportis 30km away. You need to get a coach to Venice - this travels to Mestre, Venice's mainland industrial zone, then onwards to Piazzale Roma.
By train:If you come to Venice by train, you will arrive at the Stazione di Santa Lucia (known in Venice simply as the ferrovia) from Padua, Verona, Milan, Bologna, Switzerland and France, a large building located at the beginning of the Grand Canal in the Santa Croce area of the city. It is easy to reach the city center on foot walking down the Strada Nuova or by taking the water bus from one of the jetties that are opposite the station. The Stazione di Santa Lucia is in the northwest of town, at the end of the Ponte della Libertà. Paris-Venice takes 9.5 hours, including the change at Milan. If you're coming from the east (Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary and beyond) you may need to change at Trieste, though there are direct trains from Budapest and Bucharest. The legendary Orient Express runs between Venice and London via Verona, Zurich and Paris twice weekly from March to November.
By bus:At the lower end of the luxury spectrum you can arrive in Venice by bus, deposited at Piazzale Roma. It's marginally cheaper than train, but much less comfortable. The bus station is on the southern side of the Grand Canal.
By car:The Ponte della Libertà bridge connects Venice to the mainland and ends at Piazzale Roma, the only part of the city where cars can enter. There are several indoor and outdoor car parks in Piazzale Roma that vary in the parking fees asked: find the fees they apply and choose one that is most convenient for you. You can also park at the Tronchetto, which you reach by turning right immediately at the end of the Ponte della Libertà bridge, just before you get to Piazzale Roma. At the Tronchetto there are some indoor and outdoor car parks. You can get to the city center easily from both these points by vaporetto (the Venice water buses), water taxi or on foot.
History and CultureBack in the 5th and 6th centuries was the first human settlements on the Venice Lagoon islands during the barbarian invasions when the people of the Veneto mainland sought refuge in the marshy region that followed the fall of the Roman Empire. The refugees built watery villages on rafts of wooden posts driven into the subsoil, laying the foundations for the floating palaces of today fighting as hard as they could to survive: little by little this group of pieces of land surrounded by water took on the semblance of a real town, a town that was so unique and special that it would become the only one of its kind in the world. The traditional date of Venice's birth is given as 25 March 421, but there is little evidence to support this belief.Settlement became focused on the Rivo Alto (later known as Rialto, the highest point in the lagoon), and Venice slowly grew a big enough population to deserve the title of city, it was then annexed to the Byzantine Empire, formerly the Eastern branch of the Roman Empire while maintaining its own independence. The first of Venice's eventual 118 doges (chief magistrates) was elected in 697 giving life to a new government: the Dogado (Maritime Empire). Venice's name became inextricably linked with that of St Mark when the apostle's earthly remains were spirited out of Alexandria by merchants in 828. The holy relics were eventually brought to rest in the purpose-built St Mark's Basilica, which was consecrated in 1094.Since the very beginning, Venice showed strong inclinations towards trade. This increased to the point that at the end of the 11th century, the city set up close trading connections with Byzantium. This was the start of the Republic of Venice, which was finally consecrated in 1202 through the 4th crusade that saw the conquering of Byzantium and then the islands in the Aegean and Ionian Seas. The eastern city was sacked and the booty was taken to Venice, where it was used to decorate churches and palaces. The four bronze horses that still adorn the main facade of the Basilica of San Marco were also part of that booty.Venice now commanded a thriving and expanding commercial empire, and had gained a strong political role due to the fact that it now controlled a large part of the Mediterranean and it also increased its military power and its trading. The city's historical rivalry with Genoa exploded under the form of four wars that were fought one after the other until a truce was finally agreed at the end of 1381, when Venice beat Genoa in the famous Battle of Chioggia (1380). Venice then realized that it was necessary for the city to have bases on the mainland too and began to expand towards Padua, Vicenza, Verona, Brescia and Bergamo. Venice's prestige grew at the same rate as the increase in the land it controlled and was thus given the name of Serenissima. However, danger was round the corner: the Serenissima was so busy expanding on the mainland that it did not realize that the Turks'power was expanding rapidly, to the point where they took over Constantinople (Byzantium) and some cities on the Greek and Albanian coastlines.The Austrians were not accepted by the Venetians, and in 1848 the city joined the long list of rebels who rose up against the established order across Europe. The Austrians were run out of the city by a group led by Daniele Manin, and the second Republic of Venice was proclaimed: in 1848, This new republic did not last for long, however, as Venice was annexed to the new Kingdom of Italy in 1866. The city was a hive of activity during the last decades of the 19th century: increased port traffic was coupled with growing industry; a railway bridge linking Venice with the mainland was built, permanently erasing the lagoon city's island status; canals were widened and deepened; pedestrian zones were laid out in the city centre, and tourism began to take off.
City TransportVenice has two interlocking street systems - the canals and the pavements Venice and the surrounding islands are well-served by waterbuses, the workaday vaporetti and the faster motoscafi. Buy tickets in advance at landing stages or tabacchi. Away from the large canals, travel is on foot, so be prepared to do some walking when exploring the smaller alleys and canals. In many cases the speediest way of getting around is on foot . Distances between major sights are sometimes tortuous but extremely short (you can cross the whole city in an hour), and once you've got your general bearings you'll find that navigation is not as daunting as it seems at first.
