Baroque Town Planning
Baroque Town Planning
Baroque Town Planning
ZONING
Strict zoning
The physical Urban Planning of Venice remains very similar to the layout it acquired
in the Imperial Age.
The city sprouted with Doge Sebastiano Ziani creating public space in the Piazza
San Marco.
It is from this focal point that the city began to radiate (in a winding fashion), in a
Baroque city model.
Venice can be compared to a Baroque city model as long as the scale is kept in
perspective.
PLANNING
The measured hierarchy of space and the impressive symbols of state power were
confined to limited space.
Open space, though not abundant because of the citys small size, was set aside as
the six sesteri developed around squares.
Gardens are also present along the outskirts of the city.
Land separation is present in the layout the Arsenale, home of the ship building
that was once Venices primary industry, is located on the farthest edge of the island,
away from the administrative and residential districts.
WINGED LION,
Symbol of Venice
SAN MARCO,
Venice
AN ARTISTS
IMPRESSION OF THE
CANAL,
Venice
THE SESTERI
The Historic Center of Venice is
divided into six sesteri or districts,
three on each side of the Canal
Grande : Dorsoduro, Santa Croce, San
Polo on the East Bank and
Cannaregio, Castello, and San Marco
on the West.
These districts fulfill mainly
residential and commercial functions.
Most of the residential districts are
found in the Eastern section of
Venice.
Wealthy and poor zones are
scattered throughout these
neighborhoods.
Each district has its own campi or
square, which serves as the local
center of each sesteri.
San Marco itself is the focal point of
the city and therefore the most