Venice has always had to live with the water that surrounds it, and with the erosion that it causes, especially on the shores. That is why the latter are protected by white Istrian stone.
In many cases entire areas of the lagoon have been filled in order to enlarge the building zones.
Before starting to build the palazzi that line the canals, the Venetians drove wooden piles into the ground to make it more solid.
As you can read in the Atlante storico della Serenessima,”The foundations of all of the buildings are made of very strong oak piles, which last eternally under water… These are driven firmly into the ground in dense groups, then blocked with large crosspieces and the space between them is filled with fragments of stone and cement, which solidify them into firm, stable foundations.”
These are then covered with a layer of thick planks and blocks of Istrian stone. From here they began to raise the foundation walls. In other words, it’s as if Venice were built atop an upside-down forest.
The buildings had to adapt to this unstable terrain, this is one of the reasons why the buildings in Venice are extremely flexible, and therefore able to adapt to the movements of the ground. The walls of the buildings overlooking the canals are mainly perimeter walls; the facades, in fact, are not bearing walls at all, which is why they can be so full of decorative openings—such as the characteristic windows—which allow light into the rooms and halls of these historic palazzi.
Strolling down the small side streets, you’re sure to have noticed some walls that swell outwards or tilt inwards. This happens because they are built in such a way that the walls don’t open outwards but rather, to prevent sagging, tend to lean towards the roof. The floors of the buildings are also made of wood, a lightweight and flexible material, and attached to the walls with metal ties, so that these horizontal structures work against the outward collapse of masonry elements.
So, where did all of this wood come from?
The Cansiglio forest was always part of the Repubblica Serenissima (Most Serene Republic of Venice), which needed to preserve productive and efficient forests in order to supply timber to the Venetian Arsenal for the construction of oars for Venice’s famed galleys.
As is mentioned in the Atlante storico della Serenissima, the oak came from the areas around Treviso, Friuli and later also from Istria, while mountain fir and larch came from Valsugana, Bassano and Cadore. The wood was transported via the rivers: the Adige, the Brenta, and the Piave.
The logs were tied together into rafts (zattere) and carried down river to Venice by the current. Here they reached the Fondamenta delle Zattere, where they were then sorted. Some of the logs were taken to Venice’s Arsenal, others to San Biagio and Giudecca, where firewood was stored. Other logs also moved along the shoreline and were carried to where they were needed for construction: “They are mainly used to shore up the land, as for example was done for the bell tower of Saint Mark’s, larch for the big rafts that serve as a foundation: arranging the planks like flooring on the tops of the piers, which are all cut to the same height. Boats require more valuable wood: oak for the woodwork and the edging, larch for the interiors, and fir
for the ship’s masts.”
Venice’s ‘bricole’ are also tree trunks that have been in the lagoon for centuries and contribute to the city’s unique and fascinating identity. Once this wood has aged and eroded, it is replaced and the bricole that have reached the end of their lifecycle are salvaged and reused to create the objects designed by Pieces of Venice. Each one of these objects preserves a ‘piece of Venice’ and travels the world to tell the age-old story of this city, a rich repository of art and culture.
Sources
Images:
Venicewiki
Museo degli Zatterieri del Piave
Texts:
Atlante storico della Serenissima di Giovanni Distefano
As an enthusiast and expert in architectural history, particularly focused on Venetian construction and the city's unique building methods, I'm well-versed in the structural intricacies and historical elements highlighted in the provided article dated February 12, 2020, about Venice's architecture.
The article vividly depicts the challenges Venice faced due to its geographical location and the innovative solutions adopted for construction. It details the protective measures against erosion, the foundation-laying techniques using oak piles and Istrian stone, and the architectural adaptability to the city's unstable terrain. These methods are indeed representative of Venetian construction practices.
Let's break down the concepts and elements discussed in the article:
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Erosion Protection: Venice's proximity to water necessitated protective measures against erosion. White Istrian stone was used to shield shores from erosion caused by the surrounding water.
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Foundation Construction: Venetian buildings were erected on strong oak piles driven into the ground and secured with crosspieces, stone fragments, and cement to create durable foundations. These foundations, resembling an upside-down forest, provided stability in the waterlogged environment.
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Building Adaptability: Venice's unique terrain required adaptive building designs. The flexibility in construction allowed for buildings to accommodate the ground's movements. The walls, mainly perimeter walls, lacked load-bearing capabilities, permitting decorative openings like characteristic windows.
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Construction Materials: Wood, particularly oak from areas around Treviso, Friuli, and Istria, played a crucial role in Venice's construction. It was used for foundations, walls, and floors, offering flexibility and resilience to the structures.
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Timber Transportation: The article mentions the transportation of timber via rivers like the Adige, Brenta, and Piave. Logs were fashioned into rafts and transported downstream to Venice for construction purposes, including the renowned Venetian Arsenal.
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Use of Bricole: Venice's iconic 'bricole' are aged tree trunks within the lagoon, contributing to the city's identity. When these bricole reach the end of their lifecycle, they're replaced, salvaged, and reused in creations that showcase Venice's history and culture.
The sources cited in the article, such as the Atlante storico della Serenissima by Giovanni Distefano, provide essential insights into Venetian construction techniques and historical references integral to understanding the city's architectural heritage.
In essence, Venice's architectural marvels stand as a testament to human ingenuity in adapting to challenging environments, using innovative building techniques that have sustained this iconic city for centuries.
