What happened on March 1 in Venice

VENETIAN NEW YEAR'S DAY

According to the Venetian Liturgical Calendar, today is St. Ermete Martyr’s Day.

- March 1, 1258: the Augustinian Fathers of San Salvador grant the Confraternity of San Todaro a place to meet, five burial places in the Cloister, and an Altar in the Church. Thanks to this, the Scuola of San Todaro, dating back to the 13th century, was re-established after it was dismantled when the Relics of St Mark arrived in Venice to replace Todaro as the city’s Patron. Shortly after the School was named Grande. Descending from the Scuole dei Battuti, there were seven Scuole Grandi in Venice: San Marco, San Todaro, San Giovanni Evangelista, San Rocco, Carità, Misericordia and Carmini.

- March 1, 1556: the literary society 'Accademia Olimpica' is established in Vicenza, with Andrea Palladio, the architect in charge of building a theater for classical performances, one of its members. The theater was finally completed by Vincenzo Scamozzi, and turned out to be an architectural gem with stepped seatings and a fixed stage depicting the streets of Thebes with an illusionistic perspective. It was inaugurated in 1585 with the representation of Sophocles' Oedipus Rex.

- March 1, 1880: inauguration of the Venice maritime station. With the construction of this port Venice wants to make its trades more flourishing, but controversy and criticism ensue. In the inaugural address it is said: ''rather than doing nothing, it is better to do, there is always time to correct some mistakes”.

Taken from 'Almanacco di Venezia -1600 anni ab Urbe còndita' by Andrea Gersich and Edoardo Rubini

Venice, 1st March 2021