5 … I hadn’t realized how lions are all over Venice. Padua, clock tower with venetian lion Colonna di San Marco, Verona. Believe us, it is not a simple votive decoration, it is much more! One is as a winged animal resting on water, to symbolise dominance over the seas, holding St. Mark’s Gospel under a front paw. It is everywhere: in the flags, on statues and decorations etc. In Venetian paintings the lion sometimes appears not as a fierce animal, but as a gentle beast, tamed by man. p.parentNode.insertBefore(s,p); Two witnesses were needed in order to bring a suspect to trial, but these were cruel times and punishments were harsh. (Soft shell crabs are a local seasonal delicacy.) He thought this proud animal would look better in Paris, and mounted it on a plinth in a fountain at the Place des Invalides. Required fields are marked *. Siena’s Magnificent Cathedral Reopens, and It’s Free, Barriers To Be Set Up Around Trevi Fountain in Rome, Bologna’s Porticoes Vie For Unesco’s World Heritage Status, Venice’s Royal Gardens Adjacent to St. Mark’s Square Reopen, All Three of Florence Baptistery’s Doors On Display Again After 30 Years, GrapeHops Tours - Gastro Tours for Small Groups, Vitalia Tours: Small Group and Custom Italy Tours. Traditionally, there are two main ways to depict the lion: A lion with the open book and the phrase “Pax tibi Marce, meus evangelist” for times of peace. Here your body will rest). The other form, which is perhaps more interesting, is known as the lion “in moleca”, in the form of a crab. It does – even though Venice is pretty interesting in its own right:). ITALIA: +39 0932 1846653 / Via San Brancati 16 C.da Cannizzara, 97015 Modica (RG). The kids will love hunting for lions all over the city. Hic requiescet corpus tuum.» (Peace to you, Marco, my evangelist. There is a quartet of ancient lions outside the Arsenale, probably all with amazing stories to tell as they gaze out towards the lagoon. Thereafter captive lions were forbidden, but the lion image continued in paintings, carvings, tapestries and frescoes. This proud bronze animal with front paws resting on the Bible probably originated in Southern Turkey around year 300 BC., but over the centuries it has been through numerous moves, restorations and transformations. Thanks for sharing! There’s material for years of semiotic studies. You can see these mighty animals all round the Mediterranean, usually on top of a classical stone column. I love that they raised the lions tail after the restoration. They are so majestic and even better as you put it, “as signs of spirituality and justice, and some rest their paws on an open or closed book.” I liked that part the best :). Lion of Venice in Verona Thus all the characters with which Venice loves to think and describe itself were symbolically present: majesty, power, wisdom, justice, peace, military strength and religious piety. Moreover, the Lion of Saint Mark is an image which brings a strong symbolism. it can have: https://medium.com/history-fragments/of-lions-and-books-and-swords-a0a5dc1f164, Thank you for a great link. var s = d.createElement(sc), p = d.getElementsByTagName(sc)[0]; Wandering around the alleyways of Venice you might come across the stone faces of lions set into the walls of public buildings. This site uses cookies. See more ideas about Venice, Lions, Venice italy. For centuries Venetians were known as pantaloni (wearing trousers) but this may have originated from a corruption of pianta leoni (lion planters) because wherever they traded in the known world they “planted” their lion symbols, the winged lion being the symbol of St. Mark. Beautiful post ! The more you look, the more you see: no one knows how many there are. These lions ‘in moeca’ are normally associated explicitly with the lagoon and the city of Venice, while the standing winged lion can be found all around the Mediterranean in what used to be Venetian territory. As a symbol of power and leadership the lion of Venice guards Piazza di San Marco from the top of a granite column.
In view of what damage the tourists are inflicting on Venice, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to denounce a few cruise ship companies right now. Oct 27, 2015 - Explore Vera Heaton's board "Lions of Venice", followed by 389 people on Pinterest. Porta Sant' Alessandro Bergamo}} Porta San Giacomo, Bergamo. Definitely makes visiting around the city more interesting! The lion follows obediently whilst all the monks flee away in terror. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The Lions of Venice. A collection of lions from different parts of Venice and Veneto. Myra Robinson | Thu, 07/14/2011 - 04:49. It was during the subsequent restoration the lion’s tail, which had previously been tucked between its legs, was raised as yet another sign of victory and domination. The lion in Piazza San Marco first appeared in Venice in the late 13th century and stayed there until Napoleon came by in 1797. The Lion of Venice: An Historical Novel: Cusden, Richard: Amazon.nl Selecteer uw cookievoorkeuren We gebruiken cookies en vergelijkbare tools om uw winkelervaring te verbeteren, onze services aan te bieden, te begrijpen hoe klanten onze services gebruiken zodat we verbeteringen kunnen aanbrengen, en om advertenties weer te geven. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. (The same is also true of the remains of St. Mark himself.) Thanks for that!