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Location Information:
The
Grand Canal is a canal in Venice,
Italy. It forms one of the major
water-traffic corridors in the city.
Public transport is provided by
water buses and private water taxis,
but many tourists visit it by
gondola.
The Grand Canal banks are lined with
more than 170 buildings, most of
which date to 13th/18th century and
demonstrate the welfare and art
created by the Republic of Venice.
The noble venetian families faced
huge expenses to show off their
richness in suitable palazzos: this
contest reveals the citizens’ pride
and the deep bond with the lagoon.
Amongst the many are the Palazzi
Barbaro, Ca' Rezzonico, Ca' d'Oro,
Palazzo Dario, Ca' Foscari, Palazzo
Barbarigo and to Palazzo Venier dei
Leoni, housing the Peggy Guggenheim
Collection. The churches along the
canal include the basilica of Santa
Maria della Salute. Centuries-old
traditions such as the Historical
Regatta are perpetuated every year
along the Canal.
Because most of the city's traffic
goes along the Canal rather than
across it, only one bridge crossed
the canal until the 19th century,
the Rialto Bridge. There are
currently two more bridges, the
Ponte degli Scalzi and the Ponte
dell'Accademia. A fourth,
controversial bridge (Ponte della
Costituzione) designed by Santiago
Calatrava was recently erected,
connecting the train station to the
vehicle-open area of Piazzale Roma.
As was usual in the past, people can
still take a ferry ride across the
canal at several points by standing
up on the deck of a simple gondola
called traghetto.
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