Architecture of Venice: history, description, styles, photos

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The architecture of Venice is a real fairy tale. This city is a real miracle, a dream that appeared on the islands of the lagoon on the northern side of the Adriatic Sea. Why is Venetian architecture considered the most expensive in Europe? At least because the locals were once the most respected robbers, and it was on their trophies that a brilliant and unique architectural culture was created.

What is Venice like?

The essence of architectural culture is its hyper-eclecticism. It brings together such different styles that would never have crossed just like that if the course of history had been measured and consistent. It was the conditions for the existence of Europe in the Middle Ages that became the prerequisite for the emergence of such a fabulous city. A certain style of Venice architecture can be traced in the photo below.

History of the origin of the city

In fact, this Italian town could not have appearedjust like that, nowhere without prosaic reasons. So, the history of Venice begins in 452, when the Huns pursued the inhabitants of Veneto, and the latter had to hide in the shadow of the islands. This is the only way to protect yourself and your families. Others preferred to hide from the invasion behind the powerful walls of fortresses, but only the future inhabitants of Venice were saved by water, the lack of roads along which they could get close. In turn, the northeastern part of Italy from about the second half of the second millennium BC was inhabited by tribes called Veneti, in Latin it sounded like veneti. And only after the 13th century did the world know such a name as Venice. The Romans were very skeptical about this people, they called the future Venetians Illyrians, which in Latin meant foreigners. The Venice Architecture Biennale is a great opportunity to explore art history.

How was the city built?

The peak of the city's construction fell on the 9th-13th centuries. The process took place on islands separated from the mainland by a strait, the length of which reached four kilometers. Also, only two kilometers from the city was the open sea. That is why embankments were not built in Venice: all houses and streets went straight to the water, and people used narrow boats for transport purposes, which were usually black and cast with gold. Soon they began to be called gondolas, which in Latin means "sea eel". Outwardly, they were very similar to these marine inhabitants.

Grand Canal

The length of the largest canal in the city reaches almost four kilometers and divides the city into two parts like a curved snake. Small channels already flow into it, there are about 45 of them. As for the land that remained after the construction of the channels, the locals used it to strengthen the shores of the islets. There were 118 of them in the future Venice, and they are interconnected by 350 canals. Sounds great, doesn't it?

Venetian landscapes

The first associations that come to mind are stone, sun and water. This is all Venice. Here you will not find greenery, but this does not prevent the city from being very picturesque. Winding canals, charming narrow streets, architecture and the play of the sun on water and stones are striking in their beauty. However, it is not easy not only for tourists, but also for local residents, because it is very easy to get lost in the variety of lanes. The history is very interesting, but today's architecture of the city of Venice is a ghost of a past life, and the eternal holiday, unfortunately, is coming to an end. As famous historians wrote, the city retained its former fun and brightness only on the works of artists. But, nevertheless, stepping into the territory of Venice, the feeling of a fabulous dream will not leave you exactly until the moment your foot touches the ground.

The oldest buildings

The history of construction begins with the island of Torcello. It is here that the most ancient buildings of the city are located. The name comes from the word torre, which means "tower".

It's worth starting with the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, it began to be built in the distant 7th century and was completed only in the 11th. This building is a real example of the Romanesque style, which is distinguished by some severity. The next object, without which it is impossible to talk about the architecture of Venice, is the church of Santa Fosca. In translation, the name means "gloomy", and it was built in the period from the 11th to the 12th centuries. The church is distinguished by the style of Byzantine architecture; it was built in the form of a Greek cross. Unfortunately, the dome of the structure has not survived to this day.

What is the architecture of Venice

During the centuries-old history of the city, four architectural styles have perfectly coexisted in it at once. Each of them defines a specific era. Styles of architecture in Venice: Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance style. We will analyze each of them and start from the time of Byzantium. This style is dominated by love for luxury, we alth, it is teeming with various decorations and decorations. A distinctive feature is arches of various shapes and sizes, as well as domed vaults and truly royal mosaic decoration on walls and ceilings.

The Byzantine style was especially popular in the period from the 6th to the 12th century. Since this particular style is associated with the flowering of Venice as a whole, it is worth noting that it just left its mark on the subsequent development of the city's architecture.

