THE PALAZZO DUCALE
The Palazzo Ducale (Doge's
Palace) got its present form after radical changing during the
14th and 16th century. It was the Doge's
 residence
and at the same time seat of many different political and social
institutions. The first floor was occupied by minor
institutions, such as the Avogaria or lawyers offices, where law
cases
were examined; the Chancellery; the Censors and Provveditori
della Milizia del Mar (Naval Offices) which oversaw the care and
equipping of ships.
The Grand Council chamber, the largest room of the palace, the
Ballot chamber, where the committee met to elect the Doge, and
the Doge's apartments are located on the second floor.
The Sala del Collegio, where foreign ambassadors were received,
and rooms used by the state security service like the Council of
Ten are located on the third floor. The Bussola chamber is a
small room with a box where citizens could submit written
complaints against other citizens. The Sala dei Tre Capi (Three
Chiefs Room) was used by three components of the Council of Ten,
who kept that place only for one month. The State Inquisitor
Room was used to interrogate prisoners.
THE WONDER OF PIAZZA SAN MARCO
Piazza S.Marco is the only
true square in Venice (the others open areas are
campi ). St.Mark's Square was called "the drawing room of
the world" by Musset.
 It
has been the scene of some of the most important religious and
political activities of the Serenissima as well as the center of
Venetian social life for almost a millennium. At first the
Square was limited to the parvis of the Basilica, because of the
presence of a canal, "Rio Batario", which divided the present
Square in two parts. The part of the Square now between the
Procuratie, was once the vegetable garden of S.Zaccaria
monastery with S.Ge miniano
church in the middle. The present shape of the Square was
established in the XII century, for the meeting of Pope
Alexander III and the Emperor Barbarossa by filling in Rio
Batario and the dock. A small new Square was built with the
columns of S.Marco and S.Todaro, the city's patron saints,
overlooking St. Mark's Basin. The alteration of the Square was
all done over the course of one century, adapting to the growing
power and wealth of Venice. The present form reflects the works
of many famous architects such as Sansovino, Longhena, Scamozzi,
Rizzo and Tirani.
THE PROCURATIE
The New and Old Procuratie,
boardering the Square, was the offices of the 9 Procurators, the
most important citizens of Venice after the Doge. They were
controlling the Square, the Basilica and the 6 sections of the
city, called sestieri . In 1585 the Venetian ambassador
to Instambul told the Senate that the Turkish were drinking a
hot black drink, made by a seed called Kahavè and that people
had diffuculty in falling asleep after drinking this beverage.
This seed was brought back to Venice and in 1638 it was roasted,
ground and sold at an expensive price from a special caffè shop
which was located directly under the Procuratie. In a short time
the caffè shops opened all of the city and by the end of the
next century there were 24 such caffè's in San Marco's Square
alone. These caffè's soon became the favorite place among
intellectuals to meet and drink coffee. Gambling, another
favorite past time of the Venetian nobility also went on in the
caffè's.
The popularity of these places grew more and more, and in 1720
one of the most elegant: "Caffè alla Venezia trionfante" opened
it's doors. This Caffè of the Triumphant Venice was a
popular meeting point for both foreign and national high
society. Such notables as Carlo Goldoni, the brothers Gozzi and
Antonio Canova often spent many hours in this caffè. The caffè's
first owner was Floriano Francesconi and therefore the caffè was
affectionately called "Florian". In 1775 G. Quadri decided to
open a new caffè shop in front of the Florian on the opposite
side of the Square and promised to serve only real Turkish Café.
For a long time the shop had a bad reputation, driving the owner
to near bankruptcy, but in 1830 the nobility recognized the
Caffè Quadri as having fine service and quality coffee and it's
reputation for quality remains today.
The Venetians were also well known for their love of beautiful
women and love affairs were frequent and legendary.
 Giacomo
Casanova became one of the most legendary lovers of Venetian
origin but other lesser known lovers soon filled the State
orphanages with their children. Many of these love affairs had
their start in the caffes of St.Mark's Square so in 1767 the
government prohibited women from frequenting caffes. However,
Casanova couldn't resist the charms of the women who strolled
about the Square and under the porticos of the Procuratie. He
was placed in "Piombi", the prison, by State Investigators
because of his lascivious and anti-religious habits. Casanova
attempted to escape twice. The first time, just before finishing
a hole in the floor he was moved to another cell. However it was
better that he didn't finish digging as that hole would have
dropped him directly in front of the Inquisitors (again!) in the
room below. The second attempt succeeded and he made his way out
of the Palace and walked directly down the Golden Staircase and
out the main entrance! The warders saw him leaving but they
thought he was a politician and didn't stop him. Before taking
the Gondola to leave the city, he couldn't resist one last
stroll through the Procuratie where he bid his friends goodbye
and had one last cup of coffee in his beloved Piazza San Marco.
