Archivio mensile:Novembre 2013

Venice-Gondola

Gondola

The gondola , the unique boat in the world just 11 meters long and weighing more than 600 kilograms, can be steered with agility and easily by a single person with a single oar, has become , for millions of tourists, the symbol of Venice .

There are reports of an official ” gondulam ” since 1094 , mentioned in a decree of the doge of the time, Vitale Falier,so the origins
of the gondola dates back over a thousand years ago .

The ancestor of the gondola was called “scaula ” and had a lower prow, a higher iron comb “ferro ” , and usually two rowers .

The construction of the gondola continued to evolve until the mid – 20th century , When the city government prohibited any further modifications .
It is as unique as the city it represents, also for its structural characteristics . First is asymmetrical,given that the left side is wider than the right side of 24 cm and , therefore , browse always inclined on one side.
The keel , therefore , is not straight but curved to the right , in such a way that the gondola floats tilted to the right. . This asymmetry causes the gondola to resist the tendency to turn towards the left at the forward stroke and counterbalances the push of the oar.

The the fork,”forcola” is in walnut and is modeled by remer , which also manufactures the oars of the gondola .”Forcola” is of a complicated shape , allowing several positions of the oar for slow forward rowing , powerful forward rowing , turning , slowing down , rowing backwards , and stopping .
The typical comb or iron bow aims to protect the bow from collision and also as embellishment . Its shape has traditionally meant to represent the six districts of Venice : Cannaregio, Castello , Dorsoduro , Santa Croce, San Marco, San Polo ( six teeth facing forward ), the Giudecca ( the tooth pointing backwards) and the Doge’s hat ;the “S ” that starts from the highest point to get to the low point represents the Canal Grande; the arch over the highest tooth of the comb is the bridge Rialto.The stern iron “rico”,is much smaller than the thruster and functions mainly of impact protection

Currently the gondolas are open boats , but until the early twentieth century,were equipped with a removable cabin called ” fèlze .”
The traditional black color of the boat is at the origin due to the use of the usual pitch to waterproof the hull (like all Venetian boats ) ,besides the black has always been considered an elegant color, and a suitable means of transport stately .
The gondola is currently used mostly for tourism , but also for ceremonies such as weddings and funerals, as well as a ferry to transport people from one bank of the Grand Canal to the other.It is estimated that there were eight to ten thousand gondolas During the 17th and 18th century .

Per avoid clashes, there is the custom
to warn the voice when you turn in a narrow stream and the typical calls (OHE) have become a characteristic feature of the city.

There are just over four hundred in active service today , virtually all of them used for hire by tourists .

If you want to make a ride you can haggle.You’ll find softer prices back lanes where single gondoliers hang out,rather than the bigger departure points.Estabilish the price and duration before boarding ,enjoy your ride and pay only when you are finished.
If you ‘ve hired musicians (you have to pay an additional) to hear a Venezian song,don’t ask to hear “O sole mio” wich comes from Naples try to requesting “La Venezia la luna e tu ” and other venezian songs .Gondolas cost more after 19:00 but are also more romantic and relaxing under the moon.Silhouettes gaze down from bridges when window glitter spills onto the blackwater.Tou ‘re anonimous in the city of masks,and the rithmic thrust of your stripped-shirted gondolier turns old crows into songbirds.This is extremly relaxing,and worth an
extra cost to experience at night.

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San Martino

San Martino

“L’estate di San Martino”, si rinnova ogni anno per festeggiare un bell’atto di carità ed anche

per ricordarci che la carità verso i poveri è il dono più gradito a Dio. San Martino di Tours viene ricordato l’11 novembre, sebbene questa non sia la data della sua morte, (8 novembre) ma quella della sua sepoltura. Questa data è diventata una festa straordinaria in tutto l’Occidente, grazie alla sua popolarità.

Nacque in un avamposto dell’impero Romano in Pannonia (che si chiamerà poi Ungheria) da famiglia pagana, e viene istruito sulla dottrina cristiana quando è ancora ragazzo,senza però il battesimo. Il padre, tribuno della legione, gli diede il nome di Martino in onore di Marte, il dio della guerra.A quindici anni, in quanto figlio di un militare, dovette entrare nell’esercito. Come figlio di veterano fu subito promosso al grado di “circitor” e venne inviato in Gallia, presso la città di Amiens. Il compito del “circitor” era la ronda di notte e l’ispezione dei posti di guardia, nonché la sorveglianza notturna delle guarnigioni.

