The story of Venice, although short and concise, can only begin with water. Not so much that of the Adriatic sea which is also its sea. Rather that of the lagoon, of its colors, reflections, ripples that give life and movement not only to this extraordinary natural environment but also to that absolutely human habitat that has found its home in the lagoon and that with the lagoon has decided to create a single body. That "fish" that can be seen from above when arriving at the Venetian airport of Tessera (a vision not to be missed, when this pandemic ends) confirms it.
The historic city stands out with its islands, sandbanks, canals, not only the narrow and internal ones that "build" the city paths, but also the larger ones that allow you to "navigate" the lagoon. The profile of the sea is at the bottom, that of the mainland as well. Venice and the lagoon, a single body in its own right. Perhaps also for this reason the Venetian poet Mario Stefani, with a bit of parochialism and a pinch of provocation, speaking of his city and the transagunar bridge that connects it to the mainland (the railway one dates from 1836, the road one from 1933), wrote that “If Venice didn't have a bridge, Europe would be an island”.
The charm of Venetian colors and its Tiepolo skies
On clear winter days, even the Venetian colors have their own reason for the overall charm of the city. That of the water, of course, mainly green but when it is illuminated it takes on different shades and brightness that are difficult to describe. The faded pink of the bricks on the facades of many more or less important buildings. Just remember one, the Doge's Palace. The white of the Istrian stone that is found everywhere in Venice, let's think of Rialto Bridge. The many colors of the marbles, different by type and origin, a real competition of polychromies. If the days instead of clear are foggy (lately less frequent than in the past) this palette of colors is diluted by confusing profiles of things and people, creating an atmosphere in some ways unreal but certainly magical. Here the tip of a bell tower emerges from the fog. Here you can glimpse (but not quite) between fog and haze theisland of San Giorgio Maggiore with its extraordinary treasures. It is located right near San Marco, but to reach it you have to cross the water.
We cannot forget the colors of the sky, especially at sunrise and sunset. It is those pinks, blues, grays, almost whites (declined in infinite shades) that inspired the skies, known precisely as Tiepoleschi, of the works of Giambattista Tiepolo.
When the bells ring in Venice ...
And then the sounds, first of all that of the bells. Venice is one city full of churches, almost 140, and bell towers, about 170. Venice does not have the noise of car traffic and therefore its sounds are an integral part of city life. From morning until evening the bells of the churches are a daily company. At midnight, the tolling of the "Marangona", the largest bell in the bell tower of San Marco (known in Venice as "el paron de casa") spreads throughout the city and says goodnight to those who are more night owls. A very charming goodnight.
But also the lapping of the oars in the canals, especially in the more intimate areas less frequented by tourism. The call of the gondoliers, “O'e”, which are mutually felt when they are near a bend or a narrow crossing of canals. And the chatter of the people, particularly colorful and a bit noisy in the largest fish and vegetable market in the city, that of Rialto.
The gold of the Basilica of San Marco in the thousands of tiles that make up its mosaics
Strolling through the streets and squares we start Christmas, which this year in Venice is dedicated to light. And what more extraordinary light than the gold of the mosaics of the Basilica of San Marco that magically reflect the light of the sun but also that of the moon.
And it is no coincidence that recently an important video game company has chosen the setting of Piazza San Marco to celebrate the release of its latest product on the market. Extraordinary plays of light have made these spaces rich in art and culture surreal and sci-fi. Almost a journey into the future, towards an imaginary Venice of the next millennium. If possible, even more beautiful and fascinating.
