If Venice was able to remain for many centuries a free and independent republic it was surely down to a humble common woman: Lucia (or Giustina) Rossi. On 15 June 1310 Baiamonte Tiepolo, a rebellious young nobleman, plotted together with other noblemen, a conspiracy to overthrow the government of the Serenissima. Their army had almost made it to St Mark’s Square and was preparing to attack the government building. Puzzled by the roar coming from the street, Lady Lucia leant out of her house window and in doing so dropped (purposely?) a heavy mortar that she was holding immediately killing the flag holder of the army of rioters. This incident caused havoc amongst the insurgents who were subsequently easily defeated by the regular army.   As a reward for saving the city, Lady Lucia simply requested to have her house rent fixed at the same level until the fall of the Republic. In remembrance of the event, an elderly lady in 1861, living in the same house, had a high-relief etched depicting the woman who saved with her mortar the city from dictatorship. If you want to see this peculiar monument, walk along Mrcerie del’Orologio towards St Mark’s Square and on the corner with sotoportego del Cappello just look up…

Valentine’s day is celebrated all around the world, but only a few know that the saint’s remains are kept in the city of Venice, precisely in the church of St Samuel (next to Palazzo Grassi). When you enter the church, not well known even to the residents of this city, and approach the first altar on the left, you will clearly see an urn with this writing: CORPUS SANCTI VALENTINI. It is true that the city of Terni claims to hold the remains of this famous saint, but it is nice to keep an aura of mystery and indulge in the idea that some of the remains of St Valentine, the protector of those in love, are also kept in Venice, the city of lovers par excellence. The day of the bishop and martyr Valentine goes back to the ancient Greek, Italics and Roman celebrations that used to be held on 15 February in honour of the god Pan. These celebrations were dedicated to the purification of fields and fecundity rituals. After becoming increasingly licentious, the Emperor August banned the celebrations and Pope Gelasio finally suppressed them in 494. The Church Christianized the originally pagan fertility ritual bringing it forward to the 14th of February and attributing to the Saint martyr the ability to protect couples and those in love wishing to get married and have children together. This story gave rise to several legends. The most interesting ones depict the saint as being passionate for roses and scented flowers that he used to donate to couples to wish them a happy time together. If you fancy celebrating Valentine’s day in a special way, bring a rose to the altar of St Valentine in the church of St Samuel in Venice (to find out about opening times of this church ask at the nearby church of St Stephen).

When visiting the church of St John and Paul, one of the most beautiful churches in Venice, you will notice a monument dedicated to a hero from the history of Venice, Marcantonio Bragadin, who served as a captain in Cyprus during the war between the Ottoman Empire and Venice. In 1570, The Ottomans landed in Cyprus and lay siege to the Venetian fortress in Famagost but Marcantonio Gragadin decided not to surrender to the Ottoman empire. After months of resistance, the Turks succeeded in conquering the city and their commander decided to take revenge on the heroic captain. Bragadin’s face was mutilated and he was imprisoned in a tiny cage exposed to sunlight, with very little water and food. After four days the Turks offered to let him free in exchange for his conversion to Islam, but Bragadin refused. He was hoisted to the mast of his ship and flagellated, then dragged around the streets of Famagosta with a sack of sand and stones on his back. He was finally tied to a column in the square of the city and flayed alive starting from his head, albeit he died before the end of his torture. Bragadin's quartered body was then distributed among the army, and his skin was stuffed with straw and sewn, reinvested with his military insignia, and exhibited riding an ox in a mocking procession along the streets of Famagusta. The macabre trophy was brought to Costantinople. But in 1577, during the Battle of Lepanto, Venetians succeeded in halting the progression of the Ottoman Army and soon after, in 1580, Bragadin’s skin was purloined from the Constantinople’s arsenal and brought to Venice and preserved in the church of St John and Paul, where it can still be seen today inside an urn.

If you have visited Venice in the last few days and have been fascinated by the Carnival masks worn by tourists and actors, we suggest that you also go and admire the original Venetian costumes, housed in the Fabric and Costume Museum at Palazzo Mocenigo in San Stae. This magnificent historic palace, once owned by one of the most important and prestigious families of the ancient Venice nobility, houses a rich collection of male and female clothes, which retrace the history of fashion and elegance in Venice. The clothes and objects displayed, mostly originating from Venice, have been made with elegant fabrics, often decorated with embroidery and lacework, and are an important testimony of the skills of a large group of craftsmen (weavers, tailors, lace makers, embroiders…) who contributed to the creation of the sophisticated and luxurious elegant style that the inhabitants of Venice used to be famous for. For this reason, the Venice Carnival is still famous today all around the world for its opulent costumes and tailors still flock here to find inspirations for their exclusive masks.

Far from the usual tourist destinations, in the sestriere of Castello in Venice you can find the old city’s cathedral: St Peter in Castello, one of the oldest churches in Venice, built in the 7th century where a byzantine fortress – called the Castle, hence the name of the sestriere - once stood. This church conceals one of the most unusual hidden treasures of Venice – a throne that apparently once belonged to the Apostle Peter during his preaching as a bishop in Antioch, Siria. The story goes that the throne was originally donated to the Doge Petro Tradonico by the Constantinople’s Emperor Michael III in the 9th century. In reality, the throne does not have a Christian origin, as its backing was built from an ancient Islamic funeral stone bearing Arabic decorations and etched Kufic characters of verses from the Koran. The seat was probably built in the course of the 13th century, perhaps in Antioch itself, and then brought to Venice, to augment the prestige of the cathedral, which could in this way boast to owning an object that once belonged to the Apostle Peter.

Venice, an ever magic and mysterious city, was already in the 18th century the centre of an influential Freemasonry fraternity, whose members also included the famous adventurer Giacomo Casanova. Here, the Freemasonry fraternity was so powerful and rich that they had a church built following the Freemasonry doctrines – the church of Saint Mary Magdalene in Cannaregio. A few components of the Baffo family, affiliated to the Freemasonry in Venice, contracted the architect Tommaso Temanza, also a member of the fraternity, to build the “Freemasonry” church. Temenza designed a perfectly round building with a neo classic style and a symbol of the Freemasonry etched on the architrave of the main door – an eye inscribed within a circle and a pyramid with the writing “ SAPIENTIA EDIFICAVIT SIBI DOMUM”, a reference to the cult of the divine knowledge, which is at the base of the Freemason ideologies. Temanza himself is buried inside the church and his headstone is decorated with a line and compasses, the most important symbol of the Freemasonry, as its members would define themselves as ‘builders’. It is no surprise that this “Freemasonry” church is dedicated to Mary Magdalene, a mysterious figure, sometimes rejected by the church, beloved instead by the Freemasonry and its members who considered her a symbol of wisdom and the struggle against the obscurantism of the church.

For those visiting Venice, the gondola is a not-to-be-missed attraction but few know its history. One needs only consider that the gondola was used as a means of transportation in the city already in the 14th century. Hard to believe? This is the proof. In the painting “The miracle of the Cross in Rialto” of Vittore Carpaccio (1494), housed in the Venice Academy Galleries, a group of gondolas passing underneath the original wooden Rialto Bridge can be clearly seen. The gondola in the painting is slightly different from the Venice gondola that we can see nowadays, as both the prow comb and the gilded decorations were not present - gondolas were also shorter. It was only between 1600 and 1700 that the gondola became an increasingly common means utilized for the transport of private service and took on a shape similar to the current one. Noble families owned one or more de casada (or house) gondolas that they used for their business or leisure transport needs. In the painting we can also see that each gondola uses a sort of cover, known as felze, used to provide shelter from the cold and unwanted gaze when crossing the canals. So, next time you want to visit Venice in a gondola, remember that the boat you are using has more than 500 years of history! Unfortunately, you will be not able to rely on the felze to protect your privacy…

We would like to celebrate Women’s Day by remembering a Venetian lady who more than any other woman left a mark on the history of Venice: Caterina Cornaro who, in 1472, at the age of twenty, married Giacomo Lusignano, king of the Isle of Cyprus. Caterina Cornaro was a woman of character and following the death of her husband the year after her marriage, she stood against the Spanish as well as the Venetians who wanted to force her to surrender the Isle of Cyprus. Caterina Queen of Cyprus resisted for 16 years and reigned alone, until the Republic of Venice brought her to surrender the island. Caterina Cornaro came back to Venice in exchange for the sovereignty of the town of Asolo, where she founded a literary circle attended to by the most important humanists of the time. If you want to pay homage to this extraordinary woman who, in a time when male power was absolute, was able to impose her choices and keep her privileges, pay a visit to the church of San Salvador in Venice, in the sestriere of St Mark, where you will see her grave decorated with a magnificent Renaissance monument that depicts in its central frieze, Caterina Cornaro relinquishing the isle of Cyprus to the Doge Barbarigo.  

Next to the Church of the Madonna dell’Orto in the sestiere of Cannaregio in Venice there is a small courtyard, Campo dei Mori, where you can see some odd looking statues, dressed in oriental costumes. The legend says that the ancient inhabitants of the nearby Mastelli Palace (originating from the Morea region in Greece and therefore called “Mori”) were ruthless bankers, who had robbed a Venetian noblewoman. In order to get justice, she prayed to ask Saint Mary Magdalene to put a curse on them. The three con men were consequently turned into stone to remind all passers by that divine justice would always punish the sinners. In reality, these are three statues with pieces of sculptures from different epochs assembled during the 14th century, whilst the basements are portions of a former roman altar. The statue in the corner, known as “Sior Rioba” is very famous and, similarly to the statue of Pasquino in Rome, was used to hang poems and satirical pieces of protest against politicians or prominent people in Venice. In the 19th century Sior Rioba lost his nose that was later rebuilt in a makeshift fashion with a piece of wire. This gave rise to the legend claiming that luck would be on the side of those who rubbed the nose. During the night between 30th April and 1st May 2010 Sior Rioba had his head chopped off causing the immediate reaction of security forces and local people. Luckily the head was found in Calle della Racchetta on 3rd May and the statue was promptly repaired.

Amongst the many museums in Venice, there is a very unusual one: the museum of madness on the Island of San Servolo. The Island of San Servolo, the former site of a Benedictines convent, became in 1725, a psychiatric hospital, but only for Venetian nobles. Napoleon’s government decreed in 1797 that mentally ill people from all classes had to be interned at San Servolo, a fact that continued under both the Austrian and Savoy reigns. In 1978 the Basaglia law was passed, which resulted in the closure of psychiatric hospitals. Consequently, the hospital on San Servolo was eventually closed down. Recently the island has become the site for several university courses, but the memory of the old mental hospital has been preserved with the establishment in 2006 of a museum of madness in one the convent’s wings. The museum houses an exhibition charting the history of mental illness care over the past three centuries in Venice. You will see chains, handcuffs and straitjackets – used to contain the mentally ill in the 19th century – and also instruments used to cure mental illnesses, such as electroshock machines, or examples of music therapy, which was tried for the first time at San Servolo by Cesare Vigna, the director of the psychiatric hospital and also a close friend of the composer Giuseppe Verdi. If you wish to visit a small and remote island in the lagoon and a truly unusual museum, take the number 20 ferry from San Zaccaria and get yourself ready for a journey into the world of madness.

In the beautiful Renaissance church of Santa Maria Mater Domini in Venice (designed by the famous architect Jacopo Sansovino) there is an unusual multicolored Byzantine 13th century relief in the left transept: a Madonna praying with outstretched arms and nail holes in her hands. It is in reality an ancient ritual fountain. During the Byzantine empire water that was considered sacred spurted out from the hands of an image of the Virgin Mary and collected at the bottom to be used by worshippers during blessings. This oriental custom did not exist in Venice, and after arriving at the church of Santa Maria Mater Domini in Venice the relief ceased to be used as a fountain and became a mere altar pall, but legend has it that the relief continued to dispense miracles and that it adorned the major altar of the Medieval church.

Torcello, the first Venice island to be inhabited, is rich of legends and interesting stories, such as Attila – the King of the Huns – and his throne.   A legend has it that during their invasion of Italy in the 5th century, the Hun arrived in the Isle of Torcello, where the inhabitants of the nearby roman city of Altino found refuge. According to the legend the stone throne that is located in front of the cathedral was used by the Hun’s king Attila, known as the Scourge of God, due to his ferocity towards his enemies. In reality the Hun never arrived in Torcello as their descent into North Eastern Italy was halted at Aquileia (UD) and being pastoralist people, they would have never reached an island from the sea. Despite the legend being untrue, this stone throne dates back to the 5th century, when the first settlers arrived at the Isle of Torcello. The throne was instead used as the seat of the magister militum, the governor of the island, during council meetings and when administering justice.

From Easter Sunday visitors will be able to admire for a week a hidden treasure of Venice goldsmith’s art in the heart of St Mark’s sestiere in Venice: the Golden Pall of the San Salvador Church. It is shown to the public only three times a year, whilst at other times the altar is decorated with Tiziano Vecellio’s Trasfiguration painting. The Golden Pall is made up of five sections decorated with small silver rhombus shaped strips containing several figurines with golden decorative elements, such as auras and garments. The Golden Pall was built between the middle of the 14th century and the beginning of the 15th century and presents a complex figurative system that follows a precise theological order. The Golden Pall depicts the Transfiguration - the celebration the church is dedicated to – as well as saints from the Venice tradition, martyrs, prophets, the person who commissioned it – and who paid the last phases of the work-  the monastery’s prior and Jesus himself. For the opening of the Golden pall, the Parish of San Salvador will organize free guided visits on the 10th and 12th April at 4pm and on 14th April at 10am. Don’t miss this chance!

St Mark’s Cathedral in Venice contains many secrets and little known areas, as they are often inaccessible to the public. The Zen Chapel – built in the 16th century in honour of the Cardinal Zen – houses for instance a bronze sculpture that is linked to a suggestive legend. The Virgin with Baby is wearing in fact a gold shoe. Why is that? It is said that one day a poor believer gave the Virgin the only thing he owned, a pair of old shoes and that these miraculously were turned into gold. But as we can now see only one shoe, what happened to the other one? The legend steps in again saying that one day a woman, reduced to poverty, was praying in front of the Virgin in St Mark’s Cathedral and begging the Virgin for help when miraculously one of the golden shoes slipped off into the hand of the woman who was this way able to escape misery. If you want to see this “Miraculous Madonna” and the chapel where she is housed and the splendid mosaics that narrate the life of St Mark, go on the tour “St Mark’s Cathedral and its treasures”, the only tour in Venice that can exclusively open the doors of the Zen Chapel to you.

