| The Grand Canal is the main waterway that crosses Venice, dividing it in two. Some of the most beautiful palace, churches and most builiding in the city overlook the Grand Canal, called by the Venetians “Canalazzo”. This outstanding canal, almost 4 km long and 30 by 70 meters wide , forms a reversed S in the heart of the city. It was once the main communication stream between San Marco and the lagoon along with Rialto, and it became, in the XVI century, the place where the Venetian nobility built their lavish homes. The Grand Canal remains today the main artery waterway of Venice. A series of sumptuous Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque palaces, dating from the thirteenth and eighteenth century, overlook this Canal, making a typical gondola ride even more dazzling. |
