The Fondaco dei Tedeschi (Venetian: Fòntego dei Todeschi, in literal English, "warehouse of the Germans") is a historic building in Venice, northern Italy, situated on the Grand Canal near the Rialto Bridge. It was the headquarters and restricted living quarters of the city's German (Tedeschi) merchants.
The Fondaco dei Tedeschi before renovation.The new façade and the panoramic roof.
The word fondaco comes from the Arabic funduq (فُنْدُق), which refers to an inn-like establishment for traveling merchants.[1][2]Tedeschi means Germans.[3]
Historyedit
First constructed in 1228, the building was rebuilt between 1505 and 1508, after its destruction in a fire. The reconstruction produced a very functional four-floor building which surrounds a grand inner courtyard. Its architecture is typical of the Italian Renaissance style. Like the Fondaco dei Turchi, the Fondaco dei Tedeschi combined the functions of a palace, warehouse, market and restricted living quarters for its population, in this case mainly Germanic merchants from cities such as Nuremberg, Judenburg and Augsburg.
The ground floor was accessible by water and was used for storage, while the first floor was dedicated to offices and an upper area contained about 160 living quarters.
New organization of the Courtyard.
The German merchants arrived shortly after the building was originally constructed in the 13th century and stayed until the Napoleonic occupation. It was one of the city's most powerful colonies of merchants, and consequently the fondaco became an important trading centre for goods passing from the Orient on their way towards the Alps. The Venetian Republic took commission on the transactions of the fondaco.
The German community worshipped at a nearby Catholic church, San Bartolomeo.[4][5]
View from the top of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi in July 2017
In the 20th century, the building served as the Venice headquarters of the Poste Italiane. In 2008, the building was sold to the Benetton Group who asked the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas to plan a new shopping centre to be incorporated into the Renaissance building. Benetton promised to transfer 6 million Euro to the city budget in exchange for building permits handed over by the end of 2012.[6] This caused protests among the groups campaigning for preservation of the Italy's historical heritage. Today, the building houses a T Galleria duty-free store as part of the DFS Group.[7]
Descriptionedit
The fondaco (a word of Arabic origin meaning "store-house") has a square plan and has three levels facing a central courtyard. The courtyard contains a medieval well and is currently covered by a steel-glass structure. The façade has, at the lower floor, five large rounded arcades which enclose a portico where once the goods were unloaded from the Canal Grande. The second floor has a long row of double and single mullioned windows which, at the upper floors, are paired by smaller quadrangular windows. The top of the façade has merlons.
Around 1508, the façade on the Canal Grande was frescoed by Giorgione and Titian. Of that work, deteriorated by the salty and humid climate of the lagoon, a few fragments survive, now housed in the Ca'D'Oro of Venice.
fondaco, tedeschi, venetian, fòntego, todeschi, literal, english, warehouse, germans, historic, building, venice, northern, italy, situated, grand, canal, near, rialto, bridge, headquarters, restricted, living, quarters, city, german, tedeschi, merchants, befo. The Fondaco dei Tedeschi Venetian Fontego dei Todeschi in literal English warehouse of the Germans is a historic building in Venice northern Italy situated on the Grand Canal near the Rialto Bridge It was the headquarters and restricted living quarters of the city s German Tedeschi merchants The Fondaco dei Tedeschi before renovation The new facade and the panoramic roof Contents 1 Name 2 History 3 Description 4 See also 5 References 6 Sources 7 External linksName editThe word fondaco comes from the Arabic funduq ف ن د ق which refers to an inn like establishment for traveling merchants 1 2 Tedeschi means Germans 3 History editFirst constructed in 1228 the building was rebuilt between 1505 and 1508 after its destruction in a fire The reconstruction produced a very functional four floor building which surrounds a grand inner courtyard Its architecture is typical of the Italian Renaissance style Like the Fondaco dei Turchi the Fondaco dei Tedeschi combined the functions of a palace warehouse market and restricted living quarters for its population in this case mainly Germanic merchants from cities such as Nuremberg Judenburg and Augsburg The ground floor was accessible by water and was used for storage while the first floor was dedicated to offices and an upper area contained about 160 living quarters nbsp New organization of the Courtyard The German merchants arrived shortly after the building was originally constructed in the 13th century and stayed until the Napoleonic occupation It was one of the city s most powerful colonies of merchants and consequently the fondaco became an important trading centre for goods passing from the Orient on their way towards the Alps The Venetian Republic took commission on the transactions of the fondaco The German community worshipped at a nearby Catholic church San Bartolomeo 4 5 nbsp View from the top of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi in July 2017In the 20th century the building served as the Venice headquarters of the Poste Italiane In 2008 the building was sold to the Benetton Group who asked the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas to plan a new shopping centre to be incorporated into the Renaissance building Benetton promised to transfer 6 million Euro to the city budget in exchange for building permits handed over by the end of 2012 6 This caused protests among the groups campaigning for preservation of the Italy s historical heritage Today the building houses a T Galleria duty free store as part of the DFS Group 7 Description editThe fondaco a word of Arabic origin meaning store house has a square plan and has three levels facing a central courtyard The courtyard contains a medieval well and is currently covered by a steel glass structure The facade has at the lower floor five large rounded arcades which enclose a portico where once the goods were unloaded from the Canal Grande The second floor has a long row of double and single mullioned windows which at the upper floors are paired by smaller quadrangular windows The top of the facade has merlons Around 1508 the facade on the Canal Grande was frescoed by Giorgione and Titian Of that work deteriorated by the salty and humid climate of the lagoon a few fragments survive now housed in the Ca D Oro of Venice The interior also features outstanding artworks by Paolo Veronese Titian and Jacopo Tintoretto also mostly disappeared See also editVenetian Ghetto Fondaco dei Turchi San Bartolomeo Venice Feast of the Rosary Durer References edit FONDACO definizioni etimologia e citazioni nel Vocabolario Treccani www treccani it Retrieved 2020 03 20 FONDOUK Definition de FONDOUK www cnrtl fr Retrieved 2020 03 20 tedesco definizioni etimologia e citazioni nel Vocabolario Treccani www treccani it Retrieved 2020 03 20 The church of San Bartolomeo PDF Archived from the original PDF on January 5 2015 Retrieved August 4 2012 Madonna of the Rose Garlands Benetton store is latest indignity for Venice s Grand Canal Welcome To T Fondaco Dei Tedeschi DFS T Galleria www dfs com Retrieved 2021 11 06 Sources editBrusegan Marcello 2005 La grande guida dei monumenti di Venezia Rome Newton amp Compton ISBN 88 541 0475 2 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fondaco dei Tedeschi External links editRestoration of the Fondaco45 26 18 N 12 20 11 E 45 43833 N 12 33639 E 45 43833 12 33639 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fondaco dei Tedeschi amp oldid 1149770218, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
