Come to Lido and meet Santa!

Like most Venetians I have always known the church of San Nicolò in Lido as every year in the lagoon just in front of it takes place the celebration of the Sposalizio del Mare (the Marriage of the Sea) and afterwards in the church  the solemn mass related to this celebration.

Francesco Guardi, The Doge on the Bucentaur at San Niccolò del Lido

Also, I have often read about it when coming across the story of Nicolò Giustinian. This young man from one of the greatest Venetian families had become a monk and was living in the convent on the Lido. As he was the only male member left in his family and people in Venice were worried his family would be extincted, a public petition was sent to the Pope to grant permission to release him from his vows. He married the daughter of the Doge at the time and they had nine boys and three girls. Later on, after having ensured that his family would live on, the monk returned to his religious life on the Lido's convent and the woman went to a convent too on a different island. 

But recently, while reading an article, I have discovered this church is also known as they say here rest some of Saint Nicholas's relics. According to the story and to most recent studies, the church in Bari would own most of the relics of the Saint but Venice would still own a few of the fragmented bones left by the people of Bari. In their expedition, in 1087, they looted most of the bones of the Saint. However, being in a hurry, they left some behind for the Venetians... And when the Venetians left for their First Crusade, in 1099, and stopped at Myra, in the Church of Saint Nicholas they would have found a copper urn containing some of the left over fragmented bones. As it always happens, there was disagreement about where the relics should be kept and in the end it was decided to keep them in Lido as here there was already a church dedicated to Saint Nicholas.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MerryOldSanta.jpg

For centuries Bari and Venice have been rivals as they both claim to possess the real relics of the Saint. The figure of Saint Nicholas, is important also because it has probably inspired the figure of Santa Claus. Nicholas was a rich and kind man living in the fourth century AD in Myra in Asia Minor (today called Turkey), who had become a bishop and was always helping the poor. There are several stories about him but the most famous is the one of the poor man with three daughters. His three girls could not get married as the family was so poor they could not have a dowry. One night, Nicholas would have dropped a bag of gold down the chimney and into the house for the first daughter. The bag would have obviously fallen into a stocking that had left to dry by the fireplace! The same would have happened for the second daughter. Therefore the curious dad would then have secretly waited impatient to discover who he should thank and he would have seen Nicholas. Even though he was begged not to reveal the fact, the secret was revealed and every time somebody would get a secret gift people would say it had been thanks to Saint Nicholas. He became popular because of his reputation as a bringer of gifts often in shoes or boots. He inspired both the figure of the American Santa Claus and the British Father Christmas. Saint Nicholas is celebrated on December 6 in many European countries and also in many other areas in the world.

http://www.biography.com/people/st-nicholas-204635

On the footsteps of Casanova

ON THE FOOTSTEPS OF CASANOVA IN VENICE

1. CAMPO SAN GIOVANNI E PAOLO

Among Casanova's many love affairs, one of the most famous is his relationship with two nuns from the convent of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Murano. First he had an affair with Caterina Capretta. She was his lover before her dad sent her to the convent. He used to walk with her in the gardens on the Giudecca's island and made love to her calling her "his wife". But during his visits to the convent in Murano, he met the second nun, M.M.. M.M. came from a very noble family and therefore Casanova tried to protect her identity. M.M. was probably Marina Morosini, Caterina's older friend and the French Ambassador's lover. Casanova and M.M.'s first private meeting took place in Campo San Giovanni e Paolo. This big campo is flanked by the great church of San Giovanni e Paolo (which is a sort of doges' mausoleum) and the monumental entrance of the main public hospital in Venice (which was once the Great Scuola di San Marco). In the middle of the square, behind the equestrian statue of the famous mercenary Bartolomeo Colleoni, is where the two met.

It was a cold night and Casanova got at the meeting point one hour before their appointment. A two-oared gondola finally reached the shore of the canal and a man in a mask came out of it and walked towards the statue. Casanova regretted not having brought his pistols. The person in the mask walk towards him with outstretched hands and finally Casanova realised that behind the mask dressed as a man was his "angel", M.M.. They walked together towards St. Mark's Square to the casino near St. Moses Theatre that Casanova had rented for the special occasion. M.M. Was graceful and elegant. She wore "a coat of rosy velvet, embroidered with gold spangles, a vest to match, embroidered likewise in the richest fashion, breeches of black satin, diamond buckles, a solitaire of great value on her little finger, and on the other hand a ring" and "her black lace mask was remarkable for its fineness and the beauty of the design". In her pockets there were "a gold-snuff box, a sweetmeat-box adorned with pearls, a gold case, a splendid opera-glass, handkerchiefs of the finest Cambridge, soaked rather than perfumed with the most precious essences", two beautiful watches, chains, trinkets, brilliant with diamonds and an English pistol "of fine steel, and of the most beautiful finish".