Durante una di queste ronde avvenne l’episodio che gli cambiò la vita. Martino incontrò un mendicante seminudo. Vedendolo sofferente, tagliò in due il suo mantello militare e lo condivise con il mendicante. La notte seguente vide in sogno Gesù rivestito della metà del suo mantello militare. Udì Gesù dire ai suoi angeli: «Ecco qui Martino, il soldato romano che non è battezzato, egli mi ha vestito». Quando Martino si risvegliò il suo mantello era integro. Il sogno ebbe un tale impatto su Martino, che egli, già catecumeno, venne battezzato la Pasqua seguente e divenne cristiano.

Giunto all’età di circa quarant’anni, decise di lasciare l’esercito. Iniziò la seconda parte della sua vita.Nel 357 si recò quindi nell’Isola Gallinara ad Albenga in provincia di Savona, dove condusse quattro anni di vita eremitica. , Al rientro del vescovo cattolico, torno a Poitiers,divenne monaco e venne presto seguito da nuovi compagni, fondando uno dei primi monasteri d’occidente,a Ligugé, sotto la protezione del vescovo Ilario.
Nel 371 viene eletto vescovo di Tours anche se alcuni clerici avanzarono resistenze per il suo aspetto. Per qualche tempo, tuttavia, risiede nell’altro monastero da lui fondato a quattro chilometri dalla città, e chiamato Marmoutier e proseguì la sua missione di propagatore della fede, creando nel territorio nuove piccole comunità di monaci. Avviò un’energica lotta contro l’eresia ariana e il paganesimo rurale. Inoltre predicò, battezzò villaggi, abbatté templi, alberi sacri e idoli pagani, ispirando più risentimenti che adesioni ma dimostrando comunque compassione e misericordia verso chiunque.
Ma l’evangelizzazione riesce perché l’impetuoso vescovo si fa protettore dei poveri contro lo spietato fisco romano, promuove la giustizia tra deboli e potenti. Con lui le plebi rurali rialzano la testa. Sapere che c’è lui fa coraggio. Questo spiega l’enorme popolarità in vita e la crescente venerazione successiva.
Il mantello miracoloso venne conservato come reliquia ed entrò a far parte della collezione di reliquie dei re Merovingi dei Franchi. Il termine latino per “mantello corto”, cappella, venne esteso alle persone incaricate di conservare il mantello di san Martino,i cappellani, e da questi venne applicato all’oratorio reale, che non era una chiesa,chiamato cappella.

La festa di San Martino nata in Francia, si diffuse un po’ in tutta Europa specialmente in Germania, Scandinavia e nell’Europa orientale.Con questa tradizione si celebra la fine dei lavori nei campi e l’inizio della raccolta.L’11 novembre i bambini delle aree cattoliche della gran parte di Europa, partecipano a una processione di lanterne, ricordando la fiaccolata in barca che accompagnò il corpo del santo a Tours. Spesso un uomo vestito come Martino cavalca in testa alla processione. Il cibo tradizionale di questo giorno è l’oca. (Secondo la leggenda, Martino era riluttante a diventare vescovo, motivo per cui si nascose in una stalla piena di oche; il rumore fatto da queste rivelò però il suo nascondiglio alla gente che lo stava cercando.)
In isola di Malta, secondo la tradizione, ai bambini viene regalato un sacchetto pieno di frutta,come noci, castagne, fichi secchi, arance, mele e melograni, e dell’immancabile pane arrotolato di san Martino, l’Hobza ta ‘San Martin.

Nel veneziano l’11 novembre è usanza preparare il dolce di San Martino, un biscotto dolce di pasta frolla con la forma del Santo con la spada a cavallo, decorato con glassa di albume e zucchero ricoperta di confetti e caramelle;(la versione più antica è quella fatta con le cotogne) l’usanza inoltre che i bambini della città lagunare mentre cantano una simpatica filastrocca in dialetto, armati di pentole e coperchi, gironzolano di campo in campo e di calle in calle domandando ai passanti o ai commercianti qualche spicciolo ( o scheo ) per comprare il dolce di San Martino , qualche caramella o qualche dolcetto tradizionale di cotognata (persegada) di varie fogge. Nel abruzzo si accendono grandi fuochi detti “glorie di San Martino” e le contrade si sfidano a chi fa il fuoco più alto e durevole. A Palermo si preparano i biscotti di San Martino “abbagnati nn’o muscatu” (inzuppati nel vino moscato di Pantelleria), a forma di pagnottella rotonda grande come un’arancia e l’aggiunta nell’impasto di semi d’anice (o finocchio selvatico) che conferisce loro un sapore e un profumo particolare.