Casanova reached Paris where lived for 20 years before he was
pardoned and allowed to return to his beloved Venice.
SAN MARCO'S HORSES
 The
origin of the four horses is not well known, but it is believed
that they came from Costantinople. Their heads were separated
from the bodies to make the transportation easier. After
arriving in Venice, the cuts between neck and head were hidden
by collars. They were cast in almost pure copper, harder to melt
but easier to gild.
In 1797 after Napoleon Bonaparte declared the official end of
the Venetian Republic he sold the Venetian territories to Vienna
but before leaving the city the French looted all that they
could carry including the four horses. They were returned by the
French Government only after 1815.
STREETS NAME IN VENICE
The streets in Venice
generally have ancient and above all courious names which
reflect different work that was done in the area (like Calle
del "Pestrin", which means milkman, of "Pistor", which means
baker, of "Fruttarol", which means fruit seller, etc.),
commercial activities (like "Mercerie", where you could buy
fabrics, "Frezzerie", where they made arrows, Calle "Fiubera"
where they made buckles for shoes, etc.) and the origins of
inhabitants (like Calle dei "Preti", the street of priests, or "Muneghe",
meaning nuns, or "Ragusei", which refers to the people from
Ragusa, Dubrovnik nowadays, who lived in that area of Venice,
 riva
dei "Schiavoni", the "big slaves", refers to slaves brought from
the Dalmatan Coast, etc.).
There are also many stories about places names. The Riva di
Biasio comes from Biagio who was thought to be the owner of a
little XVI century restaurant (an "osteria"). Biasio was
well-known by all the sailors as a good cook, especially for his
delicious meat dishes. However Biasio became infamous when a
custo mer
found a baby's finger in his plate. Another story about Biasio
reports him to be a butcher who sold human instead of animal
meat. However the story about his death is very clear. He was
condemned to death by the Serenissima Republic, tortured on a
boat crossing the width of the Grand Canal. Then, as a warning
to all Venetians, he was tied between the two columns of the
Piazzetta and publicly beheaded. Biasio was then cut into four
parts hung on four hooks on the four cardinal points of Venice
so that everyone could see him and remember his crime.
On a lighter note, Campiello Mosca (meaning fly) has its origin
not in relation to the annoying insects, but in reference to the
false beauty spots, called mosche. These beauty spots were worn
by both men and women and were very important during the period
of the Serenissima as they were used as silent and secret
messages depending where they were placed on the wearers face,
following a precise code. A woman who wore a beauty spot near an
eye would mean: "I'm irresistible".
SAN MARCO'S BASILICA
 The
first patron saint of Venice was St.Teodoro. In 828 San Marco the
Evangelist substituted him when two merchants smuggled his
mortal remains back from Alessandria (Egypt). San Marco's remains
were initially buried in a chapel in the Doge's Palace
but later a church was built that was to be his perpetual
resting place. The church later suffered damage from fire and
was modified many times to adapt to Venice's evolution of power
and wealth. This simple church evolved into San Marco's Basilica.
The modifications to the Basilica continued on through an entire
century, therefore the results of the construction exhibit a
mixture of different styles.
In order to justify the theft of San Marco's body, legend states
that when the Evangelist went to the lagoon, an angel came and
said: "Pax tibi Marce, Evangelista meus" (Translation from Latin
: peace to you, Mark my Evangelist), showing in this way that
God had determined Venice as the final resting place of the
Saint. The Venetians acted to fulfill the divine prophecy.
San Marco's Basilica is also well known for the Pala d'Oro, one of
the richest and most precious altar screens in the world. It is
covered with more than 3000 precious stones and enamel ikons
inlaid in gold.
THE BELL TOWER
"El paron de casa"
(the lord of the house): so Venetians called the bell tower
of San Marco. On July 14, 1902 it collapsed, luckily without
causing any casualties, not even a pigeon was hurt. It didn't do
any damage to the Basilica either even though it stands just a
few feet from its entrance.
Inside the bell tower there are 5 large cast iron bells. Each
bell has a name and a purpose; Marangona
rang mornings and evenings at the beginning and end of the work
day, Maleficio rang for capital
executions, Nona rang at the 9th hour,
Trottiera called magistrates to
meetings in the Palazzo Ducale, and the bell of
Pregadi called senators to the Palace.
THE CLOCK TOWER
 The
clock shows the hours in Roman numerals, the phases of the moon
and the Zodiac. It also gives indications to sailors about the
tides and which months are more favorable for sailing. The
Serenissima gave a large reward to the Ranieri brothers who
constructed the clock tower, but legend has it that later their
eyes were removed in order to keep them from repeating such a
wonder
THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS
 The
Bridge of Sighs received its name in the 17th
century,
because the prisoners who passed through it on their way to the
prison cells on the other side would most likely see the
beautiful sight of the lagoon and the island of S.Giorgio and
freedom for the last time.
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