On the day of the festival for the patron of Venice, the Evangelist Mark, Venetians give a red rosebud, called bòcolo in the local Venetian dialect, as a gift to their spouse or girlfriend – a tradition they have been following for centuries. The origins of this practice during St Mark’s Feast in Venice are very old as they trace back to the beginning of the history of Venice. The legend in fact says that in the second half of the 9th century, Maria, daughter of the Doge Orso 1st Partecipazio and also known as Vulcana due to her flaming red hair, was in love with a young man of humble origins, a certain Tancredi, who was returning her love. The Venice Doge would surely disapprove of their love, so the young maiden advised her loved one to join the fighting against the Muslims in order to obtain glory and be able to ask for her hand. The young man showed great courage in the war but was fatally wounded in a rose garden. Before dying he handed his friend Orlando a bud tinted with the red of his blood and entrusted him to give it to his loved one as an extreme sign of his love. On 25th April, the day after she received from Orlando the message of her love, Maria was found dead in her bed with the rose bud on her chest.

Amongst the remains of the many saints that are kept in Venice there are also those of a mother: St Elena. Elena was in fact the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine who, with the edict of Milan in 313 A.C., gave Christians the freedom of worship. St Elena is remembered for having discovered the cross and nails that were used for the crucifixion of Jesus. After her death she was buried in Rome. Her body was later transferred to Constantinople and finally in 1211 the remains of St Elena were brought to Venice. The legend says that the ship that transported the remains of St Elena ran aground as soon as it entered the Venice lagoon near the island of Olivolo, on a nearby small island where a small chapel dedicated to St Elena had been built. The sailors tried to lighten the ship by unloading its cargo onto the nearby small island and this included the urn with the remains. Once the ship was afloat again the Saint's urn was placed back on board, however, the ship hit the ground again. “Perhaps the Saint wishes to remain here” – thought the sailors – and consequently left the remains in the chapel, which was later turned into a gothic church becoming a pilgrimage site for all mothers in the world.

Across the Venice lagoon - along the bridge between Venice and Mestre, near Chioggia or when heading to Lido or the Isle of Torcello – one can easily spot traditional boats with wide colourful sails, rigged in a particular way once used on fishing boats or transport boats and common throughout the Adriatic sea: the “al terzo” sail (literally lugsail) so called as the spar is attached to the mast at a third of its length. This type of sail represents the most natural transition from the very ancient classical square sails to the typical triangular sails that are common in contemporary sailing boats. The most ancient records of the use of this type of sail date back to the 17th century. On fishing boats the sail was decorated with bright colours painted with sponges and dyes that were easily available and made of natural elements. This treatment would preserve the material as well as prove useful to spot the boat from a distance and also at night. This custom gave rise at the end of the 19th century to a true heraldry amongst fishermen.

The Sensa Festival (Ascension Festival on the 40th day after Easter) was a very important celebration for the Venice Republic. During the celebration, a particular ceremony would take place, called the “Marriage of the Sea”, which symbolized the maritime supremacy of Venice. The ceremony started around 1000 AD to commemorate the conquering of Dalmatia by the Doge Pietro II Orseolo. A solemn procession of boats would take place, headed by the doge’s galley, which navigated out of the lagoon through the inlet at Lido. Upon arriving opposite the Church of St Nicolò, the doge would drop a consecrated ring into the sea and with the words “We wed thee, sea, in the sign of true and everlasting dominion” declared Venice and the sea to be indissolubly united. The ship used by the Doge during the Marriage of the Sea was the Bucentaur, a luxurious galley that was kept in the Venice Arsenal during the remainder of the year. The last and most magnificent of the bucentaurs was commissioned by the Senate in 1719 but was later destroyed in 1798 by the French occupiers as a gesture of scorn towards the declined Venice Republic and to recover the abundant gold decorations. The hull was converted into a gunboat and later into a prison ship. To gain an idea of how splendid the last Bucentaur would look, visit the Arsenal Museum where a scaled model of the vessel is displayed, and the Correr Museum, where the few elements of the sumptuous gilded decorations that survived the flames are kept. The name Bucentaur derives from the Venetian “buzino d’oro”, a term for a type of vessel called burcio and covered in gold.

The Venice Arsenal is still nowadays imbued with allure and history. Once upon a time this is where the merchant and war ships that contributed to making the Venice Serenissima Republic a great power, used to be built. Opposite the beautiful entrance gate of the Venice Arsenal – the first Renaissance monument in Venice – there are two guarding stone lions. The left one bears some inscriptions, whose origins are linked to its thousand-year-long history. This sculpture was brought to Venice in 1684 from its original location in Piraeus, the harbor of Athens, by the famous commander Francesco Morosini (who bombarded the Parthenon). The inscription of both sides of the lion remained a mystery until the 19th century, when they were deciphered by a Danish scholar who was staying in Venice. The runic inscriptions date back to the 11th century and were carved by the future King of Norway Harald III, who led a special troop of the Byzantine army during a revolt of the Greek population against the central government. They mention the conquest of the Piraeus harbor by the Norwegian king.

To celebrate the Republic Day in Italy one cannot forget about the partisan movement and the monument in Venice that celebrates women who contributed to the fall of fascism in Italy. This is the monument to the Partisan Woman, designed by Augusto Murer (Falcade 1922 – Padova 1985) in 1961. It is a bronze sculpture representing a reclining figure of a partisan woman. Carlo Scarpa, who designed the basement, imagined that the best and most spontaneous way to look at the sculpture would be achieved by positioning it at a lower height than the observer. The chosen solution was to build a floating metal and concrete caisson whose surface is covered with bronze sheets. The artist’s bronze lies on the sheets so that the status seems to be resting on the water surface. From the edge of the Riva dei Giardini passers-by can access the monument area through an apt opening in a brick wall. Unfortunately, the technology and inadequate materials at the time, together with the increased wave motion, deprived the sculpture - almost from the very beginning – of its planned ability to float. However, in coincidence with the centenary of Carlo Scarpa’s birth in 2009, the Municipality proceeded to perform a complete renovation of the monument and restored it to its former aspect.

the number 1 ferry stops along the Canal Grande are named after a church or an important monument, except one: Riva de Biasio. Who was Biasio? At the time of the Serenissima Republic, on this stretch of the shore there was Biagio Cargnio’s shop, famous for his sausages and meat dishes. One day a worker found on his plate a small portion of a human finger and immediately called the police who found, in the back of Biasio’s shop, children’s bodies that had been killed by the monster in order to add more taste to his sauces. Biasio confessed but it was never established how many children he killed or how he got hold of them. The serial killer was dragged by a horse to the prisons where he had his hands chopped off and was then tortured and beheaded in St Mark’s Square. His house and shop were consequently demolished but the name Biasio has been maintained in the collective imagination and that is still the case nowadays when you get onboard or disembark the ferry.

When visiting the splendid Frari Cathedral in Venice a pyramid can be seen in front of the church…Why is such a structure in a Christian church? This is a burial monument dedicated to the great neo-classical sculptor Antonio Canova (1757-1822). It was built by his students, following a project of their master which intended to house the heart of the sculptor Tiziano, but never happened, whilst the rest of his remains are kept in Possagno, his birth place. The unusual shape of this monument is a clear message for the “Initiated” since Antonio Canova was a member of the Freemasonry and the pyramid is the symbol of the Great Architect of the Universe (the supreme god of Freemasons). The statues surrounding the pyramid are also related to Freemasonry doctrines: starting from the left, the angel with open wings is the custodian of the soul passed to the sky; the sleeping winged lion holding a closed book is the symbol of the wisdom the artist has carried away; the winged figure is the death whilst the young with the lit torch symbolizes immortality granted to Canova; the two women with flower wreaths are Hope and Charity. All these figures have a very pained expression. This monument appears as a strange tomb to ordinary visitors, whilst for those initiated to the Freemasonry it represents a clear message on the wisdom of the “brother” Canova…

Next to the bustling Campo Santa Margherita in Venice is a sombre looking church with an unfinished façade: the Church of San Pantalon. Yet inside this church hides an incredible story…Its ceiling houses the biggest canvas painting in the world, depicting the Martyrdom and Apotheosis of St Pantalon, painted by Giovanni Antonio Fumiani. To the eyes of the visitors this is an imposing view, in which the structural features of the church are continued in the architecture of the painting to create a truly unique visual illusion. This huge oeuvre has a total area of 443 square metres, representing a multitude of characters in a space magnified by the clever use of perspective. In fact, it is no coincidence that Fumiani was a specialist in the making of theatre scenes. Giovanni Antonio Fumiani took over 20 years to paint this colossal work, from 1680 until 1704 and legend has it that he fell to his death from the scaffolding when he was giving the painting the finishing touches…

The traditional celebration of St Peter of Castello is currently taking place in the square of St Peter of Castello. A whole week of music, shows and plenty of good food. The celebration of St Peter has been taking place in Venice since time immemorial, considering that until 1807 the church of St Peter of Castello was the Cathedral of Venice before Napoleon chose St Mark’s Cathedral as the new home of the patriarch. Every year on 29 June the Doge would visit the Patriarch with all his entourage; to spare the Doge from the humiliation of having to go up to the entrance of the church as well as the Patriarch from having to receive the Doge on his arrival by boat, thereby a compromising solution was found with the patriarch waiting for the Doge halfway to the church. To mark the exact spot a white stone in the grey flooring can still be seen today, symbolizing the meeting point of the religious and political powers.

St Mark’s Square in Venice, overlooked by some of the best known old monuments of the city, hides a piece of history from the 20th century design: the Olivetti Showroom, built by the Venetian architect Carlo Scarpa (1906-1978), who designed the showroom with an architectural style which is unpretentious and yet at the same time also sophisticated and eclectic. On the ground floor is a spacious hall, decorated with a precious ornamental fountain, whose nozzle is built with copper on a white marble slab bearing the Olivetti logo. A staircase with offset sections to the sides leads to the first floor. Both rooms are paved with a mosaic made from marble and red, yellow and blue Murano glass square flakes whilst the outer window frames are built with teak and white marble. In 2009, due to the precarious situation of the showroom, an interior restoration project was started, which lead to the rooms being reopened to the public on 20 April 2011 thanks to the support of the Fondo per l’Ambente Italiano.

The Palladian Redentore Church in Venice, known for the July celebration held every year, houses in its sacristy some rather unusual and somehow macabre objects. They can be viewed under request, but beware! If you are squeamish, ignore this…! We are referring to 12 wax busts made in the 19th century, representing Capuchin monks (a religious order which owns the Redentore Church), beatified or canonized, and St Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan order from which the Capuchin order originates. These busts were used for devotional purposes but also as an example for the friars of the convent. They were built in order to look as real as possible: they have in fact Murano glass eyes, pointing upwards or downwards, beards, mustaches and real hair and thorn wreaths , likewise the Saint Veronica Abbess de Julia - a unique feature of this peculiar religious iconography. A slightly “pulp” representation that has been recently rediscovered thanks to the wax portraits exhibition from 19th and 20th century at Palazzo Fortunity… Visiting is on request at the Chorus ticket office at the Redentore Church.

The Great Council Chamber in the Doge’s palace is one of the most visited sites in Venice. Inside it we can get to know the history of the city and admire its former grandeur. This Institutional Chamber opens visitors up to the darkest side in the history of the ancient Republic. Indeed, if we observe the portraits of the doges lined up underneath the ceiling all around the perimeter of the room, we will notice that one of the faces is covered by a black cloth. Underneath it is the portrait of Doge Marino Falier, disguised in such a manner because he soiled his hands with a foul deed: he attempted to establish a dictatorship under his power. Marino Falier became a doge in 1354 and soon after set up a conspiracy with other noblemen from the city to establish a hereditary seignory and overthrow the Republican powers. The plot was unearthed and the conspirators, including the doge himself, were arrested, questioned, sentenced to death for high treason and beheaded outside the Doge’s Palace on 15 April 1355. With the aim of perpetuating the remembrance of this event, the Venice aristocracy decreed that each year a celebration should be held on the day of St Isidoro (16 April), the day Marino Falier had been sentenced to death. Additionally, it was decreed that the portrait of Falier in the Great Council Chamber should be removed from the line-up of doges portraits, and in its place this inscription was positioned: “Hic fuit locus ser Marini Faletri, decapitati pro crimine proditionis”, which means “This was the place of Marin Falier, beheaded for treason”. Legend has it that the ghost of the treacherous doge still wanders without rest in Campo Santi Giovanni and Paolo - where the burial church of many doges is located - as he was not granted this honour.

When venturing to the remote Island of Torcello – an ancient settlement of the Venice lagoon – tourists are struck by a stone bridge bearing an unnerving name: the Devil’s Bridge. Legend has it that during the Austrian domination over Venice, a young lady fell in love with an Austrian soldier, who was subsequently killed by her family as they opposed their unpatriotic relationship. The grief stricken girl sought the aid of a witch who agreed to meet her on the island of Torcello – an isolated place and ideal for magic rituals. The witch called upon the devil who brought the young Austrian back to life and so the two lovers were united again. But it is well known that the devil doesn’t do anything for nothing so he made the witch promise that for the next seven years she would bring him on Christmas Eve the soul of a dead child who had recently died. The witch died soon after in a fire and was not able to keep to her pact with the devil… So to this day on the eve of 24 December the devil comes to the Devil’s Bridge in Torcello in the guise of a black cat and claims in vain the souls he was promised… Learn more about the island of Torcello and the Torcello Basilica !

The small island in the Venice lagoon that can be seen when heading to Murano houses the Venice cemetery, founded during the 19th century and still used nowadays as the burial place for Venice residents. Here many illustrious personalities are buried, such as the psychiatrist Franco Basaglia, the scientist Christian Doppler, the musician Igor Stravinsky, the artist Emilio Vedova and many more. Visiting the Venice cemetery is a very touching experience, also for the many peculiar details that characterize it. To mention just one, in the section reserved for nuns there is a tomb that has been enshrining a mystery for over sixty years. This is the tomb of Mother Vittora Gregoris of the Convent of San Francesco della Vigna, who died in 1947 in odour of sanctity. When she was near her death, the nun told the sisters kneeled at her bed that, if her grave was to be opened, her body wouldn’t be found. Indeed, when exhumation took place after six years, the coffin only contained her clothes and a rosary, and no traces of her bones or body could be found…

The island of Giudecca in the Venice lagoon is a stunning place, perfect for those longing to find tranquility away from the crowds of the city. Among the many attractions which the island offers there is also a world famous factory: the fabric factory of Mariano Fortuny (1871- 1949). This Spanish artist, painter, designer and stylist, lived in Venice during his last years and here created an exclusive fabric factory in 1919 and which is still in use today. He created the dyes, brushes, printing and the manufacturing of fabrics. Inspired by Greek clothing, the Morris prints and decorated Catalan motifs, Fortuny created a recognisable style with the Delphos gown by using lightweight fabrics and subtle pleats. Fortuny was the inventor of a revolutionary system for the decoration and solid gold on silks and velvets which gave the impression that the fabric was carved. The factory was based on a building that once housed a pitch factory, which was expanded in 1927 by adding another floor and then it was elongated to create a room big enough to print the fabric. Visits to the laboratories are not permitted in order to maintain the secrets of the founder but a showroom and garden are accessible on appointment.