From Chapter XVII, The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt 1725-1798, Complete.

Sulle tracce di Casanova a Venezia...

Seduttore, scrittore, viaggiatore, abate, musicista, giocatore d'azzardo, spia, massone...Casanova e' davvero un personaggio interessante.  

Nacque a Venezia il 2 aprile 1725 da una famiglia di attori (o forse da una attrice, visto che secondo alcuni sarebbe figlio del nobile Grimani). Originario della zona di San Samuele, in una casa vicina a Palazzo Malipiero, inCalle della Commedia, ora chiamata Calle Malipiero. Passò la sua infanzia con la nonna Marcia in Corte delle Muneghe e frequentò una casa vicina di una maestra di ricamo dove si innamorò di Angela Tosello. Angela era la nipote di Padre Tosello e  viveva in una casa sempre vicino, dietro il teatro, in Calle Nani e occasionalmente stava dalla Signora Orio, con Nanetta e Marta Savorgnan (nipoti della Orio) sue parenti e amiche, nella sua casa dietro alla chiesa, in Salidas San Samuele. Proprio in questa casa, in una camera al quarto piano, si consumò il primo rapporto sessuale di Giacomo con le due sorelle Savorgnan. Sempre in questa zona, nella Chiesa di San Samuele si sposarono i suoi genitori. Qui fu battezzato, prendeva parte alla messa, prese i primi quattro ordini minori (1740), recitò il suo primo sermone e fallì nel tentativo di un secondo svenendo o facendo finta di svenire per celare il fatto che aveva bevuto e non aveva ben preparato il discorso...

Divenne amico del Senatore Malipiero, suo vicino di casa, ed era spesso ospite a cena nel suo palazzo. Dal giardino del palazzo s'invaghì della diciasettenne Teresa Imer, vicina di casa di Malipiero, già oggetto del desiderio dell'anziano Senatore con la quale molti anni dopo, nel 1753, ebbe un figlio. (Il palazzo di Teresa dava sulla Corte della Duca Sforza).

Nelle vicinanze, al Teatro di San Samuele, di proprietà del Grimani, Giacomo divenne suonatore di violino.
Tra i suoi luoghi preferiti a Venezia, vi erano il caffè Florian in Piazza San Marco e il casino del Ridotto in Calle Vallaresso. A Rialto, amava frequentare la taverna dei Do Mori e de Le Poste Vecie in Campo delle Beccarie.
Dopo esser diventato amico di Matteo Bragadin (avendogli salvato la vita dopo una festa a San Polo a Palazzo Soranzo,1746), visse nel Palazzo della famiglia Bragadin (Castello 6041) nei pressi di Campo Santa Marina e divenne amico di altri due  sue amici, Marco Dandolo e Marco Barbaro, con i quali condivideva un interesse nella cabala. 
In Campo San Maurizio, a Palazzo Bellavite, averva un altro amico, il famoso poeta erotico Giorgio Baffo, il quale era stato anche amico di suo padre e aveva iniziato Giacomo all'idea dei piaceri della vita.
Probabilmente, lo iniziò a tali piaceri fin troppo bene...Infatti, nonstante un altro tentativo di intraprendere la carriera ecclesiastica e di vivere nel Seminario di San Cipriano a Murano, venne arrestato e imprigionato aSant'Andrea (1743). Anni dopo, nel 1754, in un casino a Murano, ebbe una relazione segreta a triangolo con due suore del convento di Santa Maria degli Angeli, Caterina Capretta e 'M.M.'(il cui protettore era l'ambasciatore francese de Bernis).

Altri luoghi veneziani di Casanova:

- I magazzini in Campo San Stefano e Sant'Angelo dove con gli altri musicisti beveva malvasia e si ubriacava. Una notte, arrivarono fino al punto di dissacrare il monumento alla guerra in mezzo a Campo Sant'Angelo.

- Calle del Carbon a San Luca dove visse in una stanza economica col fratello (1745)

- i giardini della Giudecca dove passeggiò con la sua innamorata Caterina Capretta e fece l'amore con lei chiamandola 'moglie'

- la Chiesa di San Canzian dove nei confessionali Giacomo incontrava Laura e le dava lettere per la sua amata Caterina che lei portava di nascosto in convento a Murano 

- Santi Giovanni e Paolo davanti alla statua di Bartolomeo Colleoni dove incontrava 'M.M.'

