When in Venice, in Saint Mark’s Square, the vault of the Library collapsed – The Republic of Venice and the Renaissance architecture

When in Venice, in Saint Mark’s Square, the vault of the Library collapsed – The Republic of Venice and the Renaissance architecture

Venice, Saint Mark’s Square, 1545, December 18th: it was on that night that the vault under construction for the new majestic Library collapsed. It was a blow to the architect Jacopo Sansovino and to his bold ambition to introduce in Venice the architectural magnificence of ancient Rome.

Votive shrines in Venice

Votive shrines in Venice

In Venice there are countless votive shrines that embody local religious worship; they express a feeling of piety that originates in the streets and squares and then embraces the whole city. The shrines tell us stories of joy and pain, of labor and hope, and finally they tell us about the daily life of the people that preceded us on these cobblestone alleyways.