Beautiful Doors of Venice seen during a Mediterranean Cruise

This Blog is a continuation of my previous 2 Cruise Blog on doors in Europe.  Venice was our last Port Of Call and as it is such a unique place it warranted its own Blog. We sailed into Venice at 6.30 am through the Guidecca Canal passing the top end of the Grand Canal, down the water front with views of the Piazza San Marco, the Doge’s Palace before docking at the cruise Port of Venice. The sight was incredible and still reminiscent of the paintings by Canaletto, which I was privileged to see in York some years ago.

Venice is incomparable with other areas of Italy as the early settlers to this area virtually abandoned the mainland when they began living on the isolated islands (the largest wetlands in the Mediterranean). Eventually the Lagoon’s waterways and deep canals advanced the economy of Venice through the spice trade. This connection influenced the architecture of Venice resulting in a fusion of styles such as the Byzantine, Islamic blended with the Latin Christian symbolism and detailing.

St. Marks Cathedral has mosaics and a floor plan influenced by a Byzantine church in Constantinople along with canopies and domes, reminiscent of minarets, display an Islamic style. The Doge’s palace façade is a great work of Venetian Gothic architecture with Islamic elements in the numerous arches along with narrow profile windows more an example of early Christian Gothic.

The Doge’s palace was the residency of all the Venetian Doge and the seat of government and a court, with cells below connected by the famous Bridge of Sighs. I was amazed by the beautiful timber doors and panelling some of which held secret door openings to other chambers and pathways to cells.

The Four Doors Room is a formal antechamber to the most important rooms in the Palace the four gigantic doors are framed with ornate decoration formed from precious Marble from the East. Each door is decorated with symbolic details to inspire those who had been elected to the Venetian government. A notable work of art on a wall in this room is by Titian depicting the Doge Antonio Grimani (1521-1523).

The timber doors supplied by Doorsan may not be as ornate as those in the Four Rooms in the Doge’s Palace but will certainly make a statement to your interiors.