Message in a Bottle
Half-filled antique wine bottles form a row in the watergate entrance to the Instituto Santa Maria della Pieta, formerly the famous 14th century 'Pieta' orphanage where Vivaldi taught. The optical effect transmits topsy-turvy images of buildings on the opposite side of the canal, and water traffic floating past.
Walls with faces.
The origins of Venetian street names.
Ruga dei Spezieri means the 'street of the spice merchants'. By the 14th century Venice had established itself as the centre of the spice trade in Europe, with merchants procuring a wide range of spices including pepper, ginger, cinnamon, clove, and saffron. The elegant colonnades of the Ruga dei Spezieri are close to the Rialto market where, among the tourists and Venetian traders happily pocketing their dosh, you may hear the faintest echoes of the commercial energies that once helped build an extraordinary city.
The origins of Venetian street names.
Ruga dei Spezieri means the 'street of the spice merchants'. By the 14th century Venice had established itself as the centre of the spice trade in Europe, with merchants procuring a wide range of spices including pepper, ginger, cinnamon, clove, and saffron. The elegant colonnades of the Ruga dei Spezieri are close to the Rialto market where, among the tourists and Venetian traders happily pocketing their dosh, you may hear the faintest echoes of the commercial energies that once helped build an extraordinary city.A curious missive
On the waterfront facade of a palazzo overlooking the Grand Canal, the beautiful Istrian stone façade bears the Latin inscription: NON NOBIS DOMINE NON NOBIS. It is derived from the Old Testament (Psalms 115: 1) and is known as the Templars Psalm meaning 'Praise us not, O Lord’. The inscription was commissioned by a former owner of the palazzo, Andrea Loredan, who supported the ideas and legacy of the Templars. The oak leaves around the inscription represented in the Latin tradition the defender of the city, that is, one who is committed to the public good, a theme much loved by the Venetian nobility of the time.
On the waterfront facade of a palazzo overlooking the Grand Canal, the beautiful Istrian stone façade bears the Latin inscription: NON NOBIS DOMINE NON NOBIS. It is derived from the Old Testament (Psalms 115: 1) and is known as the Templars Psalm meaning 'Praise us not, O Lord’. The inscription was commissioned by a former owner of the palazzo, Andrea Loredan, who supported the ideas and legacy of the Templars. The oak leaves around the inscription represented in the Latin tradition the defender of the city, that is, one who is committed to the public good, a theme much loved by the Venetian nobility of the time.
 |
| Palazzo Vendramin-Calergi |
Campo die Mori
A 13th century statue leans awkwardly in his niche. There are three other similar statues nearby, and it is thought they may relate to a family of traders who lived in the 14th century Palazzo Mastelli nearby. The Venetian Republic was a trading hub for the import of luxury merchandise from the East to Europe. As such, it opened a door to the Islamic cultures that produced the goods.
