Venice: The Must

Best of Venice

Saint Mark's Basilica

The question is not whether you need to visit the famous Basilica , but when. Some swear by the morning, when millions of tiles light up. Romantics prefer dusk when the mosaics of the portal blaze in the rays of the setting sun and the St. Mark's Square resounds tango rhythms from the orchestra of Caffè Florian. The solution? Go ahead without waiting and come back often. Basilica emerges every hour magic that best special effects Hollywood would do well not be reproduced.

The original building dates back to 828, when Venetian merchants seized the remains of St. Mark and carried them out of É Egypt . Venice then had everything to become a great trading power: amount of ports, an impregnable position, and a patron saint to watch over the transactions ... He just lacked the monument that the city would impose on the world stage. He was thus ordered the best craftsmen of Byzantium and au- del to a building to house the relics of the saint and embody the power of Venice.

The construction of the basilica was not without problems . The riots and fires, common in the Middle Ages, destroyed twice exterior mosaics and had threatened the supporting structure.Ceilings collapsing and evolving modes, Jacopo Sansovino and other architects added buttresses, Gothic arches and polychrome marble looted or purchased. Sometimes God's ways were obscured by the dust of the work: the bones of St. Mark were misled twice.

Before the end of XVIIIth century, Venice had become a brilliant cosmopolitan capital. Today, despite the high tides regularly flood the square, the basilica remains an architectural wonder.

Galleries of the Academy

Pounding the pavement in the queue to enter the Accademia gallery , you'll wonder perhaps if the wait is worth it. Patience soon, the student groups will disperse and give way to the proud Saint Georges Andrea Mantegna (1466) and the Self-Portrait of Rosalba Carriera (1730), an uncompromising realism.

Despite its name, the Accademia is not a temple of academicism. Rather, it is the scene of incredible stories with unforgettable characters, dark conspiracies and scandals crispy.The beautiful Virgin Giovanni Bellini is haloed cherubs scarlet. An elegant bejeweled steals the show at the Madonna in thePresentation of the Virgin in the Temple by Titian. Artwork by Tintoretto in the creation of animals, inspired by the Old Testament is very Venetian with its lions (symbol of St. Mark) and mutants that merchants sell Pescheria undoubtedly cheap fish!The Miracle the serpent , Giambattista Tiepolo, was hastily rolled by spectators terrified; and retained a scar. Horror fans will not miss the Crucifixion and Apotheosis of the ten thousand martyrs of Mount Ararat Vittore Carpaccio. The founder of the famous Harry's Bar was inspired to name the painter no less famous dish of raw beef ...

But the most controversial artist was undoubtedly Veronese, with his meal in Levi (detail above), originally titled The Last Supper , before the Inquisition condemned for Veronese painted the apostles surrounded by a band drunkards, dwarfs, dogs and even German Lutherans. Veronese, supported by the Venetians, formally refused to alter the work and only gave in on the title.Admire trade, gestures and glances that cross between the characters - you will agree that everyone, from the Moorish merchant clumsy server, players dogs, occupies a vital place in that motley composition, like Venice itself same.

Outdoor markets

Venetian leaders have a secret: use only fresh , seasonal and local. The Pescheria (fish market) will delight foodies and curious, who will enjoy the spot Moscardino (small octopus) or, in the incredible choice of crabs, tiny moeche (soft shell crab) andgranseole (spiders ) and saliveront before seppie (squid) of all sizes.

Produce grown in the Veneto and sold on the shelves of markets Rialto and near the canals will obviously have nothing to do withfruits and vegetables sized supermarkets. Small castraure(baby artichokes) of purple , white asparagus of Bassano andradicchio di Treviso have shapes and surprising colors. Even vegetables and fruits are the most familiar and unrecognizable ... so tasty! Tomato red pepper through small juicy strawberries, Venice, everything is better!

Le Tintoret

The brush strokes of Tintoretto illuminate from within the most classic scenes most certainly a flash. If it were taxed his subjects by his sponsors (biblical scenes, mythological allegories apology for the grandeur of Venice ...), the painter personnalisait by special lighting, funds stormy and dizzying perspectives.

