Silver osella depicting the Bucintoro, year 1727.

The osella was a special commemorative coin, issued every year by the Republic of Venezia (called the Serenissima) and celebrating the most important event of the year. The osella was a personal present of the doge - the chief of the Republic - gifted to the venetian senators. Originally this present was made of five lagoon birds, replaced by the 1521 with a special coin for the corresponding value of the five birds. In venetian dialect infact the meaning of the word osella is right bird! :D

The osella of the year 1727 celebrate the launching of the Bucintoro, a parade's state ship. It was completely gilded and ornated with sculptures. After the fall of the Serenissima, Napoleon scrapped all the gold, removed the sculptures and destined the rough hull advanced of that once was a wonder as a floating prison...

Below there is a drawing (source British Museum) of the same Bucintoro in the Bacino di S. Marco (one of the most important place of the venetian lagoon) by Antonio da Canal, named "Canaletto".

Give a look please to the pictures of this beautiful Bucintoro model at Museo Navale di Venezia
http://www.campiello-venise.com/musee_naval_venise/musee_naval_venise_4.htm

The "Amerigo Vespucci" in the Bacino di San Marco

Since last Tuesday 5th June, 

on the occasion of today's Festa della Marina Militare (Feast of the Italian Navy), 

our beautiful Amerigo Vespucci has been anchored here in Venice!

You can read his history at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_training_ship_Amerigo_Vespucci 

Here you are a photographic report. 

This maritime interest post is dedicated to Luigi A.

Pope Paolo II Barbo's venetian places

The first post of mine is a photographic report about pope Paolo II Barbo's venetian places.

Not far away from Piazza San Marco, between the Chiesa della Pietà and Campo della Bragora, in Castello sestiere (one of the six Venetian district),

on the front of a house there is a commemorative marble tablet, 

remembering that here, once, there were the homes owned by the Barbo's family, 

pope Paolo II (1464 - 1471) 
the well-know antique coin and engraved gem collector, belonged to!

Paul II portrait, oval cast bronze medal
by Cristoforo di Geremia (active in Rome c. 1456 - 1476)

Since few days ago, when I saw this tablet for the first time, 

I have been very excited to discover I live not only near the Conservatorio della Pietà, 

where Vivaldi taught music to the young orphans girls, there accomodated, 

but also near the place where Paolo II was born!


Thus my thought couldn't not go to Hadrien R., whom this post is friendly dedicated.

The tablet says

QUI ERANO LE CASE OVE NACQUE NEL 1417
PIETRO BARBO PATRIZIO VENETO
DAL 1464 AL 1471 SOMMO PONTEFICE
CON IL NOME GLORIOSO DI
PAOLO II
"PACIS ITALICAE FUNDATOR"

NEL V° CENTENARIO DELLA MORTE
L'AZIENDA AUTONOMA SOGGIORNO E TURISMO

translated

IN THIS PLACE THERE WERE THE HOUSES
WHERE PIETRO BARBO VENETIAN PATRICIAN WAS BORN IN 1417,
POPE FROM 1464 TO 1471
WITH THE GLORIOUS NAME OF
PAOLO II
"PACIS ITALICAE FUNDATOR"

(THIS TABLET WAS AFFIXED BY)
AZIENDA AUTONOMA SOGGIORNO E TURISMO
IN THE 5TH CENTENARY OF HIS DEATH (1971)

GOING ON THE CALLE (THE VENETIAN NAME FOR THE WAYS)

THERE IS THE COVERED ENTRANCE, IN VENETIAN SOTOPORTEGO DEL PAPA,

ENTERING IN...

... THE CORTE DEL PAPA ("THE POPE'S COURT")

ON THE BASIS OF THIS ARCH,

THERE ARE TWO ROMANESQUE PULVINOS,

EACH WITH A LION AND A WINGED GRYPHUS

THIS LAST PICTURE IS TAKEN BY THE PORTA DA MAR

(IN VENETIAN MEANING "THE DOOR ON THE SEA")

YOU CAN SEE BY THE SECOND PICTURE

RETURNING INTO THE CALLE, ONLY A FEW STEPS OFF,
THERE IS THE CHURCH OF SAN GIOVANNI DELLA BRAGORA,
WHERE PAOLO II WAS BAPTIZED UNDER THE NAME OF PIETRO

ON THE SAME CAMPO DELLA BRAGORA THERE IS THE STUNNING  PALAZZO GRITTI MOROSINI BADOER:
DATING AT LEAST AT THE LATE 14TH CENTURY,
POPE PAOLO HAS SURELY SEEN IT WHEN HE LIVED IN VENICE!