Jewish influence in Venice

Jewish influence in Venice

Jewish influence in Venice

From the 12th century, Jews inhabited and presumably gave their name to the island of Guidance, the nearby mainland and later all of Venice. But, in 1516, the senate restricted them to Cannaregio. Jewish refugees from Spain and central Europe poured into the Venice ghetto where the limited space produced tenements six storey's high, still among the city's tallest buildings. Though severely taxed, forced to wear distinctive yellow clothing and denied the right to practice many professions, the Jews of Venice generally suffered no physical harassment. For a time, many of the republic's financial activities were even concentrated in the Ghetto, bringing an unusual spell of prosperity.

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Today the Ghetto is one of the poorest districts in Venice far cry from the im Restored by American gifis, the Rezones fascinates every visitor. age presented by Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice. Ca' (or) Palazzo Rezzonico Call it a house or a palace (Venetians do both), the Rezzonico is one of the most magnificent residences imaginable. To wander through it is not so much to tour a museum as to be transported back to a grand home of the 18th century. A plaque on one corner notes that Robert Browning died here on December 12, 1889; he who wrote:

Brownian's son Pen bought the palace last century, long after the Rezzonico family had it so magnificently decorated. For the past 40 years, it's been a municipal museum of 18thcentury Veniciana.The startling ballroom at the top of the vast entrance staircase features two immense chandeliers and wildly colorful ceiling and walls. In the small rooms adjacent to the ballroom, look for the in-tricate carvings of Negro figures. On the second floor, there are some splendid paintings of 18thcentury Venice. The top floor, not always open, contains some delightful puppets. Many visitors linger at the windows for one of the best views along the Grand Canal.

Starting at the Doges' Palace, the Riva degli Schia Quayside artists specialize in local scenes and instant portraits. voni is named after those industrious Dalmatian (Slav) merchants whose boats used to tie up here laden with Eastern wares. The Riva changes its name several times as it sweeps around St. Mark's basin to the public gardens installed by Napoleon. From there, you can enjoy a glorious panoramic view of the whole of Venice.

The pleasant church of Santa Maria delia Pieta had Antonio Vivaldi, Venice's musical giant, as its concert master from 1705 to 1740. Henry James took a room on the Riva and did some writing. Charles Dickens stayed at the famous Hotel Danieli near the Doges' Palace, and many celebrities since have followed his example. You'll invariably find much to look at on the busy Riva: seagoing tugs and scores of gondolas, cruise ships and weather-beaten fishing boats, landscape painters and quick sketch artists setting up easels around King Victor Emmanuel II's statue, hawkers selling Venice's most famous citizen opened the eyes of 13thcentury Europe to the irresistibly exotic mysteries of the Orient.

For some 20 years, Marco Polo served the Mongol Emperor Kublai Khan. He was the first Westerner permitted to travel about freely in China. Maps in the Doges' Palace trace Polo's voyages which opened up new routes for the spice trade. When he came back from China, legend has it that no one recognized him or believed his tales that is, until the returning hero slit the seams of his clothing and precious jewels fell out.

For many centuries, schoolchildren learned of the East from Marco Polo's book of travels. You may be told (and it may be true) that he brought the recipe for pasta back to Venice from China. Others suggest it was Marco Polo who introduced pasta to Peking.

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