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San
Polo
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Santa CroceBecause of its relatively small size and meager number of tourist attractions, Santa Croce is often grouped with its southern neighbor, the San Polo district. Santa Croce lacks a main focus, but can be considered an authentic Venetian residential area. It is also the site of Europe’s largest car park, the Tranchetto (highlighted in purple), the Stazione Maritima boat launch (highlighted in blue) and the Piazzale Roma bus station. |
Santa Croce (Storti) |
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San Polo (Storti)
Rialto District (Pagnatti) |
San PoloThose who believe in the legend that Venice was founded at noon on Friday, March 25, 421, believe that San Polo boasts the oldest church in Venice – the San Giacomo di Rialto, which was supposedly consecrated in that year. Whether or not the city was formed at this time is a mystery, but the Rialto was the first group of islands to be settled. As the city developed and the islands “grew” together, the region became a commercial area. It was the site of the first bank and several administrative buildings. Today, San Polo still operates a large market in the Rialto area (highlighted in yellow). The district hugs the inner side of the S of the Canal Grande. This section of the city has a truly Italian, non-touristy feel, although in the northern part of the district there are several museums and galleries. Transportation is very efficient in throughout the district and several highly trafficked vaporetto and traghetto stops are found along the canal. |
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The Campo San Polo (highlighted in red) is the largest square after the Piazza San Marco. Occasionally used as bull fighting grounds, the Campo is surrounded by impressive palaces. The San Polo church, the place of Lorenzacciao de’Medici’s assassination in 1548, rests on this site. |
Campo San Polo (Pagnatti) |
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The central part of the district displays the influence of the Franscicans, who were granted a plot of San Polo’s land in 1250. They molded this landscape into a sacred space by building the tall Gothic churches San Zanipolo and Santa Maria Glorisa dei Frari. |
The Frari (Pagnatti) |