- Calle Luigi Torrelli (dietro Santa Maria dei Derelitti) dove visse prima che quasi quaranta uomini venissero ad arrestarlo il 26 luglio del 1755

- Il café nel Campiello San Zulian dove prendeva parte attiva in dibattiti pubblici con Zorzi

- I Piombi da dove fuggì 

Carnival - The Feast of the Maries

This celebration was born long before the beginning of the celebrations of the Carnevale and it is the oldest celebration in Venice. It is connected with an episode happened on the day of the Feast of the Purification of Mary. On that day, in the Church of San Pietro di Castello, the bishop would bless marriages and in particular those of the twelve brides chosen amongst the poorer families of Venice. During the ceremony the wealthy patricians of Venice gifted the twelve poor maidens with donations. The brides, in white dresses, wore jewels and gold lent them by the State. After the blessing and the lavish wedding, the brides received the homage of the Doge at the Doge Palace and attended the banquet. Later, on the Bucintoro they followed the Canal Grande to the Church of Santa Maria Formosa fore more celebrations. In 934 on this occasion the Venetians brides were kidnapped by Narentine pirates along with their dowries and jewels. The outraged Venetians chased the pirates and nearby the port of Caorle they slaughtered the lot and saved the brides. In honour of the brides the port where they were saved is still called the 'Port of the Maidens'. La Festa delle Marie (the Feast of the Maries) commemorates the victory which was attributed to the intercession of Mary. Originally, the feast consisted of a boat parade taking the twelve most beautiful girls in Venice sumptuously dressed along the Canals. They would take part in religious functions, dances, music and refreshments. The city admired their beauty and considered being near them to bring good luck. Eventually, over the centuries, the spirit of the feast was undermined, the ceremony lost its original religious importance and turn into a mere opportunity to admire the beautiful girls. In 1349 the girls were therefore replaced by twelve wooden figures which became targets for the unhappy citizens to throw vegetables.  The celebration was then suppressed in 1793. The ancient festival was reintroduced in recent times and it is celebrated during the Carnevale, with the election, on the last day, of the Maria of the Year.

Burano's legends...

Molto interessanti sono alcune leggende che riguardano l'isola tra cui quella sull'origine dei colori vivaci delle case. Si dice che i colori così diversi servissero ai pescatori di ritorno a casa per riconoscere immediatamente da lontano la propria dimora. Secondo altri, invece, avrebbero significato che le case non erano state colpite dalla peste o dal colera, infatti in quei casi venivano disinfetttate dalle pestilenze con la calce che le rendeva bianchissime.

Un'altra leggenda affascinante è quella sull'origine del merletto. Si racconta che un pescatore promesso sposo fosse riuscito a resistere al richiamo delle sirene e avesse ricevuto in dono dalla loro regina per la sua straordinaria fedeltà un velo nuziale creato dalla schiuma del mare. Tale velo indossato dalla sua sposa venne talmente ammirato dalle giovani dell'isola che queste incominciarono a tentare di imitarlo tramite il ricamo creando dei bellissimi merletti. 

Altre leggende riguardano i santi protettori. Una di queste racconta che intorno alll'anno Mille fu ritrovata una grossa cassa di pietra galleggiante che quattro fanciulli riuscirono a portare a riva. Dentro si trovarono i corpi di Sant'Albano, di San Domenico e San Orso e un barilotto di vino, il "bottazzo di Sant'Albano". Quest'ultimo fu ritenuto miracoloso e fu rubato dai Muranesi invidiosi ma purtroppo nessun miracolo avvenne e il bottazzo si trova ancor'oggi nella chiesa di San Donato di Murano nella speranza che avvenga il miracolo...

Infine, un'altra legenda che riguarda sempre Sant'Albano, uno dei santi protettori di Burano, racconta che i Buranelli fossero stati beffati da un gioielliere il quale aveva chiesto loro tutti gli ori che possedevano per fonderli e creare un braccio d'oro come reliquiario per i resti di Sant'Albano. Il braccio che consegnò, creduto d'oro massiccio, avrebbe però poi col caldo fatto fuoriuscire una sostanza nera, probabilmente pece, rivelando così l'inganno! 

