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Ponte di Rialto |
The Ponte di Rialto is probably the most famous
bridge in Venice. For a long time this was the only way to cross
the Canal Grande. There was a bridge here at the end of the 12th
century, but the current one, designed by Antonio da Ponte, was
built in 1554-1591. There are now lots of shops on the bridge selling
all kinds of souvenirs and curiosities and fresh fruit, vegetable
and fish markets line the streets in the bustling neighborhood.
From Ponte Rialto you will enjoy a wonderful view of the Canal Grande
river.
Passing across the bridge you will enter in S. Polo area, and you
will meet the small Church of San Giacomo di Rialto
(known
San Giacomo di Rialto |
affectionately as San Giacometto), generally agreed to be the first
of the city churches; tradition has it that it was founded in AD
421. All around it stretch the markets, commercial and administrative
buildings and areas of low-cost housing . Enjoy a stroll through
the marketplace Mercati di Rialto where every day,
in keeping with a centuries-old tradition, fresh fish are sold along
with fruit, vegetables and flowers from early morning to midday.
The Campo San Polo is the largest square of Venice
after Piazza San Marco. Occasionally used as bull fighting grounds,
the Campo is surrounded by impressive palaces such as the beautiful
Gothic Palazzo Soranzo.
San Polo |
The Church of San Polo dates back to the 9th century
but was completely rebuilt during the 15th century. Interesting
features of this church are the Gothic portal and the lions located
at the foot of its Campanile. One of the lions holds a snake between
its paws and the other a human head. The features on the interior
of this church are 14 canvas by Tiepolo and other works by Veronese,
Palma il Giovane and the dark and suggestive ‘Last Supper’
by Tintoretto. In the northern side of area, you will find the Church
of S. Cassiano, with its Byzantinian-Venetian door-jambs
and the bell tower are original dating back to the beginning of
fifteenth century; all the rest of the church had been removed with
many restorations during the centuries. The
San Stae |
church is surely famous in Venetian itineraries for its important
paintings dating back to sixteenth century of Bassano and Tintoretto.
Just few steps from there , you can’t miss the Modern
Art Museum “Cà Pesaro”, recently reopened
to the public after several years of renovation. The imposing palace
on the Grand Canal ,where the collection is exhibited, used to belong
to the Pesaro family, part of the aristocracy at the time of the
Republic of Venice. The collection, originated in 1902, became richer
and richer as time went on, featuring masterpieces by Gustav Klimt,
Marc Chagall, Paul Klee and Vassily Kandinsky.
Close to the Museum there is the Church of San Stae,
excellent example of Palladian architecture with the classical marble
facade with a great number of significant paintings by different
artists, included Gian Battista Tiepolo. Visit also the Palazzo
Mocenigo, once the 18th-century residence of the
Scuola Grande di San Rocco |
Mocenigo family, one of the most famous families of the Serenissima,
who gave seven doges to the Republic, now it is a museum exhibiting
textiles, books furniture and costumed figurines in period clothing.
Near there, the Museum of Natural History “Fondaco
dei Turchi” is also located: the first palace was
probably built in the early 13th century by Giacomo Palmieri. In
1621 the Seignory rented the palace to Ottoman merchants as their
main business locale, with a view to monitoring their activities.
At this time the building became known as the Fondaco dei Turchi
(the Turks' Warehouse).
In the southern part of S. Polo area, you will instead have the
imposing Church of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Friari.
The architecture displays fine detail around the plain brickwork,
but due to the sheer size of the building it appears rather rigid
and plain, although nonetheless pleasing to the eye. The outside
appearance is reflective of the Franciscan lifestyle, which focused
on spirituality and poverty. Inside, there are Venetian treasures
including the extraordinary Titian altarpieces and Bellini’s
Madonna and Four Saints.
Canal Grande |
Next to the this church, lies the Church of San Rocco,
begun in 1489 and consecrated in 1508. Its facade was built from
1765 to 1771 on Fossati's project and appears nowadays in keeping
with the Renaissance architecture of the adjoining Scuola
Grande di San Rocco.
The famous Jacopo Tintoretto worked here painting the organ's doors
representing 'Annunciazione and San Rocco presentato al Padre’.
In S. Polo area you will also find the Church of San Giovanni
Evangelista and the Scuola, that should
have been thought as a unique complex, in fact they had same restorations
since 18th century.
S. Carlo Chapel once kept a cross' relic that after was moved into
the S. Giovannni Evangelista's Scuola Grande.
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