Romantic Venice deserves to be called the eighth wonder of the world. This Italian city is located on 118 islands of the Adriatic Sea, connected by 400 bridges. In the heart of the historic center, there are two luxurious buildings from the heyday of Venetian power: the Cathedral of San Marco and the Doge's Palace - the residence of the city's rulers. So what to see in Venice?
Venice is famous for its elegant gondola canals, and the facades of houses - and even grandiose palazzo - overlook the water. Several miniature islands are scattered in the Venetian lagoon, including the famous Murano and Burano.
TOP 15 sights of Venice
Cathedral of San Marco
Cathedral of San Marco
The Cathedral of Saint Mark the Evangelist is unique in Europe - it is one of the rarest examples of the Byzantine architectural style. The temple itself is a powerful building topped with five domes. The main structure dates back to the eleventh century, but many details were added later. Also, many relics and decorations of the cathedral were removed from Constantinople by the crusaders after its sack in 1204. What is interesting about the cathedral:
- The magnificent main facade of the temple is made of marble, the arches of the portal are decorated with exquisite mosaics. The central gate is made of bronze and dates from the 6th century.
- The quadriga of St. Mark used to decorate the loggia of the cathedral. It is the only surviving multi-figured equestrian antique sculpture dating back to the fourth century BC. She used to decorate the Constantinople Hippodrome. Now the original sculpture is carefully kept in the museum of the cathedral.
- The bell tower of St. Mark is almost one hundred meters high. For a long time it served as a lighthouse. The cathedral's campanile was built in the tenth century, but in 1902 it collapsed from old age. The modern building completely repeats the ancient bell tower.
- The "Golden Altar" was also brought from Constantinople. This stunning masterpiece of Byzantine art is adorned with 250 enamel miniatures in the tenth century. Then precious stones and a gold setting were added to it.
- The interior of the Cathedral of San Marco is amazing: its walls, ceiling and domes are decorated with an almost continuous row of Murano glass mosaics against a gold background, creating a glow effect.
The Cathedral of San Marco is open to tourists, and there is also a museum dedicated to its history. But it also retains its original religious function - the cathedral contains the most important relics of the Christian world: the relics of the holy Evangelist Mark, the head of the Apostle James the Younger and the image of the Theotokos "Nicopeia".
Doge's palace
Doge's palace
The Doge's Palace used to serve as the administrative center of Venice - the heads of the Venetian Republic, the Doges, lived here, as well as the Grand Council, Senate and Court. Now this Venetian Gothic masterpiece houses a museum.
The exterior of the Doge's Palace is highlighted by a gallery-balcony on the second floor, from where the Doges greeted the people gathering in the square. It is also worth paying attention to the curious "paper door" - a pointed arch to the left of the facade, crowned with a winged lion - the symbol of the city.
The interior of the Doge's Palace has mostly been preserved in its original form, especially the various ceilings worth noting. And in the hall of the Grand Council is one of the largest paintings in the world - "Paradise" by Jacopo Tintoretto, painted at the end of the sixteenth century. It takes up the entire wall.
The Doge's Palace is also known for its miniature bridge with the romantic name “Bridge of Sighs”. It connects the palace with the former prison building. This covered baroque bridge allowed the condemned to see the sunlight for the last time.
The entrance to the Doge's Palace is 20 euros.
Grand canal
Grand Canal and Rialto Bridge
The main "highway" of Venice is its Grand Canal, which runs through the entire city and is almost four kilometers in length. The Grand Canal is overlooked by the facades of the most beautiful houses in the city, including several palaces, including such significant buildings as Ca-d'Oro, Ca-Rezzonico and many others. There are four bridges thrown across the canal, one of which is the famous Rialto. A gondola ride on the Grand Canal is the favorite pastime of tourists in Venice.
Rialto bridge
The Rialto Bridge is the symbol of Venice. It was built in the narrow part of the Grand Canal and is a powerful stone arch with arched galleries and stairs. Now there are 24 shops selling souvenirs, expensive leather and jewelry.
Not far from the bridge is the Rialto market, the fish market and the oldest church in all of Venice - San Giacomo di Rialto, made in the Byzantine style with interspersed Gothic. Its appearance is marked by a graceful bell tower with a massive clock.
Columns of Saint Mark and Saint Theodore
Two massive columns dedicated to the city's patron saints complete the ensemble of St. Mark's Square. These columns were brought to Venice from Constantinople in 1125, while initially there were three, but one of them drowned in the lagoon. The place between these columns is considered cursed - earlier executions took place here.
The column of St. Mark is crowned with a bronze lion, which is more than 2500 years old. However, very few original elements of the statue have survived - during the Napoleonic Wars, the oldest monument split into 84 pieces and was welded together. And on the column of Saint Theodore is the saint himself, killing a monster resembling a crocodile.
Ka-d'Oro
Ca-d'Oro palace
The Ca-d'Oro Palace overlooks the Grand Canal and is considered a masterpiece of Venetian Gothic. The exterior of this three-story building features graceful arched galleries with balconies adorned with elaborate columns. Also worth noting is the balustrade on the roof of the palace.
At the end of the nineteenth century, Ca d'Oro was acquired by Baron Giorgio Franchetti, a renowned collector. In 1927, a museum was opened here, which is still operating today. Here are paintings from the Franchetti collection, including works by Titian, van Eyck and van Dyck. Entrance to the Franchetti Gallery is 8.50 euros.