The discovery of the work of Tintoretto starts in his studio (Bottega del Tintoretto). It continues in his parish church, the Chiesa della Madonna dell'Orto whose brick building provides a serene setting for his Last Judgment (1546). Authentic Venetian, Tintoretto represents the scene as a turquoise tide that troubled souls seeking vainly to remember, set a kind of humane and prescient version of the MOSE project. The singular image of this angel plunging to snatch a last victim was taken by Tintoretto on the floor of the Scuola Grande di San Rocco (pictured above), where he spent 23 years to celebrate the patron saint of plague victims. His biblical scenes look by a cartoon whose background darkens to illustrate the cataclysm of the last days of Christ and the Black Death, and where darkness is torn by blinding flashes symbolizing hope.

Titian

To admire the art of Titian in Venice, needless to search long.Every little alley conceals a masterpiece of undisputed master of Venetian painting. His work of great dramatic intensity was very successful during his lifetime and influenced generations of painters. The altarpiece of Saint Marc surrounded by Saint Cosmas, Damian, St. Roch and St. Sebastian (1510), in the church of Santa Maria della Salute, shows a measured and methodical Titian, whose flexibility brush and vermilion infuse this classic scene undeniable dynamism. The vision of the contorted body of the Last Judgment by Michelangelo will upset Titian, who then allowed to express the violence of his genius. This is very noticeable in the Pietà (1576), work for which he applied the paint with bare hands.

The Assumption of the Virgin in the church I Frari (pictured above) stands out as the absolute masterpiece of Titian. The artist depicts the Virgin rising above mere mortals, supported by angels. Its robe illuminates the altar and radiates throughout the nave. Her pale wrist bare by a shift of the round, apparently troubled priests to the point of distraction from their prayers ...

The Biennale

The contemporary art Venice Biennale was founded in 1895 in response to the industrial revolution to reaffirm the authority of the Venetian taste good. Originally, the Biennale was a conservative institution. An imposing pavilion offered a harmless presentation of the latest Italian artistic tendencies. Foundation Biennial allowed other nations to open pavilions in 1907, while retaining control over the works. Thus Picasso was withdrawn from the Spanish flag in 1910 to save a shock to the public.

After the horror of two world wars, these scruples vanished. The Biennale organized in the aftermath of the First World War presented the works of Amedeo Modigliani's women with empty eyes did much about them. Venice did not immediately adopted modernism, but discovered an interest in artistic controversy, fueled by artistic and architectural avant-garde made in the new Korean pavilions, Japan and Canada. The two highly anticipated events that make up the exhibition of avant-garde architecture of the fall, which is held in even years in the historic rooms of the Arsenal, and the contemporary art that welcome the summer odd pavilions of the Biennale and the Arsenale years, accompanied by a satellite exhibitions throughout the city.

The Show

When the committee of the Venice Biennale announced the creation of a film festival in 1932, he had to endure the taunts of those who despised this concession to a popular genre. But the presence of Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford and Clark Gable on the red carpet, and some 25,000 people present projections, made the first festival the Golden Lions artistic, popular and worldly success.

Since then, the Mostra has sought to maintain artistic standards and international aura. Just after the Cannes Film Festival is one of the major celebrations of cinema in the world. Without ever having been a showcase for independent films, the Mostra likes to distinguish creative directors. Successive juries and awarded the prestigious Golden Lion to John Cassavetes ( Gloria ), Robert Altman ( Short Cuts ) and Sofia Coppola ( Somewhere ), and award-winning film monsters like Woody Allen, Takeshi Kitano, Martin Scorsese or Zhang Yimou.

The Ghetto

Looking at the central square of the Ghetto , with its uneven floors and crumbling facades, it is difficult to believe that this was once the financial center of an empire. According to a decree of 1516 the Republic of Venice, the Venetian Jewish moneylenders financed the trade day and were recorded in the Ghetto at night and during Christian holidays.

When Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition merchants flocked to Venice in 1541, had to be built because of space constraints.Floors were added to the existing buildings of the Ghetto, where we lodged newcomers and synagogues are aménagea. On the other side of the city, thanks to lenders and Jewish artisans, the Renaissance was running and filled the palaces and churches of priceless treasures. Papal restrictions plague the Ghetto numbered only 3,000 inhabitants in 1670.

Napoleon recognized as full citizens in 1797, Jews were brought back to XVIth century racial laws imposed by Mussolini in 1938 In 1943, the majority of 1670 Venetian Jews were rounded up and sent to concentration camps. Only 37 returned. The Jewish community of Venice has only 420 people, but the kids who play on the site show that there is life in the Ghetto. To visit the seven tiny synagogue (photo above), follow the visit of the Museo Ebraico di Venezia.

A Night at the Opera

Whatever the show, La Fenice promises great theater. Even before the doors open, disheveled artists and socialites wearing hats throng the cafes in the square to swallow a glass ofprosecco followed by espresso. After their seats, spectators ringside seat take off their coats, revealing jewelry and glass beads from Murano. Above, the balconies ( loggias ), less expensive, Loggione (opera critics) exchange tips: what singer is voice, which will be promoted liners. Between lovers of architecture, debates rage: the renovation carried out after the fire of 1998, amounting to 90 million euros, is it true? The baroque style "piece mounted inverted" Would it have been modernized by architect Gae Aulenti, as was originally planned?From the first notes, silence falls and the excitement is palpable.Nobody wants to lose a note of a show that will perhaps be remembered, as the first of Stravinsky, Rossini, Prokofiev, Britten and, of course, Giuseppe Verdi.

Behind the scenes

How not to complain the loose in San Marco with three hours to 'do' groups Venice, while it is barely enough to contemplate the Piazza San Marco, let alone the rest of the city, they will only see the Gothic portals? Even leaving the marked trails, yellow signs indicating the direction of San Marco from the Rialto, the Accademia Gallery and the train station. Adventure awaits in the network of streets ( calli ) passages ( sottoporteghi ) and channels, provided you follow a set: ignore the signs .

With a dash of fearlessness and a good map, you'll find behind the scenes and know what lies behind facades that line the Grand Canal. You unearth authentic restaurants in progress (Cortili ) secret, spend the night in a palace and wake up to the cries of gondoliers maneuvering their boat. Leaning on a bar (Bacaro ), you will see the day visitors rushing to catch a train, a plane or a bus. Have a thought for them while enjoying your coffee.

Ca 'Rezzonico

It is often said that the glory of Venice came to an end XVIthcentury, when the city was still "young". This theory is completely contradicted by the Ca 'Rezzonico , the museumXVIIIth century Venetian. The collections in this palace indeed offer the opportunity to experience the lifestyle of Venetian nobility at the end of the republic.

Under sumptuous surroundings, the Ca 'Rezzonico is no lack of malice. Large and bright without engaging in kitsch, this palace was designed by Baldassare Longhena. Giambattista Tiepolo ceilings covered flattering representations of Ludovico Rezzonico, showing him with his fiancée surrounded by Glory, Wisdom and Merit. The sham adorning the domes are so clever, so picturesque and so theatrical that one can not help but detect a certain playfulness in Tiepolo.

In XVIIIth century, having survived the plague, resisted the invading Turks and saw their ambitions of world domination crushed, the Venetians were determined to defy the curse. The art of this period illustrates this attitude so tragicomic. Satires of Pietro Longhi decorate an entire room of Ca 'Rezzonico. InChocolate in the morning (1775) for example, elegant Venetians gorge chocolate (fashionable drink) and donuts, at the risk of bursting their buttons vests or incur the wrath of the little dog disapproving. In his portraits in pastel, Rosalba Carriera restores all the malice of its models, including small smiles betray a taste for partying.

