The Campanile - the best views of Venice

 

La Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore and the church of the same name

Friday                                                                                                          October 8, 2021

The Campanile - the Bell Tower - is the place to go for the best views of Venice.  There were no lines when we arrived at the Piazza San Marco at mid morning - maybe because of Acqua Alta?

Whatever reason, we took advantage of our luck and went for it.  You have to show your ID and your COVID vaccination card - and you must wear a mask.  I appreciated all the care that is taken everywhere in Italy to protect each other from getting ill.

Standing at the base of the Campanile, looking out to the Basin of San Marco, Isola San Giorgio Maggiore and the columns of Saint Mark (Lion) and Saint Teodoro (saint with alligator)

One of the bronze gates of the Campanile's Loggetto di Sansovino (platform), with Il Torre dell"Orologio (clocktower) and the facade of la Basilicata di San Marco in the background

La Salute, the Custom's House and Il Redentore

As you look at the above photo, you see the beginning (or end) of the Grand Canal.  Across the Grand Canal is the Dorsoduro area, with it's beautiful white church, Santa Maria della Salute, and to it's left, the Customs House and la Punta della Dogana, with it's gold ball atop the point.  Cross the Guidecca Canal, and you find not only the island of the same name, but the much loved church from the 16th Century, Il Redentore.

Looking west, into the heart of St. Mark's Square - at the end of the square is the Museo Correr, and in front, you can see the water from the Acqua Alta.

Looking North(ish) toward the island of Murano.  Immediate foreground on left - the Clocktower - on right, the domes of St. Mark's. The pretty white bell tower in the center is Santa Maria Formosa and behind it,  the large brown church with silver dome is San Giovani e Paolo (San Zanipolo)

A closer view of the photo above, now you can better see the island of Murano at the top, at the left corner is the Jesuit church (Il Gesuiti) and on the horizon you can see the Dolomite mountains.

Looking right down into the Piazza into the section known as the Piazzetta dei Leoncini - you can see the water between the clock tower and St. Marks.  Everyone is walking on the Acqua Alta platforms to try to get across.

Looking east

A good view of both San Marco Basilica and the Doges Palace in the photo above.  You can see the five domes of St. Mark's, and a bit of the facade in the forground.  You can almost look into the cortile of the Doges Palace.  The large quay along the water on the right is called the Riva degli Schiavoni and it ends by the Arsenale (naval shipyards) and the Giardini della Bienniale.  The tall, thin bell tower that sticks up on the horizon belongs to San Francesco della Vigna.

A great view of the Riva degli Schiavoni, the wide pedestrian quay that runs along the canal past the Doges Palace.

A bird's eye view of the Piazzetta of San Marco, with the columns of Sts. Mark and Theodore, the Doges Palace on the left and the Biblioteca Marciana on the right.  San Giorgio Maggiore is on the horizon, and you can easily see the pylons marking the lanes for the boats to travel.

One of the Campanile bells  - only the largest is original - the rest were replaced after the tower collapsed in 1902.

Non toccare le campane.  Don't touch the bells!  Now, why would they need a sign like that?

Italy is very strict about COVID protection.  We had to show our vaccination cards and wear masks indoors.

The other half of the bronze gate on the platform of the Campanile designed by Sansovino and built in the 1500's.