Roman style

The style flourished in the Middle Ages and was especially firmly established in the West. Your hand in the development of Romanesque styleapplied peoples of the Roman Catholic religion. The first attempts to introduce new elements into architecture took place during the reign of the Byzantine style. But already in the XI-XII centuries, churches with wide walls and small windows began to appear, which is one of the characteristic features of the style. It is also worth paying attention to the double row of columns, which are connected by semicircular arches. Thus, this design divides the building into three parts.

Venetian Gothic

First of all, it is worth figuring out where this name came from. It all started back in the Renaissance, when the Italian masters dubbed the lower, relatively classical style. They considered Gothic to be synonymous with barbarism. In Venice, it became popular between the 12th and 15th centuries. You can recognize Gothic in architecture by lancet arches, steep vaults, rising buttresses, tall windows, lace decor, and so on.

Renaissance

The revival of antiquity in Venice falls on the beginning of the 15th century. It was during this period that the most famous architects of Italy drew inspiration from Ancient Greece and Rome. They adapted elements of that culture to the requirements of their time. Characteristic features of the architecture of Venice during the Renaissance are columns that are installed as a single rod, arches, ornamentation, painting, relief, rectangular windows, massive cornices, luxurious decorations. Already in the 17th century, elements of the Boroque style began to come into their own. And now consider the architectural monuments of Venice.

Ponte dei Sospiri

In the Russian-speaking environment, it is better known as the Bridge of Sighs. Its creation dates back to 1602, and the construction took place under the guidance of the famous architect Antonio Contino. The bridge is made in the style of the baroque architecture of Venice and is distinguished by its particular elegance. The task of the design is to connect the banks of the Rio Di Palazzo, better known as the Palace Canal. One bank is significant in that it houses the Doge's Palace, its peculiarity is that it used to be a court, but on the opposite bank there is a prison. If you believe the Venetian legends, then such a prosaic name as the Bridge of Sighs came precisely from the sad sighs of prisoners who, moving along the bridge from court to prison, looked sadly at fabulous Venice.

Another legend is more romantic. She says that the sighs were not sad at all and belonged to couples in love, not convicted criminals.

Doge's Palace

It is impossible to talk about the architecture of Venice without mentioning the great monument of Italian Gothic. It is the Doge's Palace - one of the most important attractions of the town on the water. The building is located on St. Mark's Square, where the cathedral of the same name stands nearby. As for the name, its origin is connected with the residence of the doge, and this is the head of the Republic of Venice. Like the cathedral standing nearby, the palace was built for a long time and decorated for more than one century, which is why it contained a variety of styles.

The very first building saw the world in 810 and was the mostan ordinary fortress, consisting of walls and towers. There was only water around. One century succeeded another, and already in 976 there was a famous uprising against Doge Kandiani the Fifth, the people burned his residence. Instead, it was decided to build a new fortress, however, its life was short-lived, it burned down in 1106. The palace that we can see today was built between 1309 and 1421. It is quite difficult to establish with absolute accuracy who the architect was, some sources indicate the name of the architect Filippo Calendario. Only here and at this palace there were difficult times. Already in 1577, a small part of the building was irrevocably destroyed by fire, and the architect Antonio de Ponti took up the restoration. Behind him was already such a great work as the Ri alto Bridge. Meetings of the Grand Council and the Senate were held in the Doge's Palace, the Supreme Court worked here and even the secret police worked inconspicuously.

Piazza San Marco

The peculiarity of this square is that it is the only one in all of Venice, which the locals call piazza, which means "square". The rest are called campo, which means "field" in translation and is considered less ambitious. In this way, the Venetians point out the importance of Piazza San Marco for both tourists and locals. The attraction got its name in honor of the Apostle Mark. Back in 829, two merchants took the relics of the Saint from Alexandria and quietly brought them to Venice. To prevent the Arabs from approachingbrought cargo, the merchants laid pork carcasses around the sarcophagus. To store the relics, the Basilica of St. Mark was built. However, after the palace coup, the building was destroyed, and only in 1063 did they begin to build a cathedral in its place.

Over time, Piazza San Marco expanded, and eventually reached such a size that it hosted city parades, carnivals and even executions of criminals. The architecture of the Cathedral of San Marco in Venice includes several styles that are skillfully combined with each other.