Baroque music

Tired of pop chewed over and too classic jazz? Venice offers an alternative: the baroque music . In his time, the Venetian baroque openly defied the edicts of Rome who decided instruments allowed to accompany the sermons and worthy of raising the spirits rhythms and melodies. The Venetians continued to play stringed instruments in churches, to resume bawdy songs of the opera buffa (comic opera) and composing songs evoking the whole range of emotions. Today, the Baroque is often reduced to the rank of mood for wedding ceremony music, but old baroque ensembles such as Venice Baroque Opera, respected around the world, interpret on original instrumentsXVIIIth century pieces from that time and prove that the genre has lost none of its modernity.

The most famous Venetian composer Vivaldi is best known for his Four Seasons , evocative of the hotel lifts and mobile phone ringtones. The Interpreti Veneziani however will convince you of the beauty of this brilliant work between summer storms and spring rains. Tomaso Albinoni is another great composer of the Baroque era, the program often Venetian concerts.

Select the room carefully: baroque concerts in the privacy of the Casa di Goldoni, the Ca 'Rezzonico or the (photo above) will instantly transport you to the Ospedaletto XVIIIth century.

Burano et Torcello

Venice seems to defy common sense (why choose a silty lagoon to build a city)? Wait until you have seen the islands of Burano and Torcello.

The streets of Burano is a paradise for photographers, which strafed the turquoise boxes filled with red geraniums and green stockings drying between orange and pink houses. A law does require residents to paint their houses in bright colors and wearing underwear in complementary colors? Burano is undoubtedly the most charming village of the Mediterranean fishermen.

Besides twenty inhabitants, picturesque island of Torcello is mainly occupied by sheep and it is difficult to believe that Byzantine metropolis of 20,000 people once extended over the island. The superb mosaics in the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is yet there to testify. That of the Last Judgment shows Jesus destroying the gates of hell. A sea nymph, an allegory of the Adriatic, leads souls lost at sea to Peter, who, equipped with the keys of heaven, feels like a nightclub bouncer! Besides the Byzantine mosaics, often compared to that of St. Mark's Basilica, Torcello is also worth seeing for its wild atmosphere, far from the streets and monuments of Venice.

Doge's Palace

From the outside, the beautiful facades of Gothic style of the Doge's Palace are as elegant brick walls and graceful columns.But the palace reveals the dark secrets of those who once ruled the city. Behind the luxurious lounge decorated with cherubs and allegories of virtue triumphing over vice, painted by Veronese, hiding the secret headquarters of the mysterious Council of Ten (Consiglio dei Dieci), Venetian version of the CIA. The Piombi, feared jails, occupied the attic. Accused of corrupt nuns and spread Freemasonry, Casanova was imprisoned for five years.He managed to escape in 1757.

The fascinating tour Itineraries Segreti (Secret Itineraries) allow you to follow the footsteps of Casanova and visit lesser-known parts of the palace. The guide will lead you and the administrative offices of the Council of Ten in a windowless room with a rope: the torture chamber of the Doge. It fell into disuseXVIIth century, in contrast to cells where defendants awaiting trial. The Renaissance Venice was wary indeed of the rebels who challenged the government (represented in the best light to the floor below) could end up in the attic. The tour lasts 1 hour 30 minutes and tickets can be purchased at the ticket office of the palace.

Punta della Dogana

The old warehouses are often perfect for contemporary art spaces. Pinault also when the Palazzo Grassi was found too small to accommodate his collection, he asked the Japanese architect Tadao Ando to transform the warehouse from the Punta della Dogana in exhibit space. Three years later, the walls of this triangular buildingXVIIth century welcome controversial figure in contemporary art.

After crossing the curtain of red beads of blood Cuban artist Felix Gonzalo Torres-you will be struck by the incongruous presence of a stuffed horse whose rear of the body is hung on the wall like a hunting trophy. This work by Maurizio Cattelan overlooks translucent pedestals molded Rachel Whiteread in chairs. More disturbing is Fucking Hell! , Dinos and Jake Chapman, where the nine circles of hell are populated by 30,000 figurines Nazis.Some works are apparently too polite to be honest, like these miniature cities, inspired by the mythology of superheroes, set by Mike Kelley in a darkened gallery adjoining the coffee museum bookshop.