Italy ’98

Venezia

San Marco

panoramae

Murano Glass

famous bridges

gondolae

by foot

by boat

The Canal Grande (Grand Canal) is known as the "Finest Street in the World". Following a natural channel that traces a reverse S-course from St. Mark's Basilica to Santa Chiara Church and divides the city into two parts, this is the largest and most important waterway of Venezia.

Slightly more than 2 miles (3 km) long and between 100 and 225 feet (30 and 70 m) wide, it has an average depth of 17 feet (5 m) and connects at various points with a maze of smaller canals. These waterways carry the bulk of Venetian transportation by traditional gondolas and now mainly by motorboats and vaporetti (small steamers).

The Grand Canal is lined on either side by palaces, churches, hotels, and other public buildings in Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance styles and is bridged at three points: at about the mid-point by the famous Ponte di Rialto, one at the railway station (built of marble in 1932), and the Ponte di Accademia, a high-arched foot bridge which sports a temporary look (of wood, in 1853).

We saw a lot of Venetian architecture from the water; it's breathtaking to see a city being consumed by the water. Especially since it doesn't look like a city prepared for water; it doesn't have a nautical look, it just looks surprized by all the water.

The entire city gives off a vibe of impermanence, more than even places like Westminster Abbey. You can see the futility of trying to preserve this city, even though it's so important.

There's more wood here than I expected to see. I thought the water would decompose it faster, but there's some sort of balance been found (at least temporarily).

We've been on the water from dawn to dusk, and it's been worth every minute. I'm looking forward to our next visit to this delightful city.