The Venice Blog

Without any doubts, the pasticceria Tonolo, located in Dorsoduro 3764 in Crosera San Pantalon, is one of the best pastry makers in Venice, and their cakes and baìcoli as well as their fine caffè is very popular not only with Venetians. Now, the pasticceria turned 120, and the current owner Franco Tonolo celebrated his 70th birthday on October, 24. The Venice Blog congratulates!

On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the November 04, 1966 flood, which did not only destroy numerous works of art in Florence, but also led to a severe damages in Venice, the Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti organized a encounter entitled 1966-2006 - Memorie dell’alluvione, which took place at Palazzo Franchetti on October 24. Mayor Massimo Cacciari was not seen. The Venetian section of Italia Nostra issued the text “La lenta agonia di Venezia” by Indro Montanelli.
Despite the concise and informative lectures of Lady Frances Clarke (Venice in Peril) on the work of the private committees for the safeguarding of Venice, and professor Francesco Valcanover, former head of the Soprintendenza and contemporary witness, the event could not fully satisfy. While three old documentaries where shown, virtually no relationship to current problems was established.

Jonathan Kipkorir Kosgei won the 21st Venice Marathon in 2:10:18. In great final battle, the Kenyan only had a lead of three seconds over the Italian Alberico di Cecco. Another Kenyan, Paul Lokira, won the third prize with 2:11:00, while the Italian Migidio Bourifa (2:11:09) became 4th. This year, the annual event took place on October 22. The marathon started near Strà, in front of the baroque Villa Pisani or Villa Nazionale, and ended on St. Mark’s square in Venice.

(Reported by the Gazzettino on Oct. 23)

(Reported by the Gazzettino on Oct. 21 and 22)

Francesco Guardi: The Bucintoro on its way to the Lido

The Bucintoro - a gilded ship used by the Doges to celebrate every year the symbolic marriage of Venice with the sea - was spoiled by Napoleon’s troops after the fall of the Republic of Venice and finally destroyed in the late 1820s. Miraculously, some fragments have survived. Every now and then, Venice discusses a reconstruction of the Doges’ sumptuous ship, but in the first days of October 2006, the possible creation of a dedicated foundation, financed by the local casino and others, made its way to the press. But not everyone wants the Bucintoro back. In today’s Gazzettino, Saverio Pastor, head of Felze, a association of gondola builders and related professionals, argued against the reconstruction, since the construction (traditional or modern?) as well as the locomotion of the ship remain totally unclear. In the days of the Republic of Venice, 168 men powered the 42 oars. As no one is willing to play the role of galley slaves today, a new Bucintoro would just be another motif for tourists, but no cultural gain for Venetians. Other spokesmen would prefer a reconstruction of a merchant vessel, preferredly from the “Golden Days” of 16th century Venice, to be shown in the future marine museum in the Arsenal.

As I just found on this german real estate site, the 15th century gothic Palazzo Widmann Barozzi, vis-à-vis of the Salute church, adjacent to the famous Palazzo Contarini Fasan and decorated with fine 18th century frescoes by Antonio Visentini and others, is for sale. The property consists of a 632 m² apartment located in the 2nd floor, a 150 m² Grand Canal entrance and a exclusive garden. However, the price of 12 million Euro is exaggerated even for a palace in this position.

The German Richard Wagner, born in 1813, composer of great operas such as Tristan and Isolde, Parsifal and Siegfried, lived for several years in Venetian palaces, such as the Palazzo Giustinian, and died on February 13, 1883 in his apartment in the Palazzo Vendramin Calergi. A plaque on the garden wall commemorates the artist. Today, the palace is used by the Casino of Venice, which now plans to transfer its offices to a nearby 16th century house in order to install a museum in the mezzanine floor. According to the press release made during the 12th Giornate Wagneriane, the museum shall open in summer 2007 and be used for regular concerts as well.

Having had the opportunity to watch the annual historic regata (September 3, 2006) from some friends’ apartment in the piano nobile of a Grand Canal palace, and having finally had the time to scan the film (yes, I’m old-fashioned), I thought I share some pictures with you:

Gondola race

Nine of the 13 buildings included in the so-called cartolarizzazione 2005 have now been auctioned. With the cartolarizzazione, the city of Venice intends to sell the family heirlooms in order to reconstruct their finances. The most important of the building was the 16th century Palazzo Nani with somptuous 17th and 18th century interior decoration, located near the train station and acquired by the Alfaveneta group for 18,5 million Euro. Lagunare S.p.A. acquired the palaces Zaguri (10,6 million €) and Costa (7,8 million €), while the Palazzo Bonfadini with its 19th century interior frescoes was bought by Vettore s.r.l. for 9,5 million €.
The Venice blog fears that most of the buildings share the fate of other palaces, being converted into hotels without respecting the exigences of preservation.

In the occasion of the Venice film biennale in last september, Microsoft boss William Henry Gates chartered a luxury motorboat. Few days before his arrival, he sent a employee to Venice to check the boat and some routes in the lagoon. But a carabinieri patrol stopped the vehicle and sequestrated it, accusing the driver of pursuing a abusive transportation service. Now, the case went public: the boat owner’s attorney claims that the contract of charter has been regularly disposed at the port office and the municipal administration. For several weeks, he has been trying to get the boat being restituted.