15th August (bank holiday) celebrates the Assumption of the Virgin, a celebration to whom the cathedral on the small island of Torcello in the Venice lagoon is dedicated. The Virgin of the Assumption dominates the central apse of the church in a magnificent mosaic from the 12th century. This image, typical of the Byzantine tradition, has brought different theological messages. The Virgin points at the child with her right hand, because she wants to show him to worshippers and present him as the Saviour of the World and in fact doesn't look towards him but towards the aisle. In her left hand the Madonna squeezes a small white handkerchief: it symbolizes the shroud of Christ, and so a way to announce his future Passion and death on the cross. The child blesses with his right hand, whilst in the left he holds a sort of small scroll, which symbolizes the new alliance: in the Old Testament men stipulated an alliance with God through the patriarch Abraham, but the wickedness of man destroyed the pact; with the birth of Jesus began a new alliance between God and humanity. It is possible to visit the church every day from 10.30am to 5pm and guided tours of the Torcello Basilica are also available.

The Thirteenth Biennial of Architecture in Venice will commence on 28 August, with proposals for cutting edge contemporary architecture. But the Gardens of the Biennale in Venice are also an open-air museum of European architecture from the 900’s. In fact, many of the national pavilions were built by famous architects, who wanted to express the best architectural trends of the time. One of the pavilions showing the most original structure and materials is certainly that of Finland, designed by famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto in 1956. It was anticipated that this was a temporary building and to be used only for the Biennale, but then it was agreed to keep it, even at the cost of expensive repairs, since it is constructed entirely of wood. The structure was a prefab that was sent from Finland in pieces and reassembled in Venice, without the presence of the illustrious architect. Alvar Aalto, an exponent of organic architecture, blends tradition and innovation: wood is a material which has been used for centuries in Finland to build, but the forms executed, the trapezoidal and the sloping ceiling, are innovative. The use of wood and attention to detail of the veins would show how the material was superior to the form itself.

Each year in Venice on the first Sunday of September the famous Historical Regatta takes place, in which a procession of antique boats led by costumed Renaissance figures parade on the waters of the Grand Canal. Venice has a long tradition of ancient boats and you can get an idea by visiting the little-known ships pavilion near the Arsenale. This enormous area, once the seat of the workshops of the "remeri", is now part of the Historic Naval Museum. In the first of the three sections that divide the room, there is a torpedo motorboat from World War II and a coal-fired 1895 working motorboat. The second section houses the majestic “royal vessel", a beautiful eighteen-oar boat, with cabin and hull covered with gilded carvings, which was built at the Arsenal in the 1850 and used for the most solemn ceremonies at the time. It was used to transport King Vittorio Emanuele II to St. Mark in his first entry into Venice and it also accompanied in her last trip the coffin of Pius X. All around there are gondolas, bragozzi and other small vessels. In the last hall stands the Elettra Marconi engine concoction with its huge boilers. Built in 1904 for the Archduke Charles Stephen of Austria, it became the floating laboratory of the great scientist.

These days the Venice Lido is in the spotlight of the world for the famous film festival that takes place here every year, attended by Italian and international stars. But this island hides a jewel of medieval art: the Jewish cemetery. The Jewish community of Venice, one of the largest in Europe, was permitted by the government of the Venetian Republic in 1386 to have its own cemetery, but this had to be located away from the city. They were therefore granted land on the island of Lido, which was at the time almost entirely uninhabited. This cemetery was extended several times and used until the fall of the Venetian Republic. During the nineteenth century, the cemetery was almost completely abandoned and some parts were expropriated to build a shooting range. In 1999 the restoration and recovery of many tombstones, dating between 1550 and the beginning of the 17th century, was initiated. Among the graves are those of the poet Sarah Coppio, Sullam, the Rabbi Leone da Modena, and the intellectual Simon Luzzatto, all leading figures in the cultural life of the ghetto in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Jewish Cemetery on the Lido, with its romantic and charming atmosphere, is the ideal place to visit for those wanting to escape from the bustle of the red carpet!

Venice is the city of cinema not only for its festival, but also because it was the setting of many successful films. All tourists crossing the busy Campo San Barnaba and looking at the neoclassical facade of the church of the same name, may note that it looks familiar .... Why? In the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), the church (only the exterior) was used as the setting for an imaginary library. The Campo San Barnaba, in front of the church, was then used to shoot the scene in which the protagonist of the film, after having passed through the (non-existent) underground passages in search of the tomb of one of the keepers of the Holy Grail knights, emerges out of a manhole in the middle of the square, to the embarrassment of the elegant clients of the bar seated at the tables. In fact, the church of St. Barnabas, of medieval origin but rebuilt in the second half of the 18th century by the architect Lorenzo Boschetti, is still a church to all intents and purposes, although it is currently hosting an exhibition on the machines invented by Leonardo da Vinci. Pay attention to its thousand year old spire bell tower as it is one of oldest in the city!

The exhibition "Titian: the flight into Egypt and landscape painting." is currently being shown at the Academy of Venice. Among the various works exhibited there is one that can be considered the most enigmatic painting of the entire Italian Renaissance painting, "The Tempest" by Giorgione. Despite many studies, no one knows for sure what it represents ..... In a landscape - one of the most beautiful ever painted - a young man leaning on a stick and a nearly naked woman breast-feeding a baby are represented while a storm is looming in the sky and in the background there is a glimpse of a city, probably Padua. Among the various interpretative hypotheses we can mention: Adam and Eve expelled from Paradise, the finding of Moses, the allegories of Charity and Fortitude, the birth of Parid, a representation related to alchemy, a metaphor for the conquest of the city of Padua during the War of Cambrai, the capture of Chioggia and many others. And if it were just a work of art without a subject and only a landscape with two men and a storm coming?

The basilica of Saint Maria and Donato in Murano in the Venetian Lagoon, built in the 10th century, contains many treasures but also unexpected details. With your back to the door entrance and looking at the wall of the nave above the colonnade on the left, you will notice a lion of St. Mark, accompanied by two coats of arms and a bizarre object: a small barrel, also known as "El de botasso Sant `Alban." Legend has it that the barrel was a relic belonging to the inhabitants of the island of Burano, who guarded it jealously. This barrel, in fact, was miraculous because, according to legend, after being positioned beside the relics of Sant`Albano, brought to the lagoon in 1067, it has never stopped spilling wine. The inhabitants of Murano were very jealous of this blessing that had occurred in the neighbouring island and so one night some of them stole the famous barrel from Burano. However, once landed in Murano, they immediately noticed that the small barrel did not have any intention to spill anymore whilst the inhabitants of Burano were already coming to the island to reclaim the stolen object. "We cannot enjoy it? You will not either!" This was the thought of the people of Murano, who, using a ladder, walled in the small barrel in the basilica, and then invited the people of Burano to fetch if they wanted it so much..

On 7 October 1571 a Sacred league composed of various Christian states, including the Republic of Venice, defeated in an epic naval battle the fleet of the Turks who threatened to invade Europe. The Christian victory was mainly due to the Venetian galleys, commanded by Captain Sebastiano Venier. To thank God the Venetians built the Church of Saints John and Paul, a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary, which is celebrated on 7 October. Built by Alessandro Vittoria, it was a real gem, but during the night between 15 and 16 August 1867 a fire destroyed it, along with masterpieces contained inside (works by Jacopo Tintoretto, Palma il Giovane, Leonardo Corona, Francesco Bassano, Domenico Tintoretto and others). Titian’s Martyrdom of St. Peter and Madonna and Saints by Giovanni Bellini were also stored there for restoration but they were lost. Their redecorating was initiated using works that essentially came from churches that were destroyed and suppressed such as the Adoration of the Shepherds, the Assumption and the Annunciation by Paolo Veronese, but also works by Gian Battista Zelotti, Charles and Benedetto Caliari (son and brother of Veronese), Bonifacio de 'Pitati, Sante Peranda, and Alexander Varottari, also known as Padovanino, the sculptures of Giacomo Piazzetta and Girolamo Campagna. The Chapel of the Rosary was solemnly reopened to the public in 1959.

The Giants’ Staircase of the Doge’s Palace in Venice was the official entrance to the Doge's Palace and was built between 1483 and 1491 and designed by Antonio Rizzo. Its name derives from the two marble statues by Sansovino depicting Mars and Neptune, placed here in 1567, which represented the power and dominion of Venice on the mainland (Mars) and the sea (Neptune). The monumental staircase connects the courtyard to the inner lodge on the first floor and it was the place where the ceremony of the Doge’s coronation took place. It was therefore a very important place from a symbolic point of view and in fact the Doge Marino Falier was beheaded here on charges of high treason on April 17, 1355. According to the legend, the two statues of Mars and Neptune were built so large in order to diminish the figure of the Doge at his coronation as a reminder that, after the sad story of Marino Falier, the Doge was a man like other men, and especially punishable!

Near St Mark’s Square in Venice, there is a building that has a relief on the facade with a carved angel and above it there is a strange little hole, reminiscent of a mysterious event of 1552. At that time a lawyer lived here from the Curia of the Doge who posed as a pious man but in reality had become rich by exploiting the poor. One evening he invited to dinner Friar Matthew Bascio and showed him a trained monkey in his home. The monk immediately recognized him as the Devil and asked why he was there. He said that he was waiting to take the lawyer’s soul to hell but he could not because every evening he recited a prayer to the Virgin Mary. The monk then ordered the Devil to leave the house immediately but he accepted to do that only if he could do some damage, and so on his way out he made a hole the wall. The lawyer then repented his sins and he put the newsstand with the angel so that the devil could no longer enter the building through the hole in the wall.

If on the 11th November you go to Venice you may encounter groups of kids hitting pots and pans to celebrate St Martin. The festival of St. Martin is very important in Venice and has a long tradition. The cult of this saint is in fact very old, since the church itself was actually founded in the eighth century, perhaps by refugees from the city of Ravenna, where the cult was followed. In ancient times it was customary on St. Martin’s Day to eat and drink seasonal products, such as chestnuts and wine, but then it became a party related to children who, like the English-speaking peers on Halloween, went around looking for treats. Unfortunately it is a tradition that is disappearing, but nowadays on 11th November you can still meet children around Venice with paper crowns on their heads making a lot of noise beating pots and pans with wooden spoons and counting on the generosity and friendliness of shopkeepers to give them a little bit of money. In addition, bakers display delicious "San Martini" biscuits and cakes made of short crust pastry, covered in icing, chocolate and sweets and representing the Saint on horseback as he prepares to cut the coat to be offered to the poor man. But also Venetian mothers cook it for their children and friends ...

Every year on 21 November since 1631 Venetians visit the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, in front of St Mark’s. It is a true pilgrimage, because the church was built by the famous architect Longhena to thank the Virgin Mary at the end of a terrible plague. Hence, on that day the inhabitants of Venice and beyond, cross a bridge built especially for the occasion to light a candle, say a prayer or just walk between the stalls of sweets that are set up around the church. On this occasion, you can also access the area behind the main altar and visit the Sacristy, which is closed to the public for the rest of the year. Here, you can admire some of the works by Titian such as, St Mark enthroned with Saints Cosmas, Damian, Sebastian and Roch (1511-12) together with his later work on the ceiling: Cain and Abel, the sacrifice of Abraham and Isaac, David and Goliath. You can also see the large canvas by Tintoretto The Wedding at Cana (1561) and works by other major artists as Alexander Varotari known as "Il Padovanino" Pietro Liberi, Giuseppe Porta known as "Il Salviati" and Jacopo Palma il Giovane.

The famous play by Shakespeare, "The Merchant of Venice," was adapted into a great film in 2004, played by the great actor Al Pacino in the role of Shylock. Almost the entire film was shot in Venice and one of the most beautiful sets is certainly the former Benedictine monastery of San Giorgio Maggiore-currently the headquarters of the Fondazione Giorgio Cini-located on a small island in front of St Mark’s, reached by water bus No. 2. In this beautiful place, the site of a monastery from the tenth century and rebuilt in Renaissance style by the famous architect Andrea Palladio in mid-500, scenes were shot in the palace of Porzia (played by Lynn Collins). Porzia in fact welcomes her lover Bassanio (the actor Joseph Fiennes) overlooking the beautiful staircase of the monastery, built by the famous architect Longhena in 1643. The staircase, decorated with precious marble inlays, consists of two ramps, enriched by three allegorical statues in niches: Justice, Charity and, in the centre, Venice. The monastery is open on Saturdays and Sundays with a guide.

Next to the San Stae stop on the Grand Canal in Venice there is a garden looking bleak and abandoned. In 1415 there was once a palace which the Signoria of Venice gave to Francesco Bussone, the Count of Carmagnola, who was the army commander of the Venice Republic. However, this favour did not last long as the Signoria of Venice ordered him to be beheaded in St Mark’s Square after one month in prison on charges of treason. This issue dates back to the victorious battle of Maclodio when Carmagnola inexplicably freed many Milanese prisoners and so showing he was still linked to the Duke of Milan, who he had served before moving to serve for the Venetian Republic. In 1820, Alessandro Manzoni wrote a famous tragedy on this unfortunate character, in which he described Carmagnola as an innocent victim of envy of others. From recent historical studies it seems that the Count actually betrayed the Republic of Venice for money of the Milanese people. His palace passed through various hands and was renovated several times until the 1800’s, when it was owned by the prestigious Contarini family and completely destroyed by a fire .... The Curse of the Count of Carmagnola had struck again! Now all that survives is the garden, one of the few remaining on the Grand Canal.

On December 13, the shortest day of the year, we celebrate Saint Lucia, the patron saint of eyesight. Everyone who comes to visit Venice often wonders why the city’s train station is called ‘Venice Saint Lucia’ ..... The reason is very simple: where the station is now, a building dating back to 1934 and built by Angelo Mazzoni, there was once a church and convent, dedicated to Saint Lucia, and here were also the relics of the martyr of Syracuse, stolen from Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade (1204). If you are interested in seeing the relics, they are now located in the nearby church of San Geremia. If instead, you are curious to know what the church of Saint Lucia was like before its demolition in 1861, then visit the exhibition of Francesco Guardi, which is currently on show at the Correr Museum until January 6, 2013. Among the several views of the city of Venice and the Grand Canal depicted by Francesco Guardi in the 17th century, there's also one that shows this church which has now disappeared. Even today, in front of the station, you can see a plaque set in the pavement, which commemorates the spot where the church of Saint Lucia once stood.

If you are in Venice at the moment and it feels really cold, do you know that in the past the temperatures were so low the Laguna froze on more than one occasion! Like, for example in December 1708, when King Frederick IV of Denmark and Norway visited Venice. According to a popular legend it was his arrival from the cold north which brought the unusual snow and frost. In fact, on that occasion, the Laguna totally froze, and for a few days, it was possible to reach the mainland with wagons and sleighs! To get an idea of how the lagoon was at this rare event, you can go to the Gallery of the Querini Stampalia Foundation, where a painting by an anonymous painter from Veneto titled "La laguna ghiacciata alle Fondamenta Nuove nel 1708", is exhibited. The Querini Stampalia Foundation is the only example of a noble Venetian Palace which has preserved its collection of works of art and its library over the centuries. In addition, the gardens and the ground floor were restored by Carlo Scarpa in the 1960s. This museum is the ideal place for those wishing to visit an authentic aristocratic residence in Venice.