In molte regioni d’Italia l’11 novembre è simbolicamente associato alla maturazione del vino nuovo (da qui il proverbio “A San Martino ogni mosto diventa vino”) ed è un’occasione di ritrovo e festeggiamenti nei quali si brinda, appunto, stappando il vino appena maturato e accompagnato da castagne o caldarroste. Sebbene non sia praticata una celebrazione
religiosa a tutti gli effetti (salvo nei paesi dove san Martino è protettore), la festa di San Martino risulta comunque particolarmente sentita dalla popolazione locale
Quattromila chiese dedicate a lui in Francia, e il suo nome dato a migliaia di paesi e villaggi; come anche in Italia,in altre parti d’Europa e nelle Americhe:

Martino il supernazionale.

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Venice – Burano island

Burano

The inhabitants of Altino to escape the barbaric invasions, ( Lombards, Huns ) took refuge in the various slainds of the lagoon,giving them the names of the six gates of the city : Murano, Mazzorbo , Burano , Torcello , Costanziaco and Ammiana , derived from the names of the gates of Altino.

Burano is an island (or rather a set of islands) in the lagoon which is eleven kilometers north -east from the city of Venice.The first name of the island was Vicum Burianum . According to tradition the name comes from the gate Boreas,so called because it placed in the north – east, the direction from which the bora is blowing

Typical houses of the island ( posted on palafittte as the whole Venice) are mostly square shaped and is divided into two, three floors. Al ground floor is the kitchen, dining and services , upstairs are the bedrooms.
The different colors of the houses , which today have become the main feature of the island, once served to defining the properties . Tradition said that the fishermen were to paint their house , in order to recognize from afar during long periods of absence due to fishing.The unique environment of the houses of Burano with external paintings pea green , lilac , blue, yellow and so on attracted in the early years of the twentieth century many painters. You can admire the various sculptures at the entrance of the streets up to the island’s most famous home , ” the House of Bepi ” painted with the use of all colors.
The art of lace has a long tradition in Burano. Production began the fifteenth century , sustained over time by dukess Morosina Morosini first and Giovanna Duodo , wife of the Doge Pasquale Malipiero . The “point Burano ” or” punto in aria ” (so called because the creation is not resting on the canvas, nor to any other fabric background) a technique became popular and in demand all over Europe.
One of the most famous legends of Burano has it that an ancient fisherman fiancé during a sail towards the East, was tempted by the siren . The man resisting their charms ,and received a gift from the queen , fascinated by the faithfulness of this man . The siren hit the corner of the side of the ship and the foam,created by the movement of water , formed the bridal veil for the young bride .Arrived the day of the wedding, gave the gift to his girlfriend , who was admired and envied by all young island girls . They began to imitate the lace of her veil using needle and thread thinner and thinner , hoping to embroidery to create a more beautiful one for their wedding dress.

One can not speak of Burano without mentioning the name and the life of its most famous son : Baldassare Galuppi( 1706 Burano – Venice 1785 ) , known as the ” the Buranello .” He was a composer and playwright , his works were represented in London ( 1741-46 ), and then was called in Russia by Empress Catherine as court composer ( 1765-68 ) . Worked with Carlo Goldoni in the writing of the books of the main playwright
Venetian . He composed over one hundred works , ( specializing in the genre funny ) , sacred music and instrumental works .

Going beyond the Via Galuppi, you reach Piazza with the same name and a bust of the musician. on the left is the Town Hall in the Gothic style which houses the Burano Lace Museum (opened in 1981), which until 1970 had annexed the Lace School (founded in 1872 by the Countess Adriana Marcello).

To the right of the square you can see the Church of San Martino (the Saint and Bishop of Tours – France, it is also the protector of Burano).The present church was built during the 500, inside you can admire a painting by Giambattista Tiepolo in 1770,
“The Crucifixion”. The bell tower, attributed to the architect Andrea Tirali who built it between 1703 and 1714, is 53 meters tall and wide at the base, 6,20 x6, 20 meters. The bell tower of the church of San Martino thanks to its strong slope due to the partial collapse of its bases, based, as some parts of Venice,on stilts has become the symbol of the island of Burano

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Venice- Doge’s palace

Doge’s palace

Considered to be the grandest civic structure in Italy it dates back 1309,altrough a fire in 1577 desrtoyed much of the building ,the (Duke) Doge’s palace has carried out three main roles: the Doge’s residence, the seat of government and courthouse -it was the most powerful place in Europe for 400 years.