My articles on Italia! Magazine

Articles 

8 - 48 hours in Vicenza

http://www.italytravelandlife.com/2015/09/italia-october-issue-on-sale-now/

7- Sicily September issue 130 http://www.italytravelandlife.com/2015/08/italia-september-issue-on-sale-now/

6- July issue 128 - 48 hours in Treviso 

http://www.italytravelandlife.com/2015/06/italia-july-issue-on-sale-now/

4 & 5 -June issue 127 - On the footsteps of Casanova and 48 hours in Padova http://www.italytravelandlife.com/2015/05/italia-june-issue-on-sale-now/ 

http://www.italytravelandlife.com/2015/09/48-hours-in-padua/ 

http://www.italytravelandlife.com/2015/11/in-the-footsteps-of-casanova/  

- Italia! Guide. Venice - Veneto & Beyond (3 articles - 114, 118, 123). www.italytravelandlife.com/2015/04/italia-venice-guide-is-on-sale-now/

3- issue 123 HIDDEN VENICE

http://www.italytravelandlife.com/2015/01/italia-issue-123-sale-now/ http://www.italytravelandlife.com/2015/06/hidden-venice/ 

2- issue 118 Venice Eat Like a Local 

https://mobile.twitter.com/italiamag/status/499915413950853120 http://www.italytravelandlife.com/2015/09/eat-like-a-local-in-venice/

1- issue 114 Venice Carnival 2014 http://www.italytravelandlife.com/2014/04/venice-carnivale/ and

http://www.italytravelandlife.com/2014/04/italia-issue-114-on-sale-10-april-2014

'El Paron de Casa' or 'The Master of the House'

The highest bell tower in Venice, St. Mark's Campanile, is one of Venice's most recognisable landmarks and it is so important and so loved by Venetians that they call it 'el paron de casa' (the master of the house). For Venetians the Campanile is a friend and a symbol. In 1902 when it collapsed it was necessary to rebuild it 'com'era e dov'era' (how it was and where it was). The Campanile is almost 100 metres high and according to a legend Venetians have never allowed - not in Venice nor in the nearby villages - the constrution of a higher tower. On top of the Campanile is a golden statue of the Archangel Gabriel which rotates with the wind. When the angel faces the Basilica for the Venetians is the sign that there will be 'acqua alta' (high water).

  The initial IX century construction  built in this site was possibly a lighthouse later replaced by a clock tower. Throughout the centuries it was renovated and rebuilt numerous times and it assumed its present apparence at the beginning of the XVI century with the addition of the upper structure - the belfry, the attic and the turntable with the golden statue of Garbriel (Bartolomeo Bon the Younger is responsible for these additions). The Loggetta del Sansovino, the highly decorated podium at the entrance at the entrance of the Campanile, was completed in 1549. Born as the meeting place for Venice nobility it was soon turn into a guardhouse for the Arsenale workmen who protected the area while the Maggior Consiglio was sitting. It later served more humble functions and at the end of XVIII it even served as the room in which the state lottery was drawn! 

Almost as famous as the Campanile are its five bells. Each had a distinctive function. The 'Marangona', the largest, tolled the beginning and the end of the working day for the Arsenalotti, the 'Trottiera' called the members of the Maggior Consiglio to the council chamber, the 'Nona' rang midday, the 'Mezza Terza' proclaimed a session of the Senate and the smallest, called the 'Renghiera' or the 'Maleficio', announced the executions.

Amongst the famous personalities who have been up the Campanile, they say that in 1452 the Austrian emperor Frederick III climbed up the stairs of the Campanile on his horse and in 1609 Galileo demonstrated his telescope to the Doge Antonio Priuli. 

Into the world of Venetian elegance and luxury...

If you want to understand the world of elegance and luxury in which Venetian patricians lived in the XVIII century you will definitely need to visit Palazzo Mocenigo at San Stae. It is a very pleasant and relaxing experience. You will be standing under great ceiling frescos, admiring a fine selection of costumes and accessories but also furniture and valuable artworks. Mannequins dressed in XVIII century clothing recreate the period atmosphere and seem to take life in this environment surrounded by precious furnishings and paintings, lace and embroidery. You can observe the evolution of fashion and the analogies with the changes in the furniture, you can smell samples of perfumes bases and touch the raw materials. All senses will be involved and you will be transported back to the XVIII century. On the first floor, there are some very intersting rooms - a small room containing 56 waistcoats, a reconstruction of a laboratory of the perfume maker, a library with old books on fashion and beauty and a room where you can sit down and watch a very entertaining short film about the history of perfume (which is shown in different languages).

The Palazzo Mocenigo is a building of Gothic origin rebuilt at the beginning of the XVII century. It was one of the residences of one of the most prestigious families of the Venetian Patriciate that originated 7 Dogi between 1414 and 1778. The palace is the seat of the Study Centre of the History of Fabrics and Costumes and it contains a library specialising in history of fabrics, costumes and fashion.