Lion in St. Mark’s Square is from China
A recent study at the University of Padua finds that the winged-lion in St. Mark’s Square – the emblem of medieval Venetian statehood – was once a Tang Dynasty tomb guardian.
Venice
Venice and the Silk Road: The Ancient World – Lace
Long ago a Venetian seafarer brought his beloved a gift of seaweed from the far, distant seas. She wanted to preserve the memento forever, so she painstakingly copied the delicate outline and patterns using her needle and thread. . . So goes the legend of how lacemaking began in Venice and its surrounding islands, now renown for the art. Once, Venice and Burano Island were … Read more
Venice and the Silk Road: The Muslim World
Sea gulls calling, businessmen sweeping the sidewalks in front of their shops and restaurants and of course the incessant lap of the waves on the stone foundations of La Serenissima – the serene place. These are the sounds of Venice at dawn – the same sounds to which the city has woken to for countless generations. More than a powerful city-state that became an Italian … Read more