“Venice is in water and has no water”, said Marin Sanudo in 1500. As Venice was surrounded by salt water but didn’t have drinking water due to its hydro-geological characteristics, wells were built all around the city to collect rainwater. The work was realized by the pozzeri brotherhood, belonging to the Masons brotherhood, and was financed by private individuals,…
Venice: “the City of Bridges” Venice counts more than a hundred islands, intersected by about 150 canals, linked together by more than 400 bridges that originally consisted of wooden planks because they served the passage of horses in use in Venice in 1400. They were later built in stone and brick, protected by side espaliers. Today the bridges that…
Considering that the island of Venice isn’t one of the biggest places in the world you’d be surprised with how many things there are to do. Most who have the privilege to visit “La Serenissima” will, like many of the millions who visit the island, miss out of some of the more masked delights of…
Santa Fosca The small church in Torcello is dedicated to Santa Fosca; the story took place in the early middle-ages, when Fosca, originally from the Middle-East, converted to Christianity along with her maid; after the baptism they were hunted down until they decided to face their trial; they were tortured, decapitated and their bodies thrown in the sea. A group of fishermen, moved by the death of such…
Mazzorbo and the Ponte Lungo Mazzorbo, which is connected to the island of Burano via a long wooden bridge called Ponte Lungo, is often considered as an appendix to Burano, and so is often ignored by tourists who are attracted to the latter’s famous brightly-coloured houses. Like many other islands in the north side of the lagoon, it once had a great commercial role and the society was…
San Giacomo in Paludo The Venetian Lagoon is scattered with tiny islands which look utterly abandoned and wild; many, however, were once not only populated but very well-kept, mostly housing convents or monastries. One such island which you’ll see closeby is San Giacomo in Paludo; like many of its kind, it hides a fascinating diverse history. It was initially…
The Venetian Lagoon The Venetian Lagoon is a stretch of water 55km long comprised between two rivers flowing from the mainland; centuries ago, the Venetian Republic artificially moved the river-mouths so as to avoid that the detritus brought in could irreversibly inter the lagoon waters. Always changing, this environment is a constant grabbing game between land and water; the average depth of the water is 1 meter, which…
Burano “Bussolà” Among Burano’s traditions, food is definitely up there, and at the top of that list are the Bussolà, the buranese biscuits. You will find countless shops selling them in all sorts of shapes and sizes; nowadays they cater for any particular flavour too, from limoncello, chocolate chip, and coconut, to raisin, cream and apple. The bussolà were first invented in their plain buttery…
San Martino Vescovo Piazza Baldassare Galuppi is the only real square in the whole of Burano, dedicated to the 18th century musician who was of course a proud Buranelo. The Church of San Martino which faces the square is shaped like a large hut with its rather simple-looking exterior. Inside, however, there are some unique works of art, most importantly an 18th century Crucifixion by Tiepolo. The leaning campanile is the symbol of…
Burano Island Burano Island is, next to the almost unpopulated Torcello, the one truly inhabitated centre of the northern lagoon. Known for its brightly coloured houses, it too was founded by refugees from the mainland escaping the barbarian invaders. It is far enough from Venice that the people of Burano feel like Buranei more than Venetians, and still strongly hold onto their accent, distinctly different from Venetian, and just as proudly they guard and…