Campi - Structural units of Venice and other Venice, Italy Things to Do Tips

Strolling around Venice, we find many Campi like this and it was interesting finding out that they were, actually, the basic structural unit of the city.

Going back to the 5th century after the fall of the Roman Empire, invaders' attacks ( Goths, Visigoths, Huns, to mention a few... ) towards Italy's major cities forced people to find refuge at islands in the saltwaters of Adriatic Lagoon.

Along with their prayers for survival, they brought with them no more than their faith, business aknowledge and family ties. With no hope to return home, they started building a new one.
Crossing a small canal ( rio - pl. rii ), finding a field ( campo - pl. campi ) they began to sit the focal points of their lives. Homes ( Casa or Ca' ), a church and a Pozzo ( Well ) in the middle, to collect rain water.

These small communiites sprung up on the islands and by growing and growing they endded up forming the sestieri or neighborhoods. There are six sestieri in Venice; Cannaregio, Castello, Dorsoduro, Santa Croce, San Marco and San Polo.
As the city grew, it became unified under an republican government. From unification came organization. Larger canals and bridges were built and many smaller canals were filled in to create paved streets.

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Directions: Spread across Venice

The Piazza San Marco has been the place of the most important religious and political activities of "La Serenissima Republic of Venice" and, for a long time, the center of Venetian social life.

The only true square in Venice ( other open areas are campi ), was, once, divided in two by the rio Batario. It had its present shape stablished in the XII century for the meeting of Pope Alexander III and the Emperor Barbarossa. The rio Batario was filled in and a small new square was built ( the Piazzeta ).

The first patron saint of Venice was St.Teodoro. In 828 St.Mark the Evangelist substituted him when his mortal remains were smuggled out from Alexandria to take the place of the Greek Saint. First buried in a chapel in the Doge's Palace, a church was built later to house the remains and after many changes, it evolved into St. Marks Basilica.

The construction of the church served to emphasize Venice's break with the Emperor at Byzantium and to underline the city's independence in religious and political matters.

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Detail of the Basilica. Mosaics.

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Detail of the Basilica - Mosaics

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From the beggining of the Renascence throughout to the 16th century, the square went under some changes.
Boardering the square, on the right side, the Old Procuratie and the Clock Tower. On the left side, The New Procuratie.
The Procurators were the most important citizens of Venice after the Doge. They controlled the Square, the Basilica and the 6 sections of the city ( Sestieri ).

Venetian first ( 1638 ) "coffee shop" was located under the Procuratie. ( It was a Venetian Ambassador to Istambul who told the Senate about a black hot beverage turks were drinking ).

The oldest caffe in Venice is the Florian ( 1720 ), set under the arcades of the Procuratie Nuove here at Piazza San Marco. It is expensive, but a lovely place.

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Built in the 9th century, it once served as a watchtower and lighthouse protecting the city from enemy fleets.

It reached the present appearance ( 99m high ) in 1514 by Bartolomeo Bon.
On July 14, 1902 the structure collapsed as if it was demolished by implosion.
The present structure, built in 1912 is an exact replica.

Venetians used to call it "El Paron de Casa" ( the lord of the house )

Inside the bell tower there are 5 large cast iron bells. Each bell has a name wich recall its purpose:
La Marangona announced the beginning and end of the work day;
La Trottiera called magistrates to meetings in the Palazzo Ducale;
La Nona rang for the mid-day;
The Pregadi announced meetings of the Senate;
The Renghiera or Maleficio rang as a signal that a capital execution was to take place.

Climbing up the Tower gives us a wonderful birds-eye view of the city.

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It was the private residence of the Doge, the seat of government and the court of justice of the Serenissima Republic.
The exterior facade is decorated in white and pink marble.

The Doge represented the unity of the Republic and was elected for life by the Grand Council, chosen from among the greatest Venetian families and in general was older than 70.

It was not that easy being a Doge...

He could not make any decisions in the absence of the six Councillors of the six sestieri of the city of Venice.

He could not leave Venice unless he was accompanied by at least two Councillors.

The actions of the Doge were controlled by the Seignory, which consisted of the six Councillors, the three heads of the supreme tribunal... and the Doge himself.

Moreover the Doge had to pay for all official festivities organized in the Doge's Palace, for any restoration work done in the Palace and often had to pay for military operations, without getting money from the State.

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It was erected in 16th century to connect the Doge's prisons, or Prigioni, with the inquisitor's rooms in the main palace.

The "Bridge of Sighs" was so named for the “sighs of pain” from prisoners crossing from the palace to the dungeon-like prison....... do you believe that??? - except, of course, that the bridge was built long after summary judgments, torture, and executions had ceased in Venice. In fact by the 16th century, most of the prison inmates were held for minor crimes...

Actually, the name "Bridge of Sighs" was invented in the 19th Century, when Lord Byron helped to popularize the belief that the bridge's name was inspired by the sighs of condemned prisoners as they were led through it to the executioner

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The Rialto area was always the heart of the commercial activity of the lagoon dwellers.

Around the 12th century, the ferry-boat system was not bearing the volume of goods and people to be transported from one bank of the Grand Canal to the other, wich made necessary the construction of a bridge.

The former wooden bridge was restored and rebuilt many times until the volume of traffic, by the 16th century, forced the government to order the construction of a new one built of stone.

It remained the only way to cross the Grand Canal on foot until the Accademia Bridge was built in 1854.

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Situated in one of the most wonderful places - at the entrance to the Grand Canal - the Basilica was completed in the 17th century by Baldassare Longhena .

Its picturesque front steps start directly from the waters up to the level of the church.

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Directions: Punta della Dogana