In the past in Venice the Christmas festivities lasted until 26 December, Boxing Day. In fact, after listening to the evening Mass on December 25 at St Mark’s Basilica, the Doge and his entourage crossed St Mark’s basin through a tunnel, prepared for the occasion, to the nearby island of San Giorgio Maggiore, where there is a church of the same name. The island of San Giorgio Maggiore is home to one of the oldest Benedictine monasteries in Venice, which was founded in the tenth century, and the church, dedicated to St. George, dates as far back as the eighth century. The building, which now houses the Giorgio Cini Foundation, was completely rebuilt in a Renaissance style by the famous architect Andrea Palladio during the second half of the 15th century. In the church the Doge worshiped the relics of Saint Stefano, kept there since 1109. During the next day the Doge celebrated with his entourage in St Mark’s Square whilst the local and noble people paraded the streets wearing masks. Boxing Day, in fact, marked the start of the Venice Carnival, a very long period since it ended on Ash Wednesday (March or April).

What to see in Venice is not a problem! News exhibitions, famous monuments, known and lesser known areas, visiting Venice city museums ... the proposals are endless and offer the exhilarating charm that can only be enjoyed in Venice. For those looking for something unusual, the Museum of Palazzo Mocenigo in Venice can be an alternative to be taken into serious consideration: from 28 December 2012 to 31 December 2013 the Palazzo Mocenigo Museum opens to visitors the doors of its outstanding deposits. Currently housing the new prestigious museum of costume in Venice, Palazzo Mocenigo in San Stae, in the Santa Croce district, was donated to the city of Venice by the last descendant of the noble family Mocenigo in the mid-twentieth century. Since 1985 and after several restorations, Palazzo Mocenigo shows visitors the charm and atmosphere of an authentic aristocratic Venetian residence with furnishings and original paintings, and is one of the most interesting Venice city museums. At Palazzo Mocenigo the costume museum, part of the Foundation Venice Civic Museums, operates within the broader framework of the Study Centre for the History of Textiles and Costumes. Every last Friday of the month Palazzo Mocenigo in Venice offers the opportunity to visit its vast collection with fascinating guided tours. An unprecedented journey, typically barred to the public, will reveal to the lucky participants the valuable collection of one of the most important Venice museums and archives to see. Clothes, accessories, dresses, fabrics,... You can access the secret areas of one of the most interesting museums in Venice, to be visited accompanied by a specialist who will guide you in the elegant world of fashion of the eighteenth century. The Palazzo Mocenigo admission is on a monthly basis, with guided tours in English and Italian. To visit Palazzo Mocenigo in Venice you must book the tour, which will take place with a minimum of 8 participants, up to a maximum of 12. Treat yourself to a fascinating visit to the extraordinary collection of the history museum of textiles and costume ... the right choice to give an extra touch of style to your holiday in Venice!

Venice has always been known for the grandeur of its festivals, especially during the Carnival season. But also private parties, especially the rich patricians, were characterized by an 'incredible elegance and luxury. Venetian nobles created special rooms in their palaces for private parties, called ‘casini’. There are only a few left in Venice, and the best one is the 'Sagredo Casino', which is part of the hotel Ca 'Sagredo in Santa Sofia. It is a series of six rooms decorated with stucco and bas-reliefs representing birds, exotic animals, symbols of the arts and trophies with light colours. In the four corners in one of the rooms the emblems of painting, sculpture, music and architecture are represented while the ceiling features three landscape compartments. The decoration - one of the most valuable of the early eighteenth century in Venice - was carried out by the artists Lugano Carpoforo Mazzetti and Abbondio Statius in 1718. The six different rooms of the Casino also include two elegant suites, complete with sitting room, which derive their name from the subject of the decorations.

In Venice, at the time of the Doges, the numerous celebrations of the Carnival were very spectacular. On the day of Shrove Thursday a kind of wooden machine was set up in Piazzetta San Marco, facing the Doge’s Palace, from which colourful fireworks were fired in the evening and also some acrobats demonstrated their ability by performing the "forces of Hercules", a sort of human pyramid that rose above a board mounted on benches, while others descended from St Mark’s bell tower on cables connected to the dock and the loggia of the Doge’s Palace, to complete their flight directly in front of the doge who watched the festivities from the one of the building’s windows. On that occasion, as we can see in this painting by Francesco Guardi in the second half of the 18th century, which is now preserved in the Louvre, a large crowd of villagers crowded in the Piazzetta around the fireworks machine to watch the show, while the nobles and other important guests took a seat in the wooden stand, which was set up at the foot of the Doge’s Palace. If you want to get a better idea of what the "forces of Hercules" were and you cannot go to the Louvre, at the Correr Museum in St. Mark's Square, in the room dedicated to games, you can see a model of this amazing skill and balance feat.

If in these days of the election campaign it seems that the Italian voting system is very complex, then it’s a bit like electing a doge of the Republic of Venice! The Great Council came together and put in an urn the ballots of all the councilors who were older than 30. The youngest councilor went to St Mark’s Square and chose the first boy he met who drew from the urn a ballot for each councillor and only those 30 who got the word "elector" remained in the room. The 30 ballots were then placed back in the box and only 9 contained a ticket, so the 30 were reduced to 9, who gathered in a sort of conclave, during which, with the favourable vote of at least seven of them, they had to indicate the name of 40 councillors. With the system of ballots containing a ticket, the 40 were reduced to 12; these, with the favourable vote of at least 9 of them, elected 25 others, which were reduced again to 9 who would elect another 45 with at least 7 votes in favour . The 45, again at random, were reduced to 11, who with at least nine votes in favour elected another 41 that finally would be the real electors of Doge. These 41 gathered in a special room where each one cast a piece of paper into an urn with a name. One of them was extracted at random. Voters could then make their objections, if any, and charges against the chosen one, who was then called to respond and provide any justification. After listening to him, they preceded to a new election, if the candidate obtained the favourable vote of at least 25 votes out of 41, he was proclaimed Doge, if they were unable to obtain these votes a new extraction took place until the outcome was positive.

Among the exhibitions in Rovigo, Italy 2013 it is worth visiting the major exhibition ‘Il successo italiano a Parigi negli anni dell’Impressionismo: la Maison Goupil'. From 23 February to 23 June 2013, in the beautiful location of Palazzo Roverella, Rovigo, a new exhibition presents the very charming and extraordinary masterpieces of Italian artists who collaborated with the renowned Goupil Gallery in Paris during the second half of the nineteenth century. To meet the needs of small and middle classes who could not yet afford to purchase original paintings, art dealer Adolphe Goupil started a world market of unpublished reproductions: Goupil commissioned or bought beautiful works of art and then reproduced them with the most modern techniques to sell them all over the world. Painters from different countries and with very different styles entered the orbit of the Maison Goupil, giving rise to a real form of collecting that dominated the bourgeois taste of the Belle Epoque and continued well into the next century. Among the artists of Goupil Italians proved to be the most popular, combining quality, emotion and immediate understanding in small formats and easy to reproduce. A major art exhibition in Rovigo at the Palazzo Roverella, bringing together, for the first time, unpublished works of the nineteenth century that seem to bring back to life the sparkling atmosphere of Parisian cultural era, including genre scenes, interiors and exteriors, daily life, views, landscapes and portraits. The la maison groupil Rovigo exhibition in Palazzo Roverella was made possible thanks to a long process of research and recovery in order to identify and find the original works reproduced by Goupil, now scattered throughout the world. Studying the materials at the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles - where the records of the original of the House are kept and the Musée Goupil in Bordeaux where there are thousands of photos and engravings belonging to the gallery - Palazzo Roverella in Rovigo will present original works of art juxtaposed to some of the beautiful engravings created by Goupil with formats and very different techniques - photography, engravings, etchings and original photo-paintings. In the splendid Palazzo Roverella Rovigo there will be the attempt to reconstruct the activity of about one hundred Italian artists who collaborated with the Goupil Gallery in relation to the social, artistic and historical context where the new bourgeois taste was developed. Giuseppe De Nittis, Francesco Paolo Michetti, Antonio Mancini, Domenico Morelli and Giovanni Boldini, paintings exhibited for the first time or re-exhibited to the public after a long time. Paintings which have experienced an endless change of ownership and finally found in collections far away from Paris or Italy ... an extraordinary exhibition of 800 works in Rovigo, Italy which testifies the prestige gained by Italian artists in Paris in the same years in which Impressionism - another great artistic movement - was active. From Giuseppe De Nittis to Rubens Santoro, Alceste Campriani and Giovanni Boldini (artist), paintings with different subjects revealing the great skill and desire to emerge of our compatriots migrated to the French capital. A great exhibition of paintings in Rovigo, Italy at the Palazzo Roverella proposing a continuous dialogue between the originals - many of whom are still stamped and labelled from la Maison Groupil - and 'copies' which will arrive from the Museum Goupil in Bordeaux: Mancini, Pasini, Sorbi, Simonetti, Morelli, De Nittis, Boldini, Corcos, Michetti, Tofano, Cambriani, and many others: more than 40 paintings and engravings accompanied by documentary sources that will present their history. After more than 40 thousand visitors recorded in previous exhibitions at the Palazzo Roverella, ‘Il successo italiano a Parigi negli anni dell’Impressionismo: la Maison Goupil’ promises to be another great success for the arts in Rovigo!

When you hear the word "conclave", Rome and the Vatican come to mind, but Venice was also the site of a conclave, from December 1799 to 14 March 1800. In fact at that time Rome was occupied by Napoleon's troops and the previous pope, Pius VI, died in exile in France. Hence, the Austrian Government chose the city of Venice to elect a new pope, as many cardinals had taken refuge there. The papal election was held at the Benedictine abbey of San Giorgio Maggiore, which is located on a small island in front of Saint Mark's Basin. The conclave was held on the first floor of the monastery and, after more than three months, the cardinals elected the Bishop of Imola Chiaramonti Barnabas, who became pope under the name of Pius VII. The monastery of San Giorgio Maggiore became the headquarters of the foundation "Giorgio Cini" and the church is still held by Benedictine monks who, upon request, will show the famous hall where the conclave was held to elect a pope. It has remained exactly the same as when the Cardinals left it with their names still inscribed on the high wooden seats.

Women in Venice are often distinguished by their courage and their unconventional choices and an excellent example is Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia, the first woman to graduate in the world. Elena was born in 1646 and was the fifth of seven children of the noble John the Baptist Cornaro and Zanetta Boni from a lower-class. The father was a man of great culture and when he saw the abilities of his daughter, he encouraged her cultural growth in every way. Elena was taught by the best teachers of Greek, Latin, science, philosophy and theology, and she also learned Hebrew and Spanish from a rabbi. Well known among Italian scholars for her intellectualism, Cornaro was received in several Italian academies, and her fame also spread abroad. After Elena held a public debate of philosophy in Greek and Latin in Venice, her father John the Baptist demanded that the University of Padua should award his daughter with a degree in theology. This was strongly opposed the bishop of Padua, claiming it was "a big mistake to allow a woman to obtain a Theological Title" and that “it would make fools of ourselves to the world”. This created a conflict between the bishop and Cornaro, which resulted in the compromise to allow Elena to graduate in philosophy. On 25 June 1678 Cornaro submitted her dissertation and was accepted into the College of Physicians and philosophers od the Study at Padua, although as a woman she could not exercise teaching. After having taken seriously ill she died in Padua, at just thirty-eight years. Imagine that as well as there being a statue of her in Padua University (the "Bo") and a small plaque on a wall of the building where she was born on the Grand Canal (now the town hall of Venice), a crater of 26 km in diameter on the planet Venus has been dedicated to her and also in the Library of Vassar University in Poughkeepsie (NY) a stained glass window has been made to commemorate her.

The Prosecco Fesitval is now in its 18th edition, and this year the Primavera del Prosecco 2013 returns from March 16 to June 23 with a lot of events in Treviso and its province. Dedicated to the prosecco taste and the discovery of well-known products of the Treviso March, the prosecco events of the Primavera del Prosecco Treviso Superiore will involve the most important food and wine circuit in Veneto: the famous Prosecco and Colli Conegliano – Valdobbiadene Wine Road. Born from the first national wine route which was established in 1966, the modern Prosecco Route combines renowned prosecco superiore and food from the March of Treviso with bucolic scenes of great emotional impact, vineyards, small villages and rural towns of great artistic importance. The numerous Treviso, Italy events of Prosecco di Valdobbiadene and Conegliano take place in various locations in the beautiful province of Treviso valuing each time particular flavours and local produce. Founded as a purely wine event, the Primavera del Prosecco has been enriched over time with many sporting events, art exhibitions and events dedicated to local folklore that will provide the visitor with a deeper contact with the culture and customs of the production area of Superiore Prosecco in Italy. Following the trend of recent years, the full calendar of the Prosecco Wine Festival 2013 will offer a variety of events, including sports, culture, art and taste to present Treviso and its province in all its facets. In addition to decanting the undisputed star of the Treviso wine festival - the Prosecco of Valdobbiadene - the events included in the program of Primavera del Prosecco2013 offer the chance to discover some of the most famous specialties from the Province of Treviso, such as typical products - radicchio, cheese, olive oil, honey , sausages - and other famous wines produced from the secular culture of wine in the area, such as the Prosecco Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG Cartizze, Torchiato of Fregina Doc Colli di Conegliano, Refrontolo Passito Doc Colli di Conegliano, Verdisio and Colli di Conegliano Doc white and red. Treviso events: Primavera del Prosecco 2013 -- Primavera del Prosecco at Santo Stefano - 44th Fair of Valdobbiadene Cartizze Docg (16.03-01.04.2013) -- Primavera del Prosecco at Col San Martino - 57th Fair of Valdobbiadene Docg (23.03-14.04.2013) -- Primavera del Prosecco at Villa di Cordignano - 49th Fair of vintage Wines (23.03-01.04.2013) -- Primavera del Prosecco at S. Pietro di Barbozza - 43rd Fair of Cartizze and Valdobbiadene Docg (30.03-14.04.2013) -- Primavera del Prosecco at Vidor - 4th Rive di Colbertaldo and Vidor - Fair of Valdobbiadene Docg (13.04-28.04.2013) -- Primavera del Prosecco at San Giovanni - 11th Fair of Cartizze and Valdobbiadene Docg (13.04-25.04.2013) -- Primavera del Prosecco at Miane - 35th Fair of Conegliano - Valdobbiadene (13.04-01.05.2013) -- Primavera del Prosecco at Guia - 45th Fair of Valdobbiadene Docg (20.04-05.05.2013) -- Primavera del Prosecco at Fregona - 39th Fair of Torchiato di Fregona (24.04-01.05.2013) -- Primavera del Prosecco at Conegliano - 5th Fair of Prosecco and Wines from the Colli di Conegliano (25.04-01.05.2013) -- Primavera del Prosecco at Refrontolo - 44th edition of the Wine Fair - Presentation of Refrontolo Passito docg and Conegliano Valdobbiadene (27.04-12.05.2013) -- Primavera del Prosecco at Combai - E’ Verdiso 24th Fair of Wine and Grappa of Verdiso (03.05-12.05.2013) -- Primavera del Prosecco at Corbanese - 44th Intercomunale of Superior Wine of the hills (18.05-02.06.2013) -- Primavera del Prosecco at San Pietro di Feletto - 42nd Fair of Wines from the hills (25.05-09.06.2013) -- Primavera del Prosecco a Vittorio Veneto - Serravalle - 5th Fair of Wine in Loggia (14.06.2013-23.06.2013) Province of Treviso: events connected to the Primavera del Prosecco – dates: - 14.04.2013 Prosecchissima 2013: national granfondo of mountain bike (45 km) in Miane; - 17.03/07.04/21.04.2013 Tarzeggiando 2013: food and wine walk in the Tarzo area which combines the discovery of the territory with local products; - 05.05.2013 Sbecotando 2013: food and wine route in the Verdisio area; - 19.05.2013 Wines in Villa: International Festival of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superior Prosecco in the Castle of San Salvatore in Susegana; - 26.05.2013 RiveVive: sensory journey through the hills of Farra di Soligo, a unique opportunity to learn about the local wineries and some interesting historical and cultural sites; - 30.06.2013 Canevando 2013: guided walk through vineyards and hills to discover the cellars ('Caneve' in local dialect) of Cartizze and Valdobbiadene DOCG and various accompanying dishes of the Treviso cuisine; - Every Sunday by appointment Slowbike 2013: cycling outdoors to appreciate the vineyards and villages in the Treviso foothills.

