Where is it?
The sestiere of Castello is located to the east of Venice, bordered by the sestiere of San Marco and begins after the bridge of the straw in Riva degli Schiavoni.
It is a very large and characteristic sestiere. The oldest in Venice. Castello is also the only one of the Venetian sestieri not to overlook the grand Canal. In fact, the grand Canal ends in San Marco, in its basin, then castle overlooks the lagoon.
How to arrive
To get to the sestiere of Castello if you arrive by plane or by train it is better to take the vaporetto:
Marco Polo Airport: 55 minutes by vaporetto or bus without traffic
Piazzale Roma Bus Station: 25 minutes by Vaporetto
Santa Lucia train station: 28 minutes by Vaporetto
St. Mark’s Square: walking distance
Arsenal/Venice Biennale: within walking distance
Giardini/Venice Biennale: Walking distance
What to eat
In Castello area there are many taverns and places to eat well:
The ridotto
The Corte Sconta
Portego
Where to stay
Our apartments are spacious and very bright. We suggest someone:
Bragora. Elegant and luxurious apartment on the first floor.
Ca ‘ del Moro. Furnished and finely restored
Guardi. It has a court in front of a spacious garden and this guarantees the quietness of the Silence
The story
In ancient times the sestiere was named Olivolo and was the seat of the first Venetian diocese and its cathedral, that of St. Peter. Around the year 1000, Rialto had assumed the role of business district, San Marco of center of Civil Power, Olivolo-Castello represented, as well as the seat of the bishop, the industrial and port area of the nascent Venice.
It was literally vital for the Serenissima the arsenal of Venice, now owned by the Navy, Strategic center of its power and very important factory of ships. This huge complex occupies a significant portion of the sestiere and roughly one-sixth of the entire area of the insular City nucleus.
In the side facing the southern part of the lagoon is the Riva degli Schiavoni, named after the Dalmatian merchants, then called Schiavonia, who moored their ships here and carried out their trades.
During the 20th century, during the fascist period, the shipyards were demolished, which faced the section between via Garibaldi and the gardens of the Biennale to create an ideal extension of Riva degli Schiavoni, originally called ” The Empire’s shore. ” Today this section is called the Riva of the seven martyrs, in memory of a tragic episode of reprisal against the partisans by the German occupation troops that occurred at this point during the Second World War.
To see
Interesting to visit are:
Naval History Museum
Formerly the seat of the granaries of the Republic, it currently houses the maritime memories of Venice
Church of San Francesco della Vigna
The construction of this church had been consequent to the donation of the land made to the Franciscan friars by Marco Ziani, son of the Doge Pietro, in 1253. The church was then rebuilt on a project by Jacopo Sansovino, while the elegant façade is the work of Andrea Palladio.
Church of Visitation or piety
So called because it is located next to the old orphanage, just in Calle della Pieta. It was renovated in ‘ 700 by Giorgio Massari.
Church of San Zaccaria
Originally stood beside the monastery of the Benedictines (then suppressed with the Napoleonic edicts) reserved for all those young patricians monks, as was the custom of the time, even without vocation, so much so that, taking into account the Benedictine rule, the Habit of life was rather permissive. The church, founded in the 9th century, underwent several remakes, so as to assume various architectural styles that can still be observed today. The bell tower dates back to the 10th century. The most notable intervention occurred in 1458, ending with the imposing façade by the Codussi
Church of Santa Maria Formosa
Desired, according to legend, by St. Magnus, it was rebuilt in the 11th century and then rebuilt on previous foundations in 1492, keeping the primitive plant at the Greek cross. The church is located in one of the most picturesque fields of Venice, surrounded by private buildings, of different eras.
Palazzo Querini Stampalia
of Renaissance style, it preserves interior furnishings and antique paintings of great quality and a rich library.
Basilica of San Giovanni e Paolo
Built in 1368, the grandiose Gothic building with basilical plant has five apses archiacute. It is the pantheon of Venice, because it houses the tombs of twenty-five doges, leaders and illustrious men of the Serenissima, whose remains rest in sumptuous sepulchres. In addition, a great polyptych by Giovanni Bellini adorns the altar of St. Vincent Ferrer and a altarpiece by Lorenzo Lotto depicts the alms of San Antonino.
Scuola Grande di San Marco, now seat of the Civil Hospital of Venice, was one of the six brotherhoods of devotion with tasks of assistance and mercy towards the weakest. The precious façade dates back to the late XV-early sixteenth century, and is the work of Pietro Lombardo and Mauro Codussi, two of the greatest Renaissance architects who worked in Venice. Of great effect are the two perspective frames with images “trompe l’oeil”, and depicting two lions that seem to guard the main door.