Build to show off the power and welth of the republic in a so called Venetian Gothic stile -a
fision of Italian Gothic with delicate islamic flair ,had the basis on the bottom of the lagoon ,with the original columns sank,and the square build up over the centuries.The lightness of the polychrome decoration of the facade-with-lace precious stone due to the refined style of construction, with open galleries below and the full wall at the top.

The renascentist courtyard is one of the latest styles in a palace and had esperienced the work of many architects of widely varying tastes.

In the courtyard ,from the top of the giant’s staircase ( so named for the two statues of Mars and Neptune ) the duke said the solemn oath ,in front of his people.

Inside you can find famous pictures like “Rape of Europa “by Veronese;”The three graces”,or “Bacchus and Adriane ” by Tintoretto….

On the first floor lived the duke with his family .His living quarters ,once lavish ,now sparsley furnished ,everithing was stolen during the Napoleon invasion.You can go trough the San Sovinio’s ” gold stair” to the public rooms on the second floor,finishing with the bridge of the sights and the prison.

The senat hall is the place where the 120 senators met,debated and passed laws .The central painting on the ceiling is Tintoreto’s large painting-Triumph of the venice.

The hall of the Grand Council -( the throne’s sale ), where the entire nobility met to elect the senate and doge.Ringing the room are portraits of the first 76 doges (in chronological order ).The one that’s blaked out is the doge Marin Falier who oppsed the will of the grand council 1355 .He was tried for treason ,beheaded ,and airbrushed from history.

On the wall over the doge’s throne is tintoreto’s masterpiece “Paradise”the largest oilpainting in the world.

In the “Sala del Consiglio dei dieci” with its gloomy paintings ,the dreaded council of ten (often called the terrible ten),used to assemble to decide who was in need of decapitation

In the antichamber ,bills of acusation were dropped in the lion’s mouth.

From the open galery,on the nine column the doge assised at the public executions in front of the palace on the square.

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THE BASILICA OF SAN MARCO

The Basilica of San Marco

The construction of the basilica begun in 1063 to house the body of St. Mark the Evangelist ( the holy master of Venice, who detonated the greek holy master Teodoro ). Is built in the shape of a Greek cross with five domes , a bulb dome in the center and 4 other smaller unequal height on the parts.The actual church is the third (after the ninth century one made by Justinian Partecipazio after the arrival in Venice of the body of St. Mark smuggled from Alexandria in a basket of vegetables and pork to escape the muslim guards , in 828 , and ,that of the tenth century , rebuilt by Peter Orsello , after a fire in 976 . ) It was completely rebuilt in the second half of the eleventh century , from the doge Domenico Contarini ( 1043-1070 ) .

The outside walls originally built to stay with exposed brick, was covered in marble and oriental columns from Constantinople in the Fourth Crusade ( 1204 ) , when also participated the Venetians. Up on the main gate you will find four bronze horses ; Greek – Alexandrian work of the IV -III century BC , and represent the four horses and chariot of San Marco.The tradition claim that the horses were manufactured in the III century in the time of Alexander the Great ; brought by Nero in Rome ,from where the emperor Constantine had placed them at the entrance of the hippodrome of Constantinople ;from where was taken as booty in 1204 by the Venetian Doge Dandolo.

In 1797 Napoleon had transported them to Paris and where placed on the triumphal arch untill the fall of the French empire when the horses returned to Venice.

The church is decorated with mosaics on a gold background . The interior and all supperiore part is covvered with depictions of the Old Testament ( the Creation, the stories of Noah , Abraham, Moses , ) and the New Testament : ( Salomea ahead of Irode and his court , ” Preaching of the Apostles “, ” the Passion “, ” blessing Christ ,” “Christ and the Prophets “, ” St. John ” ) , by master mosaic Venetians who worked most of the twelfth century . The golden mosaics that decorate the upper Lunete (” the Descent” ,” the Descent from the limbo” , “the Resurrection”,” the Ignition” , and “the theft of the body of St. Mark from Alexandria and his arrival in Venice” are all remakes of seventeenth-century mosaics of the thirteenth century .

