stillLUV2go

Day 9 & 10 - Explore Venice - Gondolas and the Art of Glassblowing Gondola Ride "I am afraid I study the gondolier's marvelous skill more than I do the  sculptured palaces we glide among."   Mark Twain 1869 Many of us have chosen to take a gondola ride.   It is a wonderful way to explore the Grand Canal and some of the lesser canals and interesting architecture that we might not see otherwise.  In the rich republic of Venice in the 16th century, boats of all kinds glided along the canals, but it was the gondola that was the main means of transport.  Even today it is still the iconic symbol of Venice. Gondolas are very precise instruments with an interesting history. The History of the Gondola: Corruption, Wealth and Beauty https://youtu.be/B5x5CnwQZD4 Rick Steves' Romantic Gondolas https://youtu.be/YNk7xvq0Kc0 The Art of Glassblowing While in Venice we will visit a glassblowing factory for a demonstration. We know that duri...

Day 9 & 10 - Venice - San Marco Basilica "So like a queen with her royal robes, full of harmonious color, rent and worn." Ada Cambridge   The history of the ancient basilica is fascinating. The vast exterior and interior are completely covered with priceless art and artifacts that speak of its past.  With war booty on the exterior and over 85,000 square feet of mosaics on the interior, it's almost impossible to put into words.  These videos with commentary by historians do a good job, so to help prepare for our visit, take a look at some or all of them. Rick Steves https://youtu.be/NE1f8kkx5jE SmartHistory https://youtu.be/_fAgls5bGXs Art of Extraordinary Travel - After Hours Tour https://youtu.be/UZX7p7kO2Ig Plunder, War & the History of the San Marco Horses https://youtu.be/1H7u3jVQ0zg *Some literature says shoulders must be covered to enter the Basilica. Photo Credits in  order: 1.   http...

Day 9 & 10 - Explore Venice - Campanile and Clock Tower Campanile of San Marco "El Patron de Casa" The bell tower is lovingly referred to as "The Master of the House".  For centuries it was the first sight of Venice for visitors arriving by sea. The tower, which suffered through several fires and a collapse, gained its present-day form in the early 16thC.   The plain brick structure stands 324 feet tall and is topped by an arched belfry and gilded statue of the Angel Gabriel. In earlier days, each of the five bells had a specific purpose.  The largest rang at the beginning and end of the workday.  A second bell rang at midday.  The third rang to summon members to council.  The fourth announced a session of the Senate, and the fifth bell announced executions. On August 25, 1609, from the top of the Campanile, Galileo showed the Doge how his new invention, a telescope, could be used to spot approaching enemy ships. For a fee, v...

Day 9 & 10  Venice - Doge's Palace and Bridge of Sighs Doge's Palace "Venice, its temples and palaces did seem like fabrics  of enchantment piled to heaven."  Percy Bysshe Shelley Doge Giovanni Mocenigo 1478-85 Doge was the highest official of the republic for more than 1,000 years. From the 8th -12th century a doge was the symbol of the sovereignty of the Venetian state. In the 14thC the hierarchy of Venice decided that instead of a fortress, the doge deserved a grand palace - a beautiful Venetian Gothic building befitting the city's new wealth and power.  Begun in 1301, the palace was not completed until 1450.  It is recognized for the light and airy first and second floors - another nod to their not needing nor wanting a fortified castle. If you scan across the 2nd floor columns (far left in the photo) you will see two soft pink ones among the white.  The Doge would stand here to announce a death sentence. The condemned pr...

Day 9 & 10 - Explore Venice Piazza San Marco - Then & Now         "The world's most beautiful drawing room!" Napoleon There is only one piazza in Venice and that is Piazza San Marco or St. Mark's Square. The original piazza was constructed in the 9thC in front of the original St. Mark's Basilica which was then just a small chapel connected to the Doge's Palace.  Surrounded by a wooden fortified wall and dotted with trees, the piazza became the heart of the city and the seat of political power in the Middle Ages.  It was here that butchers, bakers and other tradesmen would set up their wares, and the rich and  poor celebrated with parades and ceremonies. It was the center of civic and religious life. Over the centuries the ancient square continued to grow into a 170-meters long trapezoid with the addition of  a new basilica, a bell tower, a clock tower, government offices, a piazzetta, cafes and museums. As these "then a...