Grand Canal (Venice) in the context of Accademia, Venice


Grand Canal (Venice) in the context of Accademia, Venice

⭐ Core Definition: Grand Canal (Venice)

The Grand Canal (Italian: Canal Grande [kaˌnal ˈɡrande], locally and informally Canalazzo; Venetian: Canal Grando, locally usually Canałaso [kanaˈɰaso]) is the largest channel in Venice, Italy, forming one of the major water-traffic corridors in the city.

One end of the canal leads into the lagoon near the Santa Lucia railway station and the other end leads into the basin at San Marco; in between, it makes a large reverse-S shape through the central districts (sestieri) of Venice. It is 3.8 kilometres (2.4 miles) long, and 30 to 90 metres (98 to 295 ft) wide, with an average depth of 5 metres (16 feet).

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Grand Canal (Venice) in the context of Gallerie dell'Accademia

The Gallerie dell'Accademia is a museum gallery of pre-19th-century art in Venice, northern Italy. A few weeks every six years, it houses the Leonardo da Vinci drawing The Vitruvian Man. It is housed in the Scuola della Carità on the south bank of the Grand Canal, within the sestiere of Dorsoduro.

It was originally the gallery of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia, the art academy of Venice, from which it became independent in 1879, and for which the Ponte dell'Accademia and the Accademia boat landing station for the vaporetto water bus are named. The two institutions remained in the same building until 2004, when the art school moved to the Ospedale degli Incurabili.

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Grand Canal (Venice) in the context of Rialto

The Rialto is a central area of Venice, Italy, in the sestiere of San Polo. It is, and has been for many centuries, the financial and commercial heart of the city. Rialto is known for its prominent markets as well as for the monumental Rialto Bridge across the Grand Canal.

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Grand Canal (Venice) in the context of Rialto Bridge

The Rialto Bridge (Italian: Ponte di Rialto; Venetian: Ponte de Rialto) is the oldest of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. Connecting the sestieri (districts) of San Marco and San Polo, it has been rebuilt several times since its first construction as a pontoon bridge in 1173, and is now a significant tourist attraction in the city.

The present stone bridge is a single span designed by Antonio da Ponte. Construction began in 1588 and was completed in 1591. It is similar to the wooden bridge it succeeded. Two ramps lead up to a central portico. On either side of the portico, the covered ramps carry rows of shops. The engineering of the bridge was considered so audacious that architect Vincenzo Scamozzi predicted future ruin. The bridge has defied its critics to become one of the architectural icons, and top tourist attractions, in Venice.

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Grand Canal (Venice) in the context of Venice of the North

The following is a list of settlements nicknamed Venice of the North.

The term Venice of the North refers to various cities in Northern Europe that contain canals, comparing them to Venice, Italy, which is renowned for its canals, such as the Grand Canal. Some of these nicknames, e.g. in the case of Amsterdam, date back centuries, while others like Birmingham are recently given and invented as self-promotion by the cities' own residents or representatives.

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Grand Canal (Venice) in the context of Gondola

The gondola (English: /ˈɡɒndələ/, Italian: [ˈɡondola]; Venetian: góndoła, Venetian: [ˈɡoŋdoɰa]) is a traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian lagoon. It is typically propelled by a gondolier, who uses a rowing oar, which is not fastened to the hull, in a sculling manner, and also acts as the rudder. The uniqueness of the gondola includes its being asymmetrical along the length, making the single-oar propulsion more efficient.

For centuries, the gondola was a major means of transportation and the most common watercraft within Venice. In modern times, the boats still do have a role in public transport in the city, serving as traghetti (small ferries) over the Grand Canal operated by two oarsmen.

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Grand Canal (Venice) in the context of Palazzo Smith Mangilli Valmarana

Palazzo Smith Mangilli Valmarana is a palace in Venice, located in the Cannaregio district and overlooking the Grand Canal. The neighbouring building is Palazzo Michiel del Brusà.

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Grand Canal (Venice) in the context of St Mark's Campanile

St Mark's Campanile (Italian: Campanile di San Marco, Venetian: Canpanièl de San Marco) is the bell tower of St Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy. The campanile is a reconstruction completed in 1912, the previous tower having collapsed in 1902. At 98.6 metres (323 ft) in height, it is the tallest structure in Venice and is colloquially termed "el paròn de casa" (the master of the house). It is one of the most recognizable symbols of the city.

Located in Saint Mark's Square near the mouth of the Grand Canal, the campanile was initially intended as a watchtower to sight approaching ships and protect the entry to the city. It also served as a landmark to guide Venetian ships safely into harbour. Construction began in the early tenth century and continued sporadically over time as the tower was slowly raised in height. A belfry and a spire were first added in the twelfth century. In the fourteenth century the spire was gilded, making the tower visible to distant ships in the Adriatic. The campanile reached its full height in 1514 when the belfry and spire were completely rebuilt on the basis of an earlier Renaissance design by Giorgio Spavento. Historically, the bells served to regulate the civic and religious life of Venice, marking the beginning, pauses, and end of the work day; the convocation of government assemblies; and public executions.

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