The old city center is divided into six areas known as sestieri: Castello, Cannaregio, San Marco, Santa Croce, Dorsoduro, San Polo. Some islands are also part of the city: Giudecca and San Giorgio, that can be seen from Piazza San Marco, the islands of Murano, Burano, Torcello and the Lido, home to Venice's beaches and where it is possible to go by car, taking the ferry from the Tronchetto. There are many water buses and motorboats to take you quickly to any place in Venice. The vaporetto lines 1 and 82 travel along the Grand Canal from Piazzale Roma to the Lido, allowing passengers to view the wonderful buildings that stand alongside the Canal until it reaches the San Marco Basilica, where it is possible to catch a glimpse of the wonderful, majestic Piazza San Marco. An interesting way to cross the Grand Canal from one side to the other is by using the gondola ferry. These ferries can be found at various points on the Grand Canal: from Santa Maria del Giglio to the Salute and vice versa (until 1 pm); from Ca'Rezzonico to Palazzo Grassi and vice versa (until 1 pm); from Riva del Vin to the Town Hall and vice versa (until 1 pm); from the Rialto Market to Strada Nova and vice versa (up to 7.45 pm); from San Marcuola to Fontego dei Turchi and vice versa (until 1 pm); from the train station to San Simeone and Giuda and vice versa (until 1 pm).
Churches and MuseumsSt Mark's BasilicaSt Mark's is one of the most spectacular houses of worship in the world built in 829 it is said to contain the remains of Saint Mark, The basilica was modelled on Constantinople's Church of the Twelve Apostles and consecrated in 1094. It is famous for its golden mosaics, particularly those above the doorways in the facade and decorating the interior domes. If you can wrench your eyes away from their glitter, take time to admire the 12th-century marble pavement. It has been renovated and decorated several time over the centuries and the Basilica is most certainly the most spectacular church in the city. Its main façade is unique. It has five arched doorways, a long terrace that are home to four bronze horses that came from the booty from the 4th crusade of the infidels. Its bas-relief work is in Byzantine style. The interior is just as sumptuous as the outside. The marble floor has a striking geometric pattern and there are splendid mosaics on the walls that tell stories from the New Testament. Take the lift to the top for some fabulous views over the rooftops and lagoon. The dress code requires knees, shoulders and upper arms be covered.Related Articles: St Mark's Basilica GuideSan Marco Bell TowerThe San Marco Bell Tower was built in the 9th century. It was originally used as a lookout tower and as a lighthouse. It was rebuilt in 1100 and it was then completed in the 16th century under the guidance of the architect Bon. It was rebuilt in a Renaissance style while maintaining the original structure. In 1902, the bell tower fell down but fortunately there were no tragic consequences. Venice decided to rebuild it "as it was and where it was" and 10 years later the new bell tower, an exact copy of the original, was ready: the tower is square, built in brick. It is 12 meters wide and 98.6 meters high and is closed on top with a pyramid-shaped point. On the top there is a golden angel about 2 meters high. The bell tower has played an essential role in the political and social life of the city for centuries. The bells were rung to inform the city's inhabitants of all the main events organized in Venice. At the foot of the bell tower there were popular wine sellers who moved around to stay under the bell tower's shade depending on the time of day. This ancient custom is where the term that the Venetians use for a glass of wine comes from: ombra (shade in Italian).Related Articles: San Marco Bell Tower GuideChurch of San Giorgio Dei GreciThe Church of San Giorgio dei Greci was built starting from 1539, as soon as the Greeks obtained permission to build a church and a school from the Republic. The Church of San Giorgio dei Greci was completed by Chianantonio and was consecrated in 1561. The church’s interior is truly magnificent: the hemispherical dome is worthy of note, with its center covered in frescoes by G. di Cipro.Related Articles: Church of San Giorgio Dei Greci GuideChurch of the PietàThe church was built in the 15th century according to a design by Giorgio Massari and was consecrated in 1760. The building is one of the elegant and striking from the 7th century. There is a wonderful fresco by Tiepolo on the ceiling of the main entrance: Fortitudine e Pace, one of this greatest masterpieces. The frescoes that adorn the choir ceiling, which make up the Trionfo della Fede, are also worthy of note. Here Tiepolo has excelled himself, painting the Glory of Paradiso.Church of the Santissimi ApostoliThe ancient Church of the Santissimi Apostoli stands in Campo dei Santi Apostoli, where it was built in the 9th century. The current building is the result of lots of renovation work carried out during the 18th century. Legend has it that the spot on which the Church stands was one of the first places in Venice where refugees from the mainland came to live. There are several wonderful frescoes inside the church: The “Comunione di Santa Lucia” by Tiepolo and the large panel painted by Francesco Canal that is on the ceiling, showing the Communion of the Apostles, the Celebration of the Eucharist and four ovals to the side showing the Evangelists.Related Articles: Church of the Santissimi Apostoli Guide
The best Museums Venice has to offerPeggy Guggenheim MuseumThe Peggy Guggenheim Museum is a foundation that is housed inside Palazzo Venier dai Leoni, a typical building with just one floor that looks out onto the Grand Canal. In 1954 Peggy Guggenheim (1898-1979), a collector and patron of many modern artists, bought the building to live in, transferring her own collection of sculptures and paintings by artists such as Mirò, Magritte, Boccioni, Picasso, Chagall, Mondrian, Kandinsky, Ernst, Dalì. Today these works of art can be visited at the Peggy Guggenheim Foundation, the best Museum of Modern Art in Venice: 400 works of art, including paintings and sculptures.Related Articles: Peggy Guggenheim Museum Guide