The presbytery , and the space in addition to the iconostasis , by ancient tradition reserved for the clergy during liturgical celebrations , were also the seat of Doge. The santuary contains the saint’s body and covered with green marble and alabaster supported by four columns covered with scenes of ” facts of the life of Christ”

Above the altar is placed “Pala d’oro” the work of exquisite gold jewelery , which began in Constantinople in 976 and rebuilt in Venice . The rich treasure includes pieces looting from Constantinople (15 rubies, 300 emeralds, 1500 pearls , safari ,amethyst , topaz ) and precious relics as the nail of the crucifixion , inlaid in a gold frame , representing religious scenes

The principle of division between earthly and unearthly area, typical of Byzantine buildings is very present in the Basilica of San Marco. The pieces of colored glass that make up the top of the building makes it particularly light that seeps in , giving a deliberately connotation of paradise. The lower part instead , burdened by substantial marble and the floor often represent the earthly world , where even the colorful mosaics are slightly gloomy. The special flooring within which appear different representations of animals , with clear reference to the symbolic meanings of the bestiary medieval , it ‘s irregularity due to the flooding during high tide.

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Venice-tourist flows

tourist folws

Tourist flows
assumed high dimensions and characteristics such as the great benefits,but strong negative impact on the organization in general and the economic and social life of the historic center .

November 1966 ( with Piazza San Marco completely submerged ) , the Carnival , Biennale of art,the film festival ( Lido di Venezia) , constitute an invitation to visit the city for tourists interested in its treasures, and not doubt that Venice is a favorite destination from the tourist routes , over the past few decades, in a great development of the tourism , which occupies the first places of the world’s production of the revenue share .
Assuming that residential tourism is limited by the availability of the hotel’s beds ( the number continues to grow thanks to the release of the” reception offert”, more buildings will be transformed into hotels, with the risk of creating structural dammage with various restorations ) the availability reaches 26000 places.

The average daily number of tourists is 83,000 people, but with peaks that reach 140 thousand , they are added to the 59,000 residents ( less and less, in 1980 were 95,222 , 66,386 in 2000).The rest is tourism hiking , now distributed all along the course of the year, in addition to fast one day trip , the bathing beaches in the allocated neighbors ( Lido , Sottomarina , Cavallino , Jesolo) , and the type of the tourism “hit and run ” , which do not visit the museums ( only 1 in 10 have the time to visit the ‘ Academy one of the more valuable museums in Italy ) , do not stop in the hotels and restaurants , but they passes making photos and goes flocking waterbus or using large ships that in addition to the wave (moto ondoso), also do ” erosion and ingression of sea water in the lagoon” caused by excessive function of the harbor entrance. Eating packed lunch , a sandwich or a slice of pizza , leaving behind the garbage (maybe not finding a wastebasket casually throwing the empty bottle of water in a channel) , at the end the statistics speak of the costs of these 80 % of the tourists who are on average 16 euro / person , but that river of people is a river of money, and increasingly tourism, the main business of the city.
A particular problem consists of the access only on the bridge from the mainland, to the terminals of the train station of Saint Lucia and Piazzale Roma , which generate two or three fixed and congested routes toward Rialto – San Marco.

pink floyd concert

The most critical moments coincide with the special events such as the Feast of the Redeemer , the Easter holidays , or the festival of Carnival ( revived with great success in 1979) , when gets so many people that have to set up one-way streets in the narrow streets , and get to the point that these rivers of tourists caused ” the explosion ” of some shop windows.
But … , remained in Venetian history as an event not to be repeated was July 15, 1989 , the night of the Redeemer , when it was organized in the basin of San Marco a Pink Floyd concert . 200 thousand young people have made the San Marco square to seem like a field of fight. The army services been needed to clean up the city and the images went around the world.

2013 record tourist numbers in Venice

http://www.thevenicetimes.com/2013-record-tourist-numbers-in-venice-121/
The fate of the city seems in fact influenced by the prospect of a monoculture of tourism that would transform the city into a museum or even worse, in a sort of Disneyland city .The continuous expansion of trade turned to mass tourism (masks, carnival t-shirts and hats,pieces of glasses) progressively expels the food trade and the craft , and also causes the exodus of productive activities and service that just survives in a city abandoned by residents .

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