Punta della Dogana
|
The entrance to the Grand Canal is marked, on the south side, by the Punta della Dogana, the location of the Dogana da Mar (Customs House), which was built between 1677 and 1682 by Giuseppe Benoni.
Venice was once one of Europe's busiest ports and ships from all over the world docked here while awaiting clearance from customs to unload. The top of the Dogana was once surmounted by a watch tower to guard against foreign invasion. This was replaced by a golden globe, held aloft by two atlases. Perched on the globe is the goddess Fortuna. With a steering oar in one hand and a sail in the other, she acts as both a weather-vane and as a symbol of the unpredictability of fate and fortune. The sculptures are by Bernardo Falcone (c.1630-c.1697). After standing empty for many years, the Dogana da Mar was bought by Henri Pinault, a French billionaire, who hired Tadoa Ando, a Japanese architect, to revamp the interior. It is now a gallery devoted to contemporary art. |
Punta della Dogana
Punta della Dogana
|
