Soul of Venice
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Venice is a fantastic dream. To feel its full impact, try to arrive at night, when the wonders of the city can steal upon you, piecemeal and slow. At the foot of the Venice railway station, there is a landing from which a city launch embarks for the trip up the Grand Canal. As you chug along, little clusters of candy-striped mooring poles emerge from the dark; a gondola approaches with a lighted lantern hung from its prow; the reflection of a slate-gray church, bathed in a blue spotlight, shimmers in the water as you pass by. This is the sheerest beauty, and it is a moment that no one should miss.
In the daytime, the city becomes a commotion of people and exotic sights. There's no need to buy your entertainment in Venice.
You'll want nothing more than to stroll and window shop along its narrow streets; or to listen to a band concert in the Piazza San Marco; or to sail through the canals on a vaporetto ride. In considering your basic costs, remember that Venice caters to many mare French and German tourists than to Americans, and there are thus numerous moderate hotels and restaurants scattered throughout the city.
HOPE'S VENICE: The soul of Venice is, of course, its art and architecture. Hope has briefly itemized, in the report that now follows, the outstanding churches and museums that a first-time visitor would want to see:
"I've always thought of the entire city of Venice as a kind of bizarre museum, where deliberate visits to specific museums and sights would be altogether superfluous. But the first visit to the interior of a Venetian 'palazzo' brought me to my senses. Here are the nine places that impressed me most:
St. Mark's Basilica "You'll of course want to explore the inside of the sumptuously Byzantine-Romanesque-Gothic Church of San Marco, which stands on the square of the same name. The gorgeous mosaics, which took 700 years to complete, and which literally cover the church, are its outstanding feature-particularly the segment called "Salome's Dance," which is widely acknowledged to be the most beautiful mosaic in the Church. You'll see it in the Baptistery (first door on your right as you enter the church); look directly above the doorway after entering.
"Entrance to the church, which is open from 9 a.m. to one hour before sunset, for those who wish to see the "Pala d'Oro", the jewel-encrusted golden altarpiece in the presbytery. I'd see it.
The Palace of the Doges "The interior of the pink-shimmering, oriental-looking Palazzo Ducale is almost as rich as the outside. You'll see wood-paneled courts, meeting rooms, the Great Consul Hall, paintings by Tintoretto, Titian and Carpaccio, an actual chastity belt (complete with spikes, the first I've ever seen!) in the Armory Museum, the cells of prisoners formerly incarcerated there, and the Bridge of Sighs-over which you'll actually walk. Open in summer from 9 to 1:15 and from 1:45 to 5:15.
The Correr Museum "Also located on St. Mark's Square, directly opposite the Basilica, this rather interesting museum contains a first floor section dealing with Venetian history (costumes, coins, replicas of boats, paintings of sea battles, weapons), and a third floor art gallery containing some wonderful Bellinis. Viewing hours from 9 to 12:30 and from 2:30 to 6:30; and-most important special evening hours in summer (from 9 to 11 p.m.).
Ca' Rezzonico "The Ca' Rezzonico (which you reach by taking the vaporetto to stop #12, called Ca' Rezzonico) is an 18th century palazzo, now a museum containing articles relating to 18th century Venetian life-furniture, paintings, various artifacts. The collection itself is not spectacular, but if you're curious to see what living in an 18th century palazzo was like, this is a pleasant way to do it. You'll definitely want to see the charming mezzanine apartment once occupied by Pope Clement XIII, and at another time the home of Robert Browning. Hours from 9:30 to 12:30 and from 2:30 to 6:30.
Scuola di San Rocco "This is a vast monument to the work of J. Tintoretto, the largest collection of his paintings anywhere (and some of the largest canvases I've ever seen)-a must for all art lovers. You can reach it on foot from the Ca' Rezzonico, or else take the vaporetto to stop #10-"S. Toma". Hours in summer from 9:30 to 1 and from 3 to 6:30.
St. Mary's of the Friar's Church "A few steps from the Scuola di San Rocco, the Friar's Church is particularly impressive because it houses the melodramatic and grandiose tombs of two famous Venetians-Canova and Titian-and also because there hangs, behind the High Altar, Titian's "Assumption of the Virgin"; you'll also see Bellini's "Madonna and Child" and an almost primitive-looking wood-carving by Donatello of "John the Baptist". Hours from 9 to 12 and from 2 to 6.
Ca' Pesaro (Gallery of Modern Art) "Further up the Grand Canal, past the Rialto (take the vaporetto to stop #5, called "S. Stae"), the Ca' Pesaro Gallery has an exciting array of masterworks by Chagall, Klee, Rouault, Rodin, Moore, Kandinsky, Edvard Munch. And all of this is supplemented by the equally exciting opportunity to see what the inside of one of those Baroque, beside-the-waters palazzos (which this is) looks like. Hours from 9 to 1 and from 2:30 to 6, in summer.
Accademia di Belle Arti "The Academy of Fine Arts (vaporetto stop #12, "Accademia") is the definitive treasure house of Venetian painting, exhibited chronologically from the 13th to the 18th century. Many Carpaccio's, and a magnificent collection of scenes by Bellini, Bastiani, and Mansueti in Room XX-my own favorite among the many rooms. Open from 9 to 1, from 3 to 6.
The Guggenheim Collection "The best for last. The home of heiress Peggy Guggenheim (Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, Venezia #701 D.D., a short walk from the Accademia) is open to the public, free of charge, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 3 to 5 p.m.-and if you miss this place, you can kick yourself! The collection inside is best described by Herbert Read in his foreword to a souvenir book available on the premises: "The collection of 20th Century painting and sculpture formed by Peggy Guggenheim is the only one in Europe to have a systematical historical basis. It embraces all the major movements which since about 1910 have transformed the very concept of art and which can now for the first time be seen in a unified perspective".
There are works by Picasso, Chagall, Leger, Braque, Dali, Jackson Pollock, and many others too numerous to mention, as well as rooms in the basement devoted to young up-and-coming artists; indeed, all guests visiting the home are urged to "Visit the Sale Gallery of Young Artists Downstairs", which I found a very touching and thoughtful admonition. The day I was last there, Peggy Guggenheim herself was overseeing the downstairs galleries, showing the works of the younger painters, and exchanging opinions with visiting connoisseurs. As a sidelight, by the way, you receive from this visit an idea of what a wonderful life hers must be, surrounded by great art. Two of the exhibition rooms-a dining room and a kind of bed-sitting room-are obviously used for living purposes as well. The home, once more, is open to the public on three afternoons a week; and I say: "Hats off to you, Miss Guggenheim, you are a woman of great soul!"
"Don't miss night swimming on the Lido ocean beaches. The water is phosphorescent... simply unbelievable! You start prancing through the water in clouds of light" (Ann Fomin, Dearborn Heights, Michigan)... "If you're in Venice in late August, go over to the Lido at night and see one of the entries in the Venice Film Festival, but be sure to attend the showing at the scenic little outdoor theatre instead of the simultaneous indoor showing where the prices are doubled. It's fun to see the American entry with the soundtrack in English and the subtitles in Italian" (Sandra and James Risser, Des Moines, Iowa)... "In taking the vaporetto, it is necessary to distinguish between the lines that go 'diretto' and the 'accelerato' lines. The diretto boats charge twice as much, but don't stop at every mooring as the accelerato boats do. (John and Cora Niman, Brooklyn, New York).
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