VENICE EXPLAINED

the Scuola Grande di San Marco. Its facade, a masterwork at the intersection of classic renaissance and Byzantine styles, ornamented with arches, niches, statues and light marbles, is of a breathtaking beauty that we, Venetians, often omit to admire, for one simple reason: to us it is a hospital.

One often unknown, symbols of Venice is the ferò da próva, the Front Ornament of the Gondola: its beautiful shape and decorations are full of meaning.

The “Sala del Maggior Consiglio” is an impressively beautiful, huge hall of the Palazzo Ducale, and a magnificent example of the greatness of the Republic of Venice.

This gigantic room, one of the biggest halls in Europe, was the place of meeting of the most powerful governing body of the Serenissima: the “Great Council” or “Maggior Consiglio” which was in charge of voting laws, electing government representatives, etc.

Torcello, a small island at the north of Venice, was the place of the first successful settlement of population in the venetian lagoon.

From being a shelter to those fleeing the barbarians’ invasion of the mainland after the fall of the roman empire, it became an important political and trading center.

One of the jewels of San Marco, too often overlooked, is the Torre dell’Orologio. The Clock Tower, which was built from 1496 to 1499, is located in a strategical position allowing it to be seen from the water and underlying once more the importance of the seas to the city of Venice.