The splendid Renaissance Corner Spinelli Palace on the Grand Canal has been the home of the prestigious company of luxurious Rubelli fabrics since 1966. The Historical Collection and Rubelli Archives consist of more than 6000 textile samples dating from the late 15th century and the first half of the 20th century. Among the most ancient samples preserved there are fragments of silk velvet engraved in gold, dating to the end of 15th century, and a precious piece of embossed velvet from the 16th century decorated with a rosette motif surmounted by a crown: a fabric used exclusively for stoles worn by the Procurators of the Venice Republic. The collection also includes brocades, damasks and velvets, liturgical vestments and robes of the 18th century, empire-style textiles and Rubelli’s first production, amongst them the fabrics made for the Royal House and. Among the 20th century fabrics there are even those designed by the famous artist Gio Ponti. The splendid Rubelli collection can be visited on appointment by contacting the company.

From 6 April 6 to 20 October Bochaleri ai Giardini 2013 offers a series of Venice piazza events to raise awareness of Venetian pottery and the many possibilities offered by this ancient and authentic material. Bochaleri Venezia has become one of the most interesting Venice events in recent years. The Venice ceramics event is promoted by associazione Bochaleri Venezia and takes place just a few steps from the Biennale Gardens with two or more appointments per month. Now in its 11th edition, Bochaleri ai Giardini includes a rich series of events to rediscover this ancient 'arte povera', created by combining simple elements, such as earth, water and fire, imagination and creativity. Facing the magnificent Serra dei Giardini, headquarters of the Bochaleri association, there will be workshops, conferences and laboratories involving the public in the manufacture of ceramics, including contemporary and ancient Venice pottery. In addition to the interactive events, an extraordinary exhibition of Venice ceramics will present the wide range of possibilities offered by the pottery, Venice, Italy through the unique works created by the genius of the Venetian ceramists: beads, ornaments, vases, jewellery, dishes... in one of the most unusual Venice upcoming events in 2013! Bochaleri di Venezia 2013, from 10am to 6pm on the following dates: 6/21.04 4/19/29/30/31.05 1/16.06 6/21.07 3/18.08 7/15.09 5/20.10 Founded in 2003, the Association of potters - Venetian Bochaleri consists of about sixty craftsmen and lovers of ceramics united in order to promote the rediscovery of ceramic art. The association aims to become a commercial reference point and show to the world the pottery in Venice, a laboratory to preserve, experiment and demonstrate the different techniques of ceramics. Organized by Venetian pottery to give visibility to this almost forgotten unique niche craft, Bochaleri ai Giardini promises to be one of the unmissable cultural Venice events over the next few months!

March 19th is Father's Day and the day in which we celebrate St. Joseph, the "father" of Jesus. There are countless representations of the Nativity with Christ in them but St. Joseph has always been portrayed as marginal and unimportant. However, there is an incredible exception in Venice: it is a painting by the famous painter Giovanbattista Tiepolo, which represents the birth of Jesus. In fact, in the painting there is St. Joseph who is lovingly rocking the baby, like a good dad, and the Saint is assisted by two small angels, who are preparing the rolls of cloth to wrap him. This incredible work adorns an altar in the church of San Zulian at the Mercerie of Rialto, dedicated to St. Joseph. When the church became part of the parish of St. Mark's at the beginning of the 800s, the painting, by Tiepolo, was transferred to the small church of St. Teodoro which is located next to the sacristy of the church. A few years ago the Patriarch Scola (now Archbishop of Milan and possible successor of Benedict XVI) chose to decorate the new chapel in the patriarchal palace, where it remains today. To visit the Palace of the Patriarchs of Venice, an imposing neoclassical building on the left of the medieval St Mark’s Basilica, you should contact the Pastoral Office of Tourism at the Curia of Venice.

At the entrance of the Biennale Gardens in Venice is the statue of the Resurgence hero Giuseppe Garibaldi. Few notice, however, that behind the base of the hill stands a statue, of another person, a partisan named Joseph Zolli. This statue was added in 1921, following events that were indeed unique. One night an old man passed near the monument and was hit very hard on the arm, and after telling what happened to his friends, it was claimed that he was struck by "a red shadow." After that other people in the area experienced similar mishaps, and so some guards were sent to the place and when they arrived, they were thrown back by a red shadow which they recognized as a partisan in a red shirt. An elderly man who lived close by recognized him as Joseph Zolli, who had died shortly before, during the Mille Expedition and had promised Garibaldi that he would always watch over him even after his death. Hence, the inhabitants erected a statue of Joseph Zolli who could keep an eye on the General and from that moment the ghost was never seen again ...

From 30 March to 3 November 2013, the beautiful Venetian Villa Pisani in Stra, Italy, will host the fascinating old Venice pictures exhibition by Tomaso Filippi. Old pictures of Venice, Italy between the 19th and 20th century at Villa Pisani Stra: the photographs by Tommaso Filippi will present 150 historical photos of Venice to tell the different sides of the lagoon city captured by the innovative spirit of this great photographer of the last century. In addition to the striking old photos of Venice, Italy the exhibition at Villa Pisani Italy - Stra – will propose a selection of stereoscopic photographs projected in a specially arranged way to give visitors the idea of really being Venice in transition between the 19th and 20th century. Considered one of the first examples of 3D, stereoscopic photos create and display images with a technique that transmits an illusion of three-dimensions. With this new photo exhibition Venice, the National Museum of Villa Pisani in Stra, continues the theme of recent years - the figurative Venetian culture in the 19th and 20th centuries - focusing on the genre of historic photos Venice, already announced last year with a small exhibition dedicated to Tomaso Filippi - 'Arts and Crafts through the lenses of Tomaso Filippi' - on the sidelines of the main exhibition 'Nobility of work. Arts and crafts in Venetian paintings between the 18th and 19th century'. The extraordinary photography exhibition of Venice on show at the Museum of Villa Pisani, Stra, taken from the Fondo Tomaso Filippi, show all the creativity and originality of this fascinating pioneer of Italian photography. The archive of Venice old photos by Tomaso Filippi, donated to IRE by one of his daughters, is considered one of the most complete iconographic sources on the social and artistic history of Venice and its territory: the quality and rarity of Venice old photos and images preserved make this foundation a veritable mine of information about life in Venice between 1885 and 1920. Furthermore, the numerous interactions between painting and photography shown in the work of Tomaso Filippi Venezia increase the historical importance of the materials preserved in the historical pictures of Venice by Tomaso Filippi at the IRE, making this little-known photographer the ideal subject for a retrospective exhibition of photography at a time when the photographic technique stands as one of the most important means of communication. The suggestive Venice photos in black and white or coloured paper, place the production of Tomaso Filippi in a transition time of photography: from new interpretations to traditional landscape paintings - by creating stunning panoramas of Venice and its surroundings - and countryside photographs that document activities and emerging industries, Tomaso Filippi established important relationships with many artists of the time, who used Filippi’s studies to produce their paintings. Many of the historical pictures of Venice by Tomaso Filippi can be defined as an ancestor of modern reportage, a real documentary on the social conditions of the lagoon and the islands which, thanks to the realism and naturalness of these spectacular historic photos of Venice, represents a real and true innovation in Italy. The exhibition at Villa Pisani in Stra - Venice - will offer more than 140 historic photos of Venice, some exhibited for the first time and divided into five sections: the '19th century landscape’ - Albumin photographs, original hand coloured; the same landscape animated with figures, the interplay between painters and photographers; old photos of Venice, Italy similar to a modern reportage; an overview of the services he made on commission in the first part of the 19th century. Among these unique 'historic photos of Venice' are the beautiful 'nocturnes', printed on coloured paper and with paintings of the author. Some of the tools used by Tomaso Filippi to achieve this extraordinary iconographic collection are also exhibited at the National Museum of Villa Pisani in Stra.

Away from the crowds of visitors who flock to St Mark’s Basilica in Venice every day is the baptistery, a charming place and full of hidden treasures. Here, for example, you can see the tomb of the doge Andrea Dandolo, who gave the Baptistery its current appearance during the 14th century. This doge was the last to be buried in St Mark’s Basilica and his tomb is a masterpiece of Gothic sculpture: the work of De Sanctis, it is decorated with beautiful three-dimensional engravings representing the Martyrdom of Saint Andrew and Saint John the Evangelist, with a body of the doge lying on the urn. In the centre of the room stands a beautiful baptismal font in marble and bronze, by the famous Renaissance sculptor Jacopo Sansovino. He made a bas-relief on the cover with eight sectors representing four scenes from the life of John the Baptist and the four Evangelists, and on top a statue of St. John the Baptist by Francesco Segala. The altar consists of a large boulder of red granite, brought here from Tiro in 1126 and from which, according to tradition, Christ spoke to the crowds. We cannot fail to mention the splendid mosaic decoration, built in the 14th century, which chronicles the life of John the Baptist, and stands among the splendid scene of the dance of Salome. St Mark’s Baptistery in Venice is open from Tuesday to Saturday and only with the St Mark's Cathedral and its Treasures you can book on www.venetoinside.com.

In 1999 the delightful romantic comedy "Bread and Tulips", directed by Silvio Soldini and starring Licia Maglietta and Bruno Ganz was shot in Venice. If you loved the film and are looking for where it was filmed, go to Santa Maria Nova Square in Venice near the Civil Hospital, where you will find the florist's shop (unfortunately now closed for a few years) where the protagonist Rosalba worked. This area was also the setting for the final scene of the film where, while several couples are dancing, Rosalba utters the final line: "I do not want to seem hasty, but ... can I call you Fernando?" This lovely square takes its name from the church of Santa Maria Nova, which was destroyed in 1852 after being used as a warehouse during the French occupation. Fortunately, it is possible to admire two beautiful mosaic altarpieces from the church which were made at the end of the 15th century by the famous artist Erminio Zuccato, who also worked on the mosaics of St Mark’s Basilica. These two amazing works can be found in St Mark’s museum, along with many other valuable works of art. The museum is open every day from 9.45am to 4.45pm, and guided tours are also possible, including the St Mark’s Museum and Cathedral from above tour on venetoinside.com.

From 24 April to 18 August 2013, the splendid rooms of the Doge's Palace will host one of the largest Venice exhibitions, 2013: eighty drawings, paintings and etchings by Edouard Manet, paintings which for the first time shows deep links of this immortal French artist with Italian paintings. Venice events in April 2013 include an extraordinary Manet exhibition in Venice sponsored by the Venetian Civic Museums Foundation in collaboration with the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, offering a comparison between Manet and some of the greatest geniuses of Italian paintings with an original interpretation: a innovative argument that aims to re-read the revolutionary breakthrough of Manet and until now, almost exclusively attributed to the influence of Spanish art. Premiered in Venice the Manet mostra, Venezia 2013, this new critical perspective on the production of Manet in Venice puts emphasis on the artist's stay in Venice - on several occasions between 1852 and 1874 - during which the French painter had contact with the masterpieces of ancient Venetian art, a meeting that marked the artistic growth of Manet and had a deep influence on him. The exhibition: 'Manet. Return to Venice' wants to deepen the cultural models that influenced the early years of the artist's production. Studies of Manet have, for a long time, focused only on the contributions of the work of Goya and Velazquez - seen as the inspirations for the modernity of Manet and as a way to escape from the academic tradition - and relegated to a marginal role the deep passion that the French genius felt for the Italian Renaissance art, a deep bond that the Venice exhibitions 2013 presents to the world for the first time. Manet at the Palazzo Ducale has the support of the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, the institution that now retains the largest number of works by the artist. Considered one of the largest Venice art exhibitions of all time, 'Manet. Return to Venice' will be the first exhibition in Italy dedicated to the most important pre-Impressionist artist and will also include works by Titian, Tintoretto, Carpaccio and from which he drew inspiration. The exhibition of Manet at the Palazzo Ducale in Venezia will present some of the most important paintings by Manet - Luncheon on the Grass, Olympia, Le Balcon, Le Fifre, La Lecture, Portrait de Mallarmé ... - which will come to Venice from museums and cultural institutions around the world, including the Musée d'Orsay, the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the Courtauld Institute in London, The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, The National Gallery in Washington, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Städel Museum in Frankfurt and many others, not to mention the contribution of numerous private collectors. This innovative interpretation of Manet in Venezia 2013 will show, through his greatest masterpieces, the quirky rework of frescoes, sculptures and paintings that the artist was able to admire during his stay in Italy, reinterpreted with the boldness and modernity that characterize all the artistic production of Manet. After a closer look at the religious paintings - where Spanish influences are more pronounced - and in still life - faithful to the Flemish tradition - you will see the memory of his travels in Italy. Some examples of the fascinating combinations at the Palazzo Ducale exhibition of Manet: The Manet Balcony, a famous work carried out between 1868 and 1869, will be joined to the ‘Due dame Veneziane' ('Two Venetian ladies') by Vittore Carpaccio (1495) to show the similarities of the female figures leaning on a rail , their attitude of boredom through the blank stare in both pictures; not to mention perhaps the most famous of the two works by Manet, Olympia and Manet - Dejeuner sur l'herbe, in which references to Italian art appear unequivocal. Olympia in particular will be accompanied by Venus of Urbino by Tiziano - an exceptional loan from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence for this exhibition of Manet at Palazzo Ducale in Venezia - a source of inspiration for Manet in representing his famous 'femme de plaisir': an unprecedented comparison between two works of art-by world icons. Alongside the Venice exhibition Manet in Venezia, until 15 September 2013, a second and current exhibition in Venice, Italy shows 'Photographs of Venice at the time of Manet' and offers a fascinating insight of the Venetian atmosphere at the time of Manet’s stay. If you want to experience this extraordinary event at best, Veneto Inside offers an exclusive visit with a private guide for you only! You can book it online until the last day of the exhibition in August. Enjoy an unforgettable visit at one of the most awaited-for exhibitions of the year!

