Places of Interest
St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco), with adjoining buildings, is the heart of the city and the largest square in Venice. It is bordered on one side by St. Mark's Basilica and the Doges' Palace and on the other three sides by arcaded, historic buildings with ground-floor cafes and shops. Large flocks of pigeons have long been associated with the square.
St. Mark's Basilica, built in the 11th century in predominantly Byzantine style, is a treasure house of medieval art. Adjoining the basilica is the Doges' Palace, built during the 14th and 15th centuries of pink and white marble in Gothic style. For many years, while Venice was a major European power, the palace was the seat of government and the residence of the city's chief magistrate, the doge. Adorning the interior are many paintings and other works of art. From the Doges' Palace the Bridge of Sighs leads across a narrow canal to a former prison and execution site.
Overlooking St. Mark's Square from above the entrance of the basilica are replicas of four giant bronze horses taken from Constantinople after its capture by Crusaders in 1204. (The original horses have been placed in a museum to protect them from air pollution.) A 325-foot (99-m) campanile, or bell tower, is in the square. Adjoining the square is the Piazzetta, a smaller square in front of the Doges' Palace.
The broad Grand Canal, nearly two miles (3 km) long, is the main thoroughfare of Venice. It extends entirely across the city in the form of a reverse S and connects St. Mark's Square and the railway station. About midway along the canal is the 16th-century Rialto Bridge, one of the principal landmarks of Venice. Nearby is the city's main outdoor market. Foremost among the hundreds of palaces and other impressive buildings that line the Grand Canal is the 15th-century Ca' d'Oro (Golden House), which at one time was completely gilded. The Ca' d'Oro houses the collection of the Franchetti Gallery.
The Gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts, which is also on the Grand Canal, is the home of Venice's largest collection of art. It is especially noted for works by painters of the Venetian school, including such masters as Giovanni Bellini, Giorgione, Titian, Veronese, and Tintoretto.
Just east of Venice, on a long sandy island at the seaward edge of the lagoon, is the Lido, a fashionable seaside resort with numerous hotels and a gambling casino. On other islands are the fishing village of Burano, known for fine handmade lace, and Murano, a glass-working center with a glass museum. The arsenal, in the eastern part of Venice, was once the headquarters of the powerful Venetian navy. Nearby is a naval museum.
Venice is host to a number of art, film, and music festivals. The Arts Biennial is an international exhibition of modern art. The International Film Festival is held each August and September at the Lido.
