Features of the ‘Formosa’ Walk in Castello (see also the image gallery below)

The Formosa walk is short but has several intriguing points of interest that are rich in history.  It is a ‘high payoff’ walk, offering many points of interest for the distance covered (other high payoff walks include Goldoni (1), Vivaldi (9), Pescaria (4), and San Polo (5)).  Group this walk with Miracoli and Pescaria for an inner-city, compact walk (total distance = 4.3 km and 70+ points of interest).

You will be starting this walk amongst a group of bridges that lead into Campiello Querini Stampalia (the walk connects nicely with Walk #9 Vivaldi).  This is virtually at the first point of interest, the Fondazione Querini Stampalia (No. 5252).  The building is a rare example of a patrician palazzo and the former family home of the Querini, who had supported the coup led by Bajamonte Tiepolo.  For this they were banished from Venice to the mainland.  They would not return to the city until a century later.  The collection inside has over 400 works from Venetian, Italian and Flemish artists dating back as far as the 14^th century.  There are simply too many interesting and significant works to be listed here.  There is a substantial collection of scenes from Venetian life by various artists.  One such example is Gabriele Bella who was ‘a lesser-known Venetian artist, who drew on the work of engravers for his inspiration.  His use of colour and the variety of his scenes offer glimpses into the rhythms of Venetian public life in the 18th century’ (Venice in Peril).  The Venice in Peril project funded conservation of 13 of the original 67 paintings in the original collection.  His painting of the battle between the rival factions (the Castellani and the Nicolotti) on Ponte Santa Fosca illustrates the types of fights on the ponte pugni in various parts of the city (see for example POI #16 on Walk #13.  Good articles explaining this are here, here and here).  The Querini Stampalia is an example of a museum in the city that is lesser known but well worth the visit, especially when the crowds around San Marco or the Doge’s Palace become intolerable (see also Ca’ Rezzonico, Palazzo Mocenigo and Pinoteca Manfrediniana).

The next point of interest in the important and fascinating church of Santa Maria Formosa.  The church is at the centre of a somewhat contested story of kidnap and rescue on a grand scale dating back in the 10^th century.  Hugh Douglas writing in ‘Venice on Foot (1907)’ explains:

It was the ancient custom for the Venetian betrothed couples to go to the cathedral of S. Pietro in Castello on the last day of January every year to celebrate their marriages. The girls went dressed in.white, with their hair, which was mixed with golden threads, on their shoulders, and their dowries in small chests called “arcelle”. In the tenth century the exact date is very uncertain some pirates hid themselves over night among the trees, which abounded in the island, and in the morning, during the function, entered the church, and carried off the brides and their dowries, as well as the bridegrooms, and some historians say the bishop and clergy as well … They were followed by the Venetians, who, after having killed them all, returned in triumph to Venice with the rescued brides and their dowries. As the rescue was principally due to the “casselleri,” or casemakers, who had their establishments at S. Maria Formosa, they requested as a recompense that the doge should visit their parish church in state, every year, on the festival of the Purification.

The commemorative procession (Festival of the Marys) did not last, but it was later revived during the Renaissance era by linking the original story of the rescue to the event.  In 1343 the girls were replaced by decorated wooden silhouettes, known as Marioni (‘big Marys’) and small replicas that were believed to have been on sale during the festival were termed ‘little Marys’ or Marionette.  The festival would again lapse in 1379.  The modern version is commemorated during Carnivale and the ‘live’ Marys have returned!  (Sources: Visit Venezia; and Luca’s Italy).

As for the church itself, the building you see today was rebuilt after 1492 and is the latest of several rebuilds since the church was established in the 7^th century.  There are several points of interest around the building itself: (1) POI #3, an especially grotesque Mascherone (these heads were supposed to be able to drive away the devil); (2) The Scuole of the chest-makers and the fruit vendors just to the right of the Mascherone (No. 5268 A/B); and (3) The next façade along shows a Roman styled military leader who is in fact the subject of the façade’s devotion: Vincenzo Capello (d.1541) who was a famous admiral of the Venetian fleet.

Inside the church, look for the Santa Barbara altarpiece by Palma Vecchio (1522).  It is described beautifully in the ‘Churches of Venice’ website:

She stands on a pedestal between cannon and there’s a tower, her attribute, in the background. She is flanked by smaller panels of Saints Sebastian and Anthony Abbot, and they are topped by smaller half-lengths of Saints John the Baptist and Vincent Ferrer. There’s a Pietà in the pediment. Anthony Abbot and Vincent Ferrer carry flames, not their usual attributes. The cannon and flames are there because this is the altar dedicated to the Scuola di Bombardieri (artillerymen) whose patron saint is Barbara. This scuola played a prominent part in public processions … because of its spectacular uniforms. … It is claimed to be the last great polyptych commissioned for a Venetian church, as the form was by then falling out of fashion. The marble framing is 18th century. On the altar below is a carved relief showing her lying on the ground with her head unattached, because she’s just been decapitated by her father.

Moving on, we soon arrive at the decorative gothic arch at the northern end of Calle del Paradiso.  The calle itself is a good example of the barbacani or wooden corbels that protrude from the floors above the street, providing a few extra square centimetres of space in the floors above, such a valued commodity in a city where land is scarce.  At the end of the calle, turning right brings us to some more historical architecture (13^th/14^th century), notably on the Salizada San Lio at numbers 5690 (at Calle del Volto) and 5662 (at Calle de le Vele).