Great expectation awaits the Zucchero concert 2013, with dates continuing to rise after tickets have sold out for the Zucchero concert dates initially planned for the tour in Italy. As for the Zucchero concerts in Veneto, the confirmed four dates are: 30 April 1 and 2 May 2013 Zucchero at the Arena di Verona, and 28 June 2013 will be the only staging of Zucchero in Padova. Zucchero concert tickets are available online and the authorized sellers. Book now to experience the Zucchero concert tour in Italy! The Zucchero tour Italy 2013 follows the publication of his 22nd album: a remarkable mix of melodies that proposes new cover songs, and historic classics re-arranged. Recorded in Cuba last year, 'La Sesion Cubana’ is a real immersion in the sounds of the island, an album recorded live in the studio, consisting of thirteen songs that combine the energetic and intense sound of Cuba in various contaminations (blues, country, rock, ...). A native of Reggio Emilia, Zucchero, born Adelmo Fornaciari, is one of the most popular Italian artists in the world. He was the first Western artist to perform at the Kremlin after the fall of the Berlin Wall and placed in the most prestigious encyclopaedia of twentieth-century music. Zucchero has worked together with the likes of Ray Charles, Sting, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, BB King, Andrea Bocelli, Francis Sinatra, Ennio Morricone, and Luciano Pavarotti, to name a few. One of the most beautiful places in Veneto will be the background to the first notes of the Zucchero concert in Verona. Three Zucchero concert dates 2013 that will pave way of the long and exciting calendar of Zucchero concerts in Italy and abroad. Zucchero in concert at the Arena di Verona promises to be a unique event: The quaint sound of this Emilian artist will perform La Sesion Cubana tour in the perfect setting to give its fans an unforgettable experience. After Zucchero in Verona, Genoa, Assago and Turin the only concert of Zucchero in Padua will be hosted at PalaFabris, the most important arena of the Venetian capital which has a capacity of about 4,000 seats. Zucchero in Verona 2013 and Padua will present to his many fans in the Veneto region a unique and exciting event. La Sesion Cubana by Zucchero is a fusion of very different sounds merged expertly by the musicality of this great Italian artist. A concert of Zucchero in Verona dates back to 2011 when he last performed at the Verona Arena to celebrate his birthday along with all his fans. The Zucchero upcoming concerts are very important events to celebrate the debut of La Sesion Cubana Tour 2013 followed by Padova and many other Italian cities: Zucchero Verona tickets and Padua are already on sale!

All music lovers always connect the city of Venice with the famous composer Antonio Vivaldi. The great composer of Baroque music was indeed born in Venice and lived and worked here most of his life. But those who visit Venice, looking for evidence of him becoming one of the greatest violinists of all time, will probably be disappointed, because in addition to having little information about his life, little is left in his city. But we know that little Antonio was baptized in the beautiful Gothic church of San Giovanni in Bragora, the parish of his family, in May 1678. In fact, in this wonderful church there is a plaque dedicated to him next to the baptismal font. We do not know however, which was his house, but we can imagine a child and adolescent in St Mark’s Basilica with his father, who was a violinist. Ten years after his mother introduced him to an ecclesiastical career and Antonio went to study theology in the church of San Geminianus, in front of St Mark’s Basilica, the jewel of the Renaissance destroyed by Napoleon. In 1703 he was ordained a priest in the church of San Giovanni in Oleo which was also destroyed in the 800s. He worked as a violin teacher in the Pietà Church from 1703 to 1720, but the current church overlooking the Riva degli Schiavoni is not the one known by Vivaldi, because the building was rebuilt in neoclassical style in 1740. Antonio Vivaldi also worked as a theatre manager in the famous Sant'Angelo Theatre and it is where he wrote his most famous works. The theatre, which overlooked the Grand Canal, was destroyed in 1804 and replaced by a hotel. Around 1730s he left Venice never to return, and died a poor and forgotten man in Vienna and buried in a mass grave with no tombstone.

Among the numerous Venice art exhibitions, 2013, 'Multiple Vedova' deserves a short explanation: an unprecedented encounter with the Emilio Vedova art in Venice, divided between the Correr Museum and Ca 'Rezzonico. The famous location of some of the most popular Venice exhibitions, the Museo Correr in Venice, Italy is the crown jewel of the Venetian Civic Museums Foundation; located in the heart of the city - St Mark’s Square - which contains important testimonies of the history of the Venice Republic. The same prologue applies for Ca' Rezzonico, a splendid palace overlooking the Grand Canal and now a 17th century Venetian Museum home to faithful reconstructions of the 18th century with Venetian interiors and impressive paintings by Canaletto, Guardi, Longhi and Tintoretto. A brief presentation of the scenario that will host the Emilio Vedova in Venezia exhibition. Two period exhibition centres offering an original comparison of the eclectic Emilio Vedova paintings. Emilio Vedova, the artist has always been subject to new and stimulating criticism, known and appreciated all over the world, winner of prestigious international awards, including the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Biennale in 1997. Emilio Vedova’s career was in continuous evolution, linked to his inexhaustible desire to research and innovation. The mostra Venezia, Vedova aims to rediscover the work of Emilio Vedova, emphasizing the great genius of the lagoon through an original comparison between his work and the artistic history of Venice, housed in the Correr Museum with Venetian paintings from the 16th to the 18th century and the Ca’ Rezzonico, which hosts the greatest Venetian painters of the 18th century. Curated by Germano Celant and organized in collaboration with the Emilio and Annabianca Vedova Foundation, Venice that organizes the exhibitions in Venice of Vedova at the Salt Warehouses and the Emilio Vedova Museum Studio - 'Multiple Vedova' could also be called a celebration of the artistic genius of Venice through the centuries, presented with a comparison between a Venetian artist of the 19th century and his great colleagues from the past. Emilio Vedova in Venice is on display from 18 May to 13 October 2013 with 'Multiple Vedova' and definitely worth a visit. The particular arrangement of the exhibits at the Correr Museum and Ca 'Rezzonico, offer new perspectives on the work of this Italian great artist, offering fascinating perspectives to those who already know him and to those who decide to see his works for the first time.

Venice is also famous because the first "Jewish Ghetto" in the world was based here. It is the neighbourhood where the Jews were forced to live and that has shaped many other European cities. When visiting the Venice Ghetto one learns that since the 16th century there have been five synagogues, but today it is almost impossible to recognize them in the tall buildings if you do not know what to look for. In this district, there are, in fact, monumental buildings separated from the rest of the houses, since the Jews in Venice only had a small space around the squares of the Ghetto Nuovo and the Old Ghetto, and it is for this reason the buildings are very high, because it developed as the population grew. Synagogues were then built on top of the normal housing because, according to the teachings of the Talmud, places of prayer should rise over the city, and from outside they are only recognizable by counting the windows. In fact, all the synagogues of Venice have five large windows, to provide them with more light. According to the Talmud light is fundamental to a synagogue because it is a symbol of life, and therefore, of God. On the choice of the number five there are various interpretations, but the most likely is connected to the distribution of Talmud, precisely divided into five parts, which represent the manifestations of light. If you want to deepen your knowledge of the Venice Ghetto you can book the tour Venice and the Orient (Art, Spices & Coffee) online at venetoinside.com.

The Arena Verona program dates for the Opera Festival in Verona 2013 have been decided: from 14 June to 8 September 58 events and 3 gala evenings celebrating the Verona Arena Opera Festival Centenary. In 1913, the largest opera by Giuseppe Verdi - Aida - inaugurated the first night of the opera festival in Verona... One hundred years later, Aida will again be the star of the opening of the Verona Arena schedule 2013 in an edition that will celebrate both the centenary of the opera festival Arena di Verona and the bicentenary of the birth of its composer. The opera festival of Verona attracts spectators from around the world every year: the incomparable location - a Roman amphitheatre built more than 2,000 years ago - and the unusual theatrical style - with abundant traditional theatrical backdrops of three-dimensional elements, such as statues and marble columns - have made it the most superb opera festival in the world since its debut. Now in its 91st edition, the Verona Opera schedule 2013 will be dedicated to the great Giuseppe Verdi. The full Verona Arena program 2013, will present the most important works by the Italian composer - Aida, Nabucco, La Traviata, Il Trovatore and Rigoletto - including Romeo and Juliet by Gounod, a great classic also present in the past editions of the Arena Verona festival. The Opera Festival at the Verona Arena 2013 will be full of great new features, designed to celebrate the centenary of one of the greatest opera festivals in the world: from Plácido Domingo as an Honorary Artistic Director, as well as a conductor and singer, to Aida presented in two different versions - a first for the director of La Fura dels Baus and a re-enactment of 1913 by Gianfranco de Bosio. Verona opera dates 2013 for three gala evenings: July 17 directed by Andrea Battistoni, Richard fizzes and Omer Meir Wellber, August 15 Daniel Harding will conduct the greatest interpreters of Verdi and Wagner in an evening dedicated to the bicentenary of the birth of Verdi and Wagner, and finally on August 20 Placido Domingo will conduct the winners of the last editions of Operalia. The opening of the Verona Arena opera 2013 will be held Saturday, June 1: Andrea Bocelli, Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo will create an unprecedented event interpreting the most famous and suggestive arias contained in the Opera Festival in Verona. The Choir, the Orchestra and more than 500 artists will perform the most famous moments of the works in the Verona Arena program of the Centenary Festival - Aida, Nabucco, La Traviata, Il Trovatore, Messa da Requiem, Rigoletto and Roméo and Juliet - among beautiful scenery and fantastic lights effects that have always characterized the performances of the Opera Festival in Verona. The opening night of the Verona Arena opera festival will be conducted by Antonella Clerici and broadcast on TV on Raiuno. 91st Verona Arena opera Festival Italy 2013 is about to begin. An extraordinary Verona Arena program enriched by great events to celebrate the first 100 years of the festival which will remain in eternity!

One of the traditional activities in Venice is drinking wine, and often with something tasty to eat, the famous ' cicchetti. If you go to one of the many taverns that are located in the city, the so-called 'bacari', you can hear authentic Venetians ask the bar tender for a "shadow." But ... what is it? Just a glass of wine, usually red. This curious way of calling it has its roots in the symbol of Venice: St Mark’s Square. As can be seen in various prints and paintings, in the past the square was full of stalls, usually arranged around the base of St Mark’s bell tower: junk shops, bakers, spice sellers, wine shops, etc.... The square was therefore the ideal place to meet and talk, usually accompanied by a good glass of wine. The wine merchants were very busy and in order not to spoil the precious liquid and keep it cool despite the heat that sometimes choked the city, they moved their stall around the Bell Tower chasing its shadow as the sun turned around. The wine had to maintain its quality, by being kept in the shade and the glass of wine remained forever ... the shadow.

The summer program of Verona Arena concerts in 2013 can boast a truly exceptional event: the only Italian date of the Paul McCartney Tour 2013. 25 June 2013 Paul McCartney at the Arena Verona! An exceptional location - that has always fascinated Paul from its historical, artistic and dramatic standpoint, not to mention the perfect acoustics that distinguishes the Verona Arena concerts - to host the only concert of Paul McCartney in Italy, a year that marks the fiftieth anniversary since the first Beatles album. After the great success achieved last year, the upcoming Paul McCartney concert 2013 will perform in only three locations in Europe - Vienna, Warsaw and Verona - and then continue around the world, stopping in some cities which have never been included in his tours. The Paul McCartney at the Arena di Verona represents a great success for the city of Verona, which will house the only live performance of Paul McCartney's tour 2013 in Italia. Paul McCartney tour 2013 - 'Out There!' - traces the extraordinary career of the former member of the Beatles, including classics and latest hits, songs that have left an indelible mark in the history of music and who have made entire generations dream. In the programme of The Paul McCartney concert tour the Beatles songs will be greatly appreciated, but we must not forget that this great artist has had a long and successful career even after the break-up of the Fantastic Four in 1970. With major international concerts - at the Colosseum, in the Red Square in Moscow, at the White House and at the Olympics - a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the title of MusiCares Person of the Year, in 2012 Paul McCartney has celebrated with a bang 40 years from his first solo tour. Paul McCartney in Verona will be accompanied by his band, a guarantee that after more than ten years will continues to support the Paul McCartney tour, and already present during the last Paul McCartney concert dates in Italy in 2011. The Paul McCartney concert tour in 2013 will be a real journey in the career of the English baronet: ranging from the biggest hits of the Beatles to the period with the Wings and the successes of the last decade, the songs of Paul McCartney tour 2013 in Europe and other major cities in the world will give his fans an unforgettable evening. Paul McCartney on tour 2013 and in concert at the Arena di Verona: three hours to relive some of the finest musical moments of the last fifty years in one of the most beautiful places in the world.

If you pass the famous museum of the Academy of Venice, you will more than likely walk over a bridge curiously named "of Wonders". This is probably so called because a heroine of Venice’s history: Belisandra Wonder lived in the building opposite. Belisandra was the wife of Peter Albino, chancellor of Cyprus, during the capture of the island by the Turks in 1570. The conquerors managed to enter the capital Famagusta and began killing all those they met and plundering churches and palaces. They made a huge booty, which also included the most beautiful girls and women, destined to the harem of the Sultan of Constantinople. All the loot was loaded on three large ships anchored in the harbour in front of the city including Belisandra. The night after the terrible event, she decided to take revenge on the cruel conquerors and with a lit fuse set fire to the gun powder store, blowing herself up and the boats, along with many other prisoners and objects, thereby avoiding the sad fate of slavery.

For those who visit Venice, and want to get away from the bustle of the city for a day and immerse themselves in nature, an ideal is a trip on the Brenta Canal to discover the amazing noble villas of Venice. The most famous among these villas is perhaps Villa Foscari 'La Malcontenta', designed by the famous Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio in 1559. One legend claims that the villa has the nickname Malcontenta which originates from the lady of the Foscari house, who was confined within its walls in solitude to serve a sentence for her dissolute conduct. It is said that she lived here for thirty years and she was never seen coming out or looking out of the windows. The park was overgrown and full of weeds and remains shrouded in mystery about the fact that the woman managed to survive. No one ever took her something to eat, and no one ever lived with her in the house until her death. In addition to the legend, there are also two historical versions: the first argues that the place was so named since 1431 to commemorate the discontent shown by the inhabitants of Padua and Piove di Sacco for the construction of the Brenta Canal; and the second claims that that thirty years before the deed of ownership of the Foscari family the area was already called Malcontenta, probably from 'Brenta mal contenuta' because the river often overflowed at this point. To visit La Malcontenta Villa and many other beautiful villas of the Riviera del Brenta you can book the tour with Venetoinside Burchiello Cruise among the Villas of the Brenta Riviera .

