No-one in their right mind travels to Venice these days. Overcrowded with tourists and empty of local Venetians, it does not inspire to any sort of travel, but that of the armchair. We bring you a short overview of the history and a list of books
A few years back the Venetians staged a dramatic burial of their city. Officially the number of inhabitants had sunk beneath 60.000 and a group of concerned citizens rigged a gondola with a traditional casket and organized a funeral procession down the Canal Grande. More than 300 boats and gondolas took part in the funeral procession, which ended in front of the Palazzo Cà Farsetti, where a funeral prayer for the “Serenissima” was offered in the Venetian dialect.
This was no idle joke. Venice is threatened; and more so, today, when more than 80.000 tourists visit the city every day, many of them arriving on gargantuan cruise-ships, for which plans are currently underway to make further room.
We, though, may well ask, what the city would be like, if “the others” had to queue for years (which may in fact be the only solution in the future, when a billion Chinese and Indians are expected to roam the world each summer). The answer is of course, that it might once again be the city of our youth: Medieval Venice.
Early History
Venice was built on the archipelago in the centre of the extensive Venetian Lagoon in the 7th century as a refuge for Roman citizens fleeing the barbarian invasion of the Lombards. One of twelve such settlements in the lagoons, it was not a particularly important partner in the first confederation. In AD 810 strife and flooding led to a relocation of the central government of the confederation to Venice. At the beginning the centre was no more than a small chapel dedicated to S Todaro. However in AD 829 the body of the Evangelist, St. Mark, was brought to the city from Alexandria.
The archipelago on which the city was constructed measured no more than 1.5 X 5 km with two centres around S. Marco and Rialto, with the latter functioning as the market and the former as the guardian of the entrance to the Canal Grande. But other islets were also settled with churches, monasteries and palaces at this time. S. Pietro di Castello, S. Zaccaria, S. Giogio Maggiore and SS Apostoli are but a few of the better-known examples. As the city grew the number of these parishes exploded and around 1200 there were more than 70 such parishes or local centres around the city. Each was built around a campo with a well and with an adjoining palace and church and linked by bridges to the other islets.
As the Venetians had little access to timber, buildings were soon constructed from spoliae nearby Roman cities like Altinum and further away. Later Mestre on the mainland functioned as a supplier of building bricks, sourced inland. When buildings grew in the height, foundations of solid timber became necessary. This was sourced as far away as Friuli and the colony of Istria.
Trading Hub
By the 10th century Venice had established itself as an important trading hub between Eastern and Northern Europe. Commercial links secured trading privileges from the Byzantine Emperors and the huge shipbuilding enterprise was placed under state control at the Arsenal in the eastern part of the city, which was founded in 1104. Venice became de facto the capital of a huge trading empire with S. Marco as the spiritual and political centre and Rialto as the commercial hotspot. Symbolic were the two famous columns erected by the Doge Sebastiano Ziani (1172 – 78) after he had reclaimed the inlet, which today forms the piazzetta San Marco. At the same time the market was moved to the Western bank of the Canal Grande and the first bridge was erected.
City of Dreams
© Didier Descouens CC By-SA 4.0
In 1204 the Fourth Crusade resulted in the taking of Constantinople and a vast booty of relics, sculptures, arts and other valuables were brought to the city; most famous, are of course the four horses, which were placed on the terrace of S Marco in 1254 and whose replicas still reigns over the city. (The originals may be admired in the basilica). At the same time the piazza was paved for the first time, while the mint was moved from the market to the centre of government. Nearby huge granaries were erected to secure the city in times of hunger and a series of civil works were commenced, basically resulting in the present palace complex, which may be enjoyed today.
By 1200 the population of Venice had risen to more than 100.000, literally turning it into one of the largest cities in Europe at that time (London could only master ca. 40.000). Venice was simply a metropolis, surrounded by a string of satellites, working to provide the city is necessary victuals and daily supplies. Torcello thus functioned as a spiritual centre and Chioggio produced salt and furnished the city with fish, while Murano produced its famous glass. Around the lagoon, wine, fruits and vegetables were produced and send to market every day.
Plague and War
In 1348 plague swept through the city and killed half of the population. This was followed by war (1378 -80) against Venice’s great rival, Genoa. It nearly resulted in a violent conquest. Although the Genoese were repulsed, it took centuries for the city to reclaim some of its former vivacity. Around 1420 Venice is reckoned to have been top of the list, once again. At that time Venice governed not only the city and the surrounding Lagoon, but the whole republic including Vicenza, Padua and Verona.
Palaces
Once again a series of palaces and public constructions were initiated. Built on timbers driven into the underlying ground and built of bricks, they were decorated with details made of white Istrian stone – windows, balconies, doorways came to embellish these magnificent buildings, of which many of course may still be seen in the cityscape.
Characteristically they were constructed around the Androne, the large hall, which ran from central entrance opening up to the canal and all the way through the house. On either side of this hall were the offices and stocks. On the first floor was the apartment of the noble family. Further up were the kitchens and the servants’ quarters. Towards the rear of the palace was a courtyard with a well and an external staircase leading to the apartment above.
The most famous of these palaces is of course the 15th century Ca’ d’Oro. Earlier examples are the Donà palaces (one of which is a hotel) and the Ca’ da Mosto.
Most of these medieval palaces, which still line the Canal Grande were rebuilt in the early modern period. Later they were turned into hotels. While several palaces are dedicated to tell the story of daily life in 17th and 18th century Venice, the city museum curiously enough do not have at its disposal a palace, which may showcase the daily life of a medieval merchant. (The two most famous examples: Ca’ Farsetti and Ca’ Loredan are used for municipal administration).
READ MORE:
The Architectural History of Venice
by Deborah Howard
Yale University Press; Revised and enlarged edition 2004
ISBN-10: 0300090293
ISBN-13: 978-0300090291
Venetian Vernacular Architecture: Traditional Housing in the Venetian Lagoon
by Richard J. Goy
Cambridge University Press; Reissue edition 2011
ISBN-10: 0521154901
ISBN-13: 978-0521154901
Art & Architecture: Venice
by Marion Kaminski
Ullmann Publishing 2013
ISBN-10: 3848003236
ISBN-13: 978-3848003235
The New Palaces of Medieval Venice
by Jürgen Schulz
Pennsylvania State University Press 2004
ISBN-10: 0271023511
ISBN-13: 978-0271023519
The House of Gold: Building a Palace in Medieval Venice
by Richard J. Goy
Cambridge University Press; Reissue edition 2011
ISBN-10: 0521181348
ISBN-13: 978-0521181341
Sacred Plunder: Venice and the Aftermath of the Fourth Crusade
by David M. Perr
Pennsylvania State University Press 2015
ISBN-10: 0271065087
ISBN-13: 978-0271065083
Venice and the East: The Impact of the Islamic World on Venetian Architecture 1100 – 1500
by Deborah Howard
Yale University Press 2000
ISBN-10: 0300085044
ISBN-13: 978-0300085044