A short diversion now takes us past the former home of Antonio Canal (‘Canaletto’ 1697-1768).  His father (Bernardo) was a painter.  After working in Rome for some time he returned to Venice and by the early 1720’s he received commissions from various foreign patrons.  He is best known for his ‘view’ paintings, and this provided him with a good income.  Most of the demand for his paintings was from tourists and his works did not earn the respect that many of his predecessors did.  In 1762, George III of England purchased a large collection of his paintings (50 paintings and 142 drawings).  He has left a significant body of work and provided us with near-photographic records of various scenes around the city.  Others following in his genre of painting included his nephew Bernardo Bellotto, as well as Gabriele Bella and Francesco Guardi.

For the next stage of the journey, move beyond Canaletto’s house and watch for the sotoportego (Licini) on the right – this will lead you through a couple of courtyards, a twist and a turn and you are at the campo and church of Santa Maria della Fava.  The completed church is a relative newcomer to the city, with the foundation stone being laid in 1705.  The building you see today was completed in 1753.  The origins of the church are earlier, having been a wooden chapel used to house an icon of the Virgin Mary placed on the site of the present church by the Amadi family in 1480.  Access to the church is limited at the present time.  Inside you will find works by Tiepolo, Piazzetta (he is also buried in this church) and sculptures by Il Torretto, Canova’s teacher.  The original icon housed in the wooden chapel remains here too.

The next stop is the church of San Lio.  Thought to have been founded in the 9^th century, rebuilt in the 16^th century, consecrated in 1619 and restored in 1783.  The vera da pozzo in the campo out the front is dated 1572.  Inside, look for the Palma il Giovane ‘Dead Christ Sustained by Angels’ (1615) in the main altar.  There is also Titian’s Saint James the Apostle (c.1565).  Antonio Canaletto (1697-1768) is buried here.

The next leg of the journey can be tricky to navigate.  Leave the campo in the north and keep going that way until you reach what appears to be a dead-end, at which you will find Osteria Portego (POI #12).  You can continue around to the small courtyard on the left, or take a right then a left to reach your next destination, Campo Santa Marina.  Here you will find an excellent Pasticceria, a quaint campo and an interesting palazzo.  The next palazzo is just after you exit the campo, POI #16 Palazzo Pisani e Santa Maria, where we transit briefly through the sestiere of Cannaregio – look to the right as you cross the bridge.

We now head eastwards toward one of the great basilicas of the city: dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo (aka San Zanipolo).  Each of the high-profile basilicas in the city is distinctive in some way.  This one has a large number of funerary monuments dedicated to former Doges (see samples in the gallery) and condottieri (hired guns).  Both Gentile and Giovanni Bellini are also buried here.  Naturally, it has a fine assemblage of art and inspiring decorative elements!  It also happens to be the largest church in the city.

Before entering the church, there are some things to explore in the campo.  For example, locate the large ornately decorated and interesting vera da pozzo.  The equestrian statute is dedicated to Bartolomeo Colleoni (1481-96) and was designed by Florentine sculptor Andrea Verrocchio, and cast by Alessandro Leopardi.  His efforts helped the Venetian empire expand on the mainland during the second half of the 15^th century.  Finally, just over the Ponte Cavallo on the eastern edge of the campo there is a fine doorway decoration.  POI #21 or #22 will be worth a visit depending on the time of day and how long you would like to rest if that is tempting at this point of the walk.

We now move on to the church itself (this description doesn’t pay justice to this storied church, so additional links are provided).  The church was built on land owned by the Doge Jacopo Tiepolo gifted to the Dominicans in 1234 (his sarcophagus is in here).  Construction commenced in 1343 and the church was consecrated in 1430.  The portal is partly the work of Bartolomeo Bon and was built between 1459-1464.  Besides the paintings by artists such as Giovanni Bellini (look for the Vincent Ferrer polyptych with original frame), Paolo Veronese (ceiling canvasses moved here in 1919 from another church) and Lorenzo Lotto, look out for the sculpture adorning the funerary monuments and tombs, including works by Pietro Lombardi.  See also Churches of Venice.

Continuing on there is a diversion to the church of Santa Maria Derelitti to see the Tiepolos and the façade which seemed to offend John Ruskin during his review of Venetian architecture (‘The most monstrous example of the Grotesque renaissance which there is in Venice; the sculptures on its façade representing masses of diseased figures and swollen fruit’).

On return, watch out for Corte Veniera on the left, our portal to the return journey which will terminate back in Campo Santa Maria Formosa.  On the way through, admire the building that seems to float in the ‘floating city’, with water on three sides (Palazzo Tette).  Further on, spend time in the intriguing bookstore Libreria Acqua Alta.  Something in there for everyone, we suspect!

The walk finishes back at the campo as promised, with a fine palazzo awaiting (Vitturi at 5246) and the house of Doge Sebastiano Venier (at No. 6129), the hero of the Battle of Lepanto which was a naval encounter that took place between the two sworn enemies – the Turks and the Venetians – in 1571.  There are two additional palazzos that round out what is a very handsome campo indeed – Palazzo Dona at No. 6123 and Palazzo Priuli Ruzzini at No. 5866.  If you are facing the Ruzzini, remember to smile for the webcam.