The 55th International Art Biennale in Venice 2013 will take place at the Arsenal, the Giardini and various locations around the city. The Venice Biennale dates 2013 are from 1 June to 24 November. The Biennale Venezia 2013 will include the participation of 88 countries, 10 of which are present at the Venice Biennale of Art in 2013 for the first time. The new artists at the Venice Biennale 2013 come from the Republic of Kosovo, Ivory Coast, Holy See, Angola, the Maldives, the Bahamas, Paraguay, the Kingdom of Bahrain, Tuvalu and Kuwait. The Biennale di Venezia 2013 will remain faithful to the locations used in recent editions, articulated in two 'routes': the national exhibitions in the Pavilions, each with its own project and curator, flanked by the International curator of the exhibition art biennale 2013 Massimiliano Gioni. Entitled 'The Encyclopedic Palace', the Venice Biennale 55th exhibition of Art takes its inspiration from the futuristic idea of Auriti Marino, the Italian-American artist who in the 50s deposited the projects of the Encyclopaedic Palace, a huge imaginary museum that was to contain the knowledge of mankind. The building clearly was never built, but the idea of a universal knowledge has been always present in history... 'The Encyclopedic Palace' of the Biennale Venice 2013 will display contemporary art, works of the past, references and stimuli of different types. Biennale Venezia 55 wants to bring the visitor to imagine other realities and reflect on the ideas of art, different worlds and visions that haunt and inspire artists. The International Venice Biennale 55 Art Exhibition will evolve through the Central Pavilion in the Giardini, and continue through the Arsenal following the pattern of 'Wunderkammer' of the 16th and 17th centuries, a kind of 'room of wonders' - not far from the palace dreamed of by Auriti - where curiosity, rarities and oddities were going to compose new images of the world, a sort of combination of objects and images not very different from today’s hyper-connectivity. Photographs, films, videos, mazes, encyclopaedic tables, bestiary, projects, performances, installations and architecture of thought... the Venice Biennale 55 will stage the power and the fragility of the imagination. Biennial Session - dedicated to the field of education - Meetings on Art and many other collateral events throughout Venice complete the full program of the Venice Biennale 55th International Art Exhibition.

The great return of Sting in Italy in Concert 2013. The Sting Bass Tour wil be in Verona, Rome and Cattolica after the success of the concerts in Piazzola sul Brenta, Molfetta, Taormina and Perugia in 2012. The three Sting concerts 2013 have chosen some of the most prestigious locations in Italy: Sting at the Arena of Verona 2013 - an extraordinary break from the Festival del Centenario - the Foro Italico of Rome and the Catholic Queen of the Arena. Sting’s Back to Bass Tour started in Boston on 21 October 2011. The Sting Bass Tour has proved a huge success with audiences and critics from around the world, continuing, except for some short periods of rest, throughout 2012. For some time the new dates for Sting's Back to Bass Tour dates 2013 have been announced and the artist has been busy between the States and Europe since April. For the Sting Italy tour we will have to wait until July starting with Sting live in Verona on the 8th, Rome on the 9th and Cattolica on the 29th. The beginning of the tour coincided with the release of his greatest hits album to celebrate the twenty five years of his extraordinary solo career, during which Sting has released more than 14 albums and collaborated with the likes of Pavarotti, Mary J. Blige and Bryan Adams. The line-up for the Sting concerts 2013 will be a mix of timeless hits and more recent pieces, a journey along the career of this exceptional musician and songwriter - nominated three times for an Oscar as best soundtrack artist - to retrace his long and prosperous career. Sting concerts in Europe 2013, will be accompanied by his proven band formed by Dominic Miller (guitar), David Sancious (keyboards), Vinnie Colaiuta (drums), Jo Lawry (vocals), Peter Tickell (electric violin). Sting in Verona 2013 promises to be one of the most beautiful concerts: the ambience of yesteryear of the Verona Arena combined with the atmosphere that the English singer-songwriter is able to evoke in his concerts will give his fans a really exciting experience! Sting Verona tickets at the Arena of Verona are already on sale, do not miss one of the most exciting live concerts of 2013!

Great expectations await the concerts in Piazzola sul Brenta, Italy: Hydrogen Festival 2013, an outstanding program with great national and international music! As per tradition, the calendar of the concerts at the Hydrogen Festival Piazzola sul Brenta is set for the month of July in the beautiful scenery of the amphitheatre of Villa Contarini Camerini, a stunning and magnificent example of a Venetian villa. In recent years this tradition has characterized Piazzola sul Brenta with concerts of the highest level. The Hydrogen Live Festival 2013 will bring on stage true icons of the music and will not disappoint any expectations: Carlos Santana, Thirty seconds to Mars, Antonello Venditti and Fabri Fibra are among the artists already confirmed! Following the success of previous editions, featuring Bob Dylan, Elton John, Alanis Morissette, Sting and Billy Idol Piazzola sul Brenta music festival 2013 is ready to share emotions and great music! Piazzola sul Brenta: Hydrogen Festival dates for 2013 and coming artists -- 05.07 Carlos Santana: from July in Europe - after touring Asia and Australia over the previous months - to participate in the most important European festivals with the new Sentient Tour... clearly he could not miss the Piazzola sul Brenta Hydrogen Festival! -- 06.07 Marco Mengoni: after the sold out dates for 'The Essential Preview Tour', Mengoni decided to open the summer tour Prontoacorrere at Villa Contarini, an exceptional location for the new success of the young winner of Sanremo 2013. -- 11.07 Max Gazzè: refined, versatile and ironic on tour to present his new album, which also contains the coloured single that he performed at Sanremo. -- 12.07 Mark Knopfler: 72 shows in 25 European countries between April, May, June and July when Mark and his band will hold one of their many concerts in the amphitheatre Camerini in Piazzola sul Brenta. -- 14.07 Thirty Seconds to Mars: waiting for the release of the highly anticipated new album, the band led by the charismatic American Jared Leto has announced a series of dates in Europe this summer, including a stop at the 2013 Hydrogen Festival Padova at Piazzola sul Brenta. -- 18.07 Mario Biondi: after the big concert event on stage at the Royal Albert Hall in London to launch his new 'Sun', Mario Biondi will start a major tour in Italy and Europe accompanied by his historical band. -- 19.07 Fabri Fibra: one of the most appreciated Italian rappers; the tour presenting his new album 'War and Peace', which was released in February and already certified gold will be at the Hydrogen Festival. -- 20.07 Crosby, Stills and Nash: the legendary trio on tour in the U.S. and Europe has been confirmed as one of the most enduring partnerships in music history: their songs are considered true milestones of rock 'n roll. -- 21.07 Antonello Venditti: starting just over a year ago, the Unique Tour has seen a succession of great success in Italy and abroad. After the events in Varese and Livorno, Venditti also will arrive at Piazzola sul Brenta Festival 2013! Do not miss these extraordinary summer events at the Hydrogen Festival in Italy in Piazzola sul Brenta! At Villa Contarini music concerts for all tastes will enliven the warm evenings of July in the province of Padua!

One of the major attractions in Venice is undoubtedly the Venetian gondolas and other small traditional boats that have plied the waters of the lagoon for centuries. At one time almost all journeys were made by water and the Venetians invented a series of small boats suitable for all requirements of life in the lagoon. As well as the famous gondolas there is, for example, the pupparìn, a boat similar to the gondola but larger, which was used at the time of the Venice Republic as a prestigious boat for noble families and now is only used for racing; the topetta, was mainly used for freight and today is also equipped with an engine, etc.. The inhabitants of the Venice lagoon also devised a special way to row, which today is called “alla veneta”, and consists of rowing standing up, leaning forward and using one or two oars. These oars are perfectly smooth, without sleeves fasteners, and are based on an open rowlock for easy manoeuvring and steering since these small boats do not have the helm. What remains today? There are still passionate craftsmen who repair old boats, oars and oarlocks, like the young Piero Dri, who recently opened his own shop near the Strada Nuova. If the world of Venetian boats and rowing fascinates you, the short course: Rowing in Venice may be of interest to you by booking online at venetoinside.com.

These days in Venice, with the 'Manet: return to Venice' exhibition, you can admire the splendid 'Venus of Urbino' by Titian Vecellio, a masterpiece painted by the famous Venetian painter in 1538 for the Duke of Urbino Guidobaldo della Rovere. According to tradition, the beautiful woman may have represented a Venetian courtesan and in fact, her alluring look and sensuality can be easily connected to 'an 'expert of love.' In Venice, the phenomenon of courtesans was well tolerated and sometimes even encouraged, for fear of homosexuality. According to a census of 1509, there were 11,164 and by the first half of 14th century, the courtesans were obliged to live in a neighbourhood near Rialto called 'il Castelletto' where there was a bridge called 'delle tette” (“of the boobs”) because on this bridge the courtesans used to show their breasts to entice passers-by. The activities and behaviours of the courtesans were meticulously regulated by the Republic of Venice and in the evening when the prostitutes returned home they faced a fine and 10 lashes and 15 lashes if they approached men at Christmas, Easter and other holy days. There were two classes of courtesans: those of low rank, who lived in an unhealthy house frequented by the populace, and those of high rank, who were envied by noblewomen, subjected to a thousand rules, for the freedom that they enjoyed, and for important friendships that they could make. For them, there was a kind of register, which was especially useful for foreigners visiting the city, where they could find names, prices and art skills, such as dance and music, in which the various courtesans excelled.

30 May will see the opening of one of the most fascinating art exhibitions in Venice 2013: The Giorgio Franchetti collection at the Galleria Franchetti Ca' d'Oro in Venice. Housed in the beautiful rooms of the Galleria Giorgio Franchetti alla Ca' d'Oro, Venice, the exhibition brings together for the first time the masterpieces collected by two extraordinary collectors, grandfather and grandson share a deep passion for art, as well as the same name, Giorgio Franchetti. Works of inestimable value will be on display at the Ca' d'Oro in Venice, Italy - Giorgio Franchetti Gallery - the elegant palace on the Grand Canal restored by Baron Giorgio Franchetti to house his vast collection, and then opened the Galleria Giorgio Franchetti in Venice in 1927 for everyone to see. Until 24 November 2013, the Ca' d'Oro in Venice, Italy will present a fascinating meeting point between the ancient art collection of the 'grandfather' and the modern innovations collected by his grandson who worked in Rome in the second half of the 19th century, and put together an interesting cross-section of Italian art after World War II. The exhibition at the Galleria Giorgio Franchetti - Ca 'd'Oro in Venezia will bring together two very different collections that tell the different historical and social situations in which grandfather and grandson have lived: the first was a lover of ancient art and paying particular attention to lesser known masters and works that were not yet famous; his grandson devoted himself to the art of his time, in the lively Roman atmosphere of the 50s and 60s of the 20th century, where he managed to grasp new ideas and foster innovation. Grandparent and grandchild shared a maverick attitude towards the fashions set by the market and a personal sensitivity in the search for works of art. The baron Giorgio Franchetti, a collector of ancient art, especially Renaissance art, created a very original collection with works of Italian painters such as Mantegna, Tintoretto, Giambono, Titian, Paris Bordon and Guardi, showing keen interest in landscapes, still life and various scenes by the Dutch and Flemish painters of the 15th and 16th centuries. Among the artists collected by the 'young' Giorgio Franchetti, Cy Twombly, Gino De Dominicis, Piero Manzoni, Ceroili, Mario Schifano, Alighiero Boetti, Mimmo Rotella and Balla... works that will be reunited again at the Ca' d'Oro in Venice, after the dismemberment of the collection after the death of Giorgio Franchetti Jr. in 2006. This major exhibition will be on display in almost every room of the Giorgio Franchetti Gallery at Ca' d'Oro in Venice: starting in the beautiful courtyard which houses the ashes of Baron Giorgio Franchetti, then continuing on the first floor in the part dedicated to him, between family and collection, dominated by the 'Chapel of Mantegna', designed by the baron just to accommodate the San Sebastian. On the second floor of the Ca' d'Oro Gallery, the Italian post-war art collection by Giorgio Franchetti, Jr., a collection that bears witness to the great skill and passion of the patron, developed outside of the world of the ateliers and galleries art. For both a life in search of art: Giorgio Franchetti senior collected and combined them into a restored Ca' d'Oro, a wide range of works of art that, in addition to the paintings, boasts medals, wooden furniture, tapestries, carpets, Renaissance sculptures, frescoes, bronzes and ceramics; and the grandson who 'limited' his collection to paintings and sculptures, dedicating himself to picking up the signs of the innovations that would accrue in the 1960s, such as Balla and Manzoni. Two great patrons gathered at the Franchetti Ca' d'Oro in Venice: fascinating and unprecedented exhibitions that demonstrate how art can pass the gene from generation to generation, bringing together grandfather and grandson in the name of aesthetics and artistic beauty.

There will not be many opportunities to experience the outstanding performance of Ennio Morricone concerts in 2013 as only four are planned! Apart from the concert of Ennio Morricone in Verona 2013 he will also perform in two more prestigious international locations, Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin on 27th and 28th July and Crocus City Hall in Moscow on 13th and 14th November, while the other Ennio Morricone 2013 concert in Italy is planned for Sordevolo - Piedmont - on the 4th of July. The Ennio Morricone Verona tickets and tickets for Sordevolo are already on sale. If you want to attend one of his magical live performances in Italy hurry because the availability is diminishing day by day! 22nd August 2013 will see the great return of Ennio Morricone in Verona, the unique location that marked his debut concert over ten years ago. A date to remember is 28th September 2002: the Ennio Morricone Verona concert determined the beginning of a new and successful phase of his career ... from that day the fascinating Ennio Morricone tour highlighted his exceptional music around the world. From the UN Halls of the General Assembly in New York to the Royal Albert Hall in London; from Tiananmen Square in Beijing to the splendour of St Mark’s Square in Venice and then Russia, Chile, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Australia... In 10 years more than 200 concerts have taken him around the world, elegance and melancholy of the music of Ennio Morricone, deep and sweet melodies that move and enchant anyone who will listens: Ennio Morricone manages to mesmerize and excite every listener from the first time one hears his songs. Ennio Morricone was born in Rome in 1928 and showed from his early youth a great passion for music. After graduating from the Santa Cecilia Music School, Ennio Morricone began to create and experiment, giving rise to the soundtracks that have consecrated the world of music: Bernardo Bertolucci, Sergio Leone, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Brian De Palma, Pedro Almodovar and Giuseppe Tornatore are some of the great directors which have helped create his masterpieces of music. There are also many awards during the extraordinary career of Ennio Morricone, including the Golden Lion at the 52nd Film Festival in Venice and the Oscar in 2007. Among symphonies, soundtracks for films and theatre, chamber music and choral works, Ennio Morricone 2013 has earned a place of honour in the history of music and will be one of the best Verona Arena concerts in 2013. The concert program of Ennio Morricone in Verona 2013 will offer the best of his extensive repertoire, from the unforgettable musics of the films of Sergio Leone and the atmospheres of Giuseppe Tornatore’s Mission. The Master will conduct the RAI National Symphony Orchestra, choir and Symphony of Verona - for the first time. The Ennio Morricone Arena concerto is an event to mark in your diary! Thursday 22nd August 2013, an evening to get in touch with the magic and the emotions the music evokes of this great Italian artist.