Cathedral of Santa Maria della Salute
Cathedral of Santa Maria della Salute
The church is located on the Grand Canal and is dedicated to the deliverance of Venice from the plague in 1631. The appearance of this monumental building is distinguished by a powerful dome and the main facade, made in the form of a triumphal arch. The interior of the cathedral is made predominantly in the Baroque style, especially the main altar, decorated with elaborate marble statues. In its center is the miraculous image of the Mother of God the Healer (Madonna della Salute), in whose honor the temple got its name. The cathedral also contains amazing paintings by the masters of the Italian Renaissance - Titian, Tintoretto and Luca Giordano.
Peggy Guggenheim Collection
The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is a kind of contemporary art museum in Venice. It is housed in an interesting building of the 18th century - this is an unfinished palace of low height. The palace overlooks the Grand Canal, and behind it is a stunning green garden.
The museum itself consists of the collection of renowned collector Margaret (Peggy) Guggenheim, niece of the famous magnate Solomon Guggenheim. It was she who opened the world to the extraordinary American expressionist Jackson Pollock. The Peggy Guggenheim collection is represented by 300 paintings by artists of the 20th century, including Pablo Picasso, Rene Magritte, Salvador Dali and others. The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is one of the most visited museums in Venice.
The ticket price is 15 euros.
Arsenal
Arsenal
The Venetian arsenal is a whole complex of structures designed to build and equip ships. The main gate of the arsenal, built in 1460 of red-brown brick and considered the symbol of the city, stands out especially. Now the naval history museum is located in the five-story building of the arsenal barn. Shown here are ship models and war trophies from the First World War.
The entrance to the museum is five euros.
Florian Cafe
Venice is famous for the fact that it was here that the first coffee house was opened in 1640. And in 1720, the popular Florian cafe was opened, which functioned simultaneously as a stock exchange, a library and a theater lobby. The first Venetian newspaper was sold here, and theatergoers also gathered, because the famous theater "La Fenice" was located nearby, which was recreated like a phoenix after numerous fires.
Today, the Florian Café operates both as a bistro and as a museum - the interior of the halls of the mid-nineteenth century has been preserved here. Of particular note is the Hall of the Great People, which displays portraits of ten of the greatest Venetians, including the painter Titian and the traveler Marco Polo.
Academy Gallery
The Venice Academy of Fine Arts itself was established in 1750, but during the occupation by Napoleonic troops, it was moved to the site of the current Academy Gallery - in the building of the former charitable society (scuola della Carita). This elegant, classic 18th century building now houses an art gallery. In addition to the masterpieces of Italian masters, you can also find curious works of Hieronymus Bosch here. Among the selected works on display in the Academy Gallery are Giovanni Bellini's Madonna, Lorenzo Lotto's Portrait of a Young Man, Piero della Francesco's Saint Jerome, and many paintings by the local master, the great Titian.
The entrance to the Academy Gallery is 15 euros.
Scuola San Marco
Scuola San Marco
Previously, this building housed the charitable society (brotherhood) of San Marco, containing a hospital, an orphanage and a school. Now the city hospital is located here. Of particular interest is the main façade of the scuola, a powerful Renaissance structure decorated with marble sculptures.
Casa dei Tre Ochi
Casa dei Tre Ochi is a rare building in Venice - an Art Nouveau palace with neo-Gothic elements. Its façade features three large windows with graceful oval balconies - they resemble eyes and thus gave the name to this house. It now hosts exhibitions of avant-garde art and photography.
Islands of the Venetian Lagoon
San Michele Island
Several smaller islands are scattered around Venice, which are also interesting for tourist visits. You can get to them by special water trams vaporetto, which run around the city itself.
- Murano Island is famous for its glass, made using a special technique. The Museum of the History of Murano Glass is located in the luxurious Gothic Palace of Palazzo Justiniana. Also here is the ancient 12th century church of Santi Maria e Donato, which is a powerful stone structure with numerous arched galleries.
- Burano Island is located 7 kilometers from Venice and is famous for its lace and brightly colored houses, towering along the canals. On the island, it is also worth visiting the Venetian Lace Museum and admiring the local Leaning Tower.
- The island of Torcello is located not far from Burano and is an "oasis of the Middle Ages" - two modest palaces and two old churches have survived here, inside of which elements of Byzantine art have been preserved.
- The island of San Giorgio Maggiore is almost entirely occupied by the cathedral of the same name, featuring a baroque façade with columns and an outstanding brick bell tower. Selected paintings by the famous artist Tintoretto are kept inside.
- The island of San Michele is completely set aside for the cemetery, where many cultural and artistic figures are buried: Joseph Brodsky, Sergei Diaghilev and Igor Stravinsky.
Lido island
Lido Island deserves a special mention. It is the site of the famous Venice Film Festival, while nearly half of the island is dedicated to beaches, both private and public. The beaches of Lido are sandy and the water of the Adriatic Sea is very clean and warm, suitable for families. Santa Maria Elizaveta Street connects the sea with the lagoon, and is also a concentration of hotels, restaurants and shops. There is also a port linking the island of Lido with Venice.
You can get to the Lido from Venice by water tram (vaporetto). Travel time is approximately 20 minutes.