Each edition of the Art Biennial in Venice is an event of great importance for all those who love contemporary art. But it is also a unique opportunity because often countries that are not housed at the Giardini often create their own pavilions inside monuments of Venice otherwise closed to the public. And this is the case of Mexico, which obtained permission from the city of Venice to have a unique location as a permanent home for future Art and Architecture Biennials for the next 9 years. In return Mexico will restore the church of San Lorenzo in Castello which is in a state of serious neglect. The church of San Lorenzo - with an adjoining convent - was actually founded in the 9th century by the family of the Doge Partecipazio. It was rebuilt in the 11th century and acquired its present appearance at the end of the 1500s. In 1810, during the Napoleonic government, the monastery was suppressed and reduced to a ‘House of Industry’, a rehabilitation home with an adjoining factory. It later became a home for the elderly, which continues today. The church, however, was run by the Dominicans until 1867 when a law on religious orders forced them to move out. Officiations continued until 1920, when the church was finally deconsecrated. The church is famous for its marble altar, by Girolamo Campagna, which is considered the largest altar in the world.

Art Night Venezia, 2013... Venice lights up for a long night in the name of art! After the great success of previous editions, the Venice Art Night returns to the lagoon bringing cultural events in Venice June 2013 to suit all tastes! Organized by the Ca' Foscari University in collaboration with the City of Venice, the Art Night in Venice- will be held on Saturday 22 June 2013 involving all the scriptwriters and institutions that deal with art and culture in Venice. Join in with the art events in Venice: Art Night allows you to enjoy an extraordinary 'art night' in Venice and offers shows, exhibitions, special openings and events of all kinds connected by a common thread: to promote the art and culture in all its forms. Art Night Venezia program is constantly evolving to offer the public a unique and compelling event in Venice in June 2013. The whole city is involved in Art Night Venice: animation and performances, museums, exhibition halls and private art galleries can be visited after the usual closing time. Many cultural institutions in Venice have already joined the Venezia Art Night program, confirming the high quality of the White Night in Venice, now in its third edition and in receipt of very positive feedback and a large following. As always the great promoter of the event will be Ca' Foscari. Venice Art Night will open in the courtyard of the university in the presence of the Great Dean Carlo Carraro and will then continue throughout Venice. Unlike the previous editions the art night in Venice 2013 will be tied to a specific theme: a tribute to female talent, in all its forms... which will give raise to specific events and performances. Already confirmed in the program Art Night Venice: Ca' Foscari Summer School, playing video-artists Masbedo, the music of Marlene Kuntz, Petersburg's 'MYLO' group, a series of images curated by Riccardo Zipoli, the exhibition 'Lost in translation' and the installation of Maria Cristina Finucci 'Garbage Patch State'. For a whole night Venice will not sleep, involving its inhabitants and others who will flock to take part in this special event in Venice in June and populate the lagoon city with new and original ideas and inspirations. Saturday 22 June: Art Night in Venice 2013 is waiting for you! Live Venice and its art as a true protagonist! And if one night was not enough, the new Vaporetto dell’Arte will take you along the Grand Canal to discover the most important cultural institutions in Venice with an ad hoc format created specifically to immerse yourself in the extraordinary historical and artistic heritage of Venice!

St Mark’s Square in Venice has an incredible collection of monuments that have related stories and legends of all kinds, such as the creation of the Clock Tower. Its history begins in 1493, when the governing authority decided to replace the old hammer clock in the north-western part of St. Mark's Basilica. The task of creating a new timepiece was entrusted to a famous family of watchmakers from Reggio Emilia, the Rainiers, who created a true masterpiece of technology and engineering for the Venice Republic. The clock was so complex and delicate it was decided that a tower should be built at the entrance of Mercerie. Legend has it that when the clock was finished, the Great Council ordered Giancarlo Rainier and his father Gianpaolo to be blinded so they could never build one like that again. The construction of the tower began in 1496 and ended in 1499, designed by Mauro Codussi, the great Renaissance architect, and was extended to the sides during the 18th century by Giorgio Massari. The best way to admire the magnificent clock of St. Mark's Square is from the balcony of St Mark’s Basilica, part of the wonderful Marciano Museum, which is visited during the tour: 'St Mark’s Museum and Cathedral from above' with Venetoinside.

Estate Teatrale Veronese 2013: at the Roman Theatre Verona dance, drama and music will enliven the warm evenings of the La Scala capital. Among the most anticipated events of the summer concerts in Verona: Verona Jazz 2013 the Shakespeare Festival Verona and the highlights of the festival at the Roman theatre in Verona, Italy! Now in its 65th edition, the Estate Teatrale Veronese at the Roman Theatre in Verona will offer a full calendar of festivals, shows and ballets. On 13 June the Verona Summer events at the Roman Theatre of Verona, Italy will open with a tribute to Verdi and Shakespeare: 'Verdi, our Shakespeare. Journey of music and words’, with the participation of Maria Paiato and the great Luca Zingaretti. The Roman theatre season in Verona will continue until 24 August, in a long series of events open to adults and children! The Roman theater in Verona opened on 26 June 1948 with the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, the Estate Teatrale Veronese established itself immediately as one of the most fascinating Verona summer events and thus, over the years, prose, were joined by the dance and the famous Verona Jazz Festival, in which they artists such as Miles Davis and Ella Fitzgerald performed. Following the tried and tested formula, the Estate Teatrale al Teatro Romano di Verona will be divided into three sections: prose, which will present the long-awaited Verona Shakespeare Festival 2013, dance and music, with Verona Jazz 2013, and the new Rumors Illazioni vocali. The Verona Jazz 2013 program will focus on four evenings of great guests: Stefano Bollani, Enrico Rava, Franco Cerri and Mario Biondi! From 22 to 25 June – the Verona Jazz Festival 2013 at the Roman Theatre Verona is a reconfirmation of the most prestigious summer concerts in Verona. The Shakespeare Festival in Verona, Italy has now entered among the great events at the Roman theatre Verona and counted among the most important festivals dedicated to Shakespeare after Stratford-upon-Avon. The Verona Shakespeare Festival 2013 will present some of the most famous works of the great English teacher played by some great Italian actors - Silvio Orlando, Francesca Inaudi, Daniele Liotti, Massimo Ranieri - and the British Propeller Theatre company. Dates to mark in your diary for the Roman Theatre Verona schedule include: Richard III with music by Ennio Morricone, on stage from 17 to 20 July 2013. The evenings of dance included in the Roman Theatre Verona performances will be exceptional: the principal dancers of the Royal Ballet of London, Momix, a dance to the music of Verdi and 'Cinderella'. Among the Roman theatre Verona events of dance and theatre 2013, the Estate Teatrale Veronese will offer eight performances in the Old Market Court: 2 to 27 July seventeen evenings dedicated to the smallest, in one of the most intimate and charming locations in Verona. For the Roman theatre Verona concerts, tickets are already on sale! Immerse yourself in the magic of the Roman Theatre of Verona: Shakespeare Festival, Verona Jazz and dance ... without forgetting the appointments in the Old Market Court!

From 12 June to 12 July the Sherwood Festival 2013 will liven up the summer with concerts in Padova and shows of every kind! Becoming one of the most anticipated events in Padua, the Sherwood Festival in Padova, Italy attracts thousands of people every year for a mix of music and culture in the large parking area at the North Euganeo Stadium. The Independent Sherwood Festival, Padova is growing in popularity every year and is now considered one of the great outdoor events in Italy. The Sherwood Festival offers a month of great events: art, theatre and social engagements... in addition to the most exciting summer Padova concerts 2013! The Sherwood Festival Italy begins with a concert on 12 June 2013: 'Lo Stato Sociale’ and 'Amari'- indie rock, electro-pop, rock and electronic music for a great opening night. Research, experimentation and avant-garde are the keys to the Sherwood Festival Italy 2013: artists and organizers are committed to design a festival open to all, because the collective dimension is the concept of concerts in Padova, Italy. Participants at the Sherwood Festival 2013 include bands like the Modena City Ramblers, Marta sui Tubi, Motel Connection, Ministers, Slam X and The Churchill Outfit... and many more, not to mention shows like ‘Ciò che non deve accadere, accade. Nessuna garanzia per nessuno’ ('What mustn’t happen, happens. There’s no guarantee for any one') from CIS, reunited after 15 years, and many other events within the vast area of the Sherwood music festival in Padova... and the official schedule is still being finalized! One of the most anticipated concerts in Padua Italy 2013. The Sherwood Festival program will include NOFX - considered one of the best melodic hardcore skate-punk groups. NOFX have a 30-year career and have sold over 60 million records worldwide... NOFX at the Sherwood Festival in Padova 2013 their only Italian date! As per tradition, the Sherwood Festival concerts will have an accessible cost to all and back by popular demand the evenings '€1 is enough'. For the Padova music concerts, the program is totally self-managed by the organizers, without external funding. The Sherwood Festival in Padova is more than just musical entertainment: theatre, art, culture and politics to support the many concerts, offering meetings and opportunities for sharing... Sensations, emotions and debates for the entire duration of the event.

From 9 June to 30 September 2013 the fascinating Mountain Museum Messner reopens its doors – the Museo delle nuvole Cibiana, part of the ambitious museum project by the famous mountaineer Reinhold Messner. Divided into five sites, the original Messner museums wind between Trentino Alto Adige - Sigmundskron Castel Firmiano, Castel Juval, Solda (in Stelvio) and Brunico - and Veneto, the Messner Mountain Museum Dolomites on Monte Rite, in the province of Belluno. The Museum delle nuvole Monte Rite is definitely one of the most original museums of the Dolomites located more than 2,000 m above sea level and occupies a fort from the First World War transformed into a truly unique property. A bold and high-impact design, the Messner Museum Monte Rite gives the feeling of being in the clouds. The Messner Museum in Cadore, between Pieve and Cortina d'Ampezzo tells the adventurous history of mountaineering in the Dolomites in a new way. The Museo delle Nuvole - Messner has provided images, videos, artefacts and works of art of various kinds dedicated to the contrasting relationship between man and the mountain. The interior of this futuristic Messner mountain museum in Cibiana seems like a church, with numerous niches and altars that welcome the testimony of the conquest of the Dolomites: relics and memoirs tell visitors about the first ascents, the discoveries and ways of mountaineering in the Dolomites. In the central part of the Messner Mountain Museum in the Dolomites shows the landscapes and the formations of the Dolomites, immortalized on canvas from Romanticism to the contemporary period, are placed in a picturesque setting that alternates artistic and panoramic views of the spectacular peaks surrounding the museum. Shell fossils, ferns and palm finds that testify to the ancient origins of the rocks of the Dolomites are the final part of the exhibition of the extraordinary museo delle nuvole in Belluno. The Dolomites Museum opened in 2002, thanks to the co-operation between the Veneto Region and Reinhold Messner. However, the Messner Mountaineering Museum is only open during the summer, from June to September, and every year it hosts a different temporary exhibition. By visiting the Museum Museum in the Dolomites at 2183metres above sea level you will immerse yourself in a fabulous location, a place of absolute silence and serenity surrounded by the most beautiful peaks of the Dolomites - Civetta, Marmolada, Monte Pelmo, and Antelao showing their enormity to you from a unique perspective. The Reinhold Messner Museum in Italy is within walking distance - two hours from the Cibiana Pass - or with a convenient shuttle service.

The long-awaited return of the Jesolo International Sand Sculpture Festival in Jesolo, Italy is among the many fantastic events in Jesolo 2013. The impressive Jesolo sand sculptures in summer 2013 will be on show from 15 June to 14 July 2013 and will have the Italian Renaissance as their theme, undertaken by the imagination of ten artists who will arrive in Jesolo for the sand sculpture event from all over the world. Since 1998, the Sand Sculptures Festival has become a classic summer Jesolo event. Now in its 16th edition, the festival in Jesolo reinvents itself every year with a different theme, leaving the artists great freedom of expression: Hollywood, Africa, the Far West, Pinocchio and Venice are among the topics that have been best appreciated for the Sand Sculture exhibition. Again this year the sand sculpture competition will be taking place. Visitors can express their preference and, at the end of the Sand Festival in Jesolo, the sculpture with the most votes will be crowned the winner of the Jesolo International Sand Sculpture Festival 2013. As usual, the Sand Festival in Jesolo, Italy will be held in the large marquee in the strand of Brescia Square, a short distance from the vibrant Mazzini Square in Jesolo, Italy. The Jesolo Sand Festival will offer and exhibition of 2500 sq metres where sand sculpture artists will unleash their creativity and create masterpieces of sand. The Lido di jesolo Sand Sculptures will show the works of Leonardo and Michelangelo, along with other famous artistic subjects of the Italian Renaissance. The Jesolo Sand Sculptures Festival in 2013 will show visitors some of the most fascinating and significant sand sculptures in the history of art, its discovery and the most important works. The construction of the International Festival of Sand Sculptures in Lido di Jesolo will be completed by the scenic design by Damon Farmer, with landscapes by Leonardo and perspective effects throughout the course of the exhibition. The Jesolo, Italy Sand Sculptures will be undertaken from 31 May to 10 June – under the artistic direction of Richard Varano - and the Sand Sculptures in Jesolo will then be open to the public from June 15, every day from 9.00 am to 11.00 pm.

If you are on the trail of the famous Venetian seducer Giacomo Casanova, you must see the Santa Maria degli Angeli church in Murano. Giacomo Casanova in fact, often came here to listen to Mass on Sunday, not because he was a devout Catholic, but because he lived in a monastery near the most famous of his mistresses, the nun M.M., who was maybe a noblewoman of the Venetian aristocracy. Casanova visited the church just to have some fleeting encounter with the woman he loved, despite being a nun, it is said, however, that in the 17th century such excessive scandals were not elicited... The monastery where M.M. lived no longer exists, as it was demolished in 1810 during the Napoleonic era, but you can visit the church, which has a very unique structure. In fact, at the end of 18th century, the building was divided into two parts: the ancient chorus, reserved for the nuns was transformed into a military hospital, while the other half remained intact. So, when you enter from the main door, you must walk down a hallway in which there are several doors before reaching the real church, recently restored, which has significant decor from the 16th century and an incredible painted coffered ceiling. If you want to visit this little gem you need to do as a Casanova did: go to hear mass! Every morning at 8:30 am or Sunday at 11 am.