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Coordinates: 45°26′18″N 12°20′11″E / 45.43833°N 12.33639°E / 45.43833; 12.33639
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{{Short description|Historic building in Venice, Italy}}
{{Short description|Historic building in Venice, Italy}}

[[Image:Fondaco dei Tedeschi 2012-05-13.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The Fondaco dei Tedeschi before renovation.]]
[[Image:Fondaco dei Tedeschi 2012-05-13.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The Fondaco dei Tedeschi before renovation.]]
[[Image:(Venice) Fondaco dei Tedeschi- 2016 renovation.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The new façade and the panoramic roof.]]
[[Image:(Venice) Fondaco dei Tedeschi- 2016 renovation.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The new façade and the panoramic roof.]]
The Fondaco dei Tedeschi, a historic building in Venice, Italy, is situated along the [[Grand Canal (Venice)|Grand Canal]], close to the iconic [[Rialto Bridge]].<ref name=":02">{{Cite journal |last=Oakes |first=Simon P. |date=2009 |title="Hieronymo Thodesco" and the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Reappraisal of the Documents and Sources Relating to a German Architect in Early Sixteenth-Century Venice |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40379434 |journal=Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte |volume=72 |issue=4 |pages=479–496 |issn=0044-2992}}</ref> It was a hostel and a warehouse for the city's German ''(Tedeschi)'' merchants and their imports.<ref name=":02" /> After being destroyed by fire in 1505, the Fondaco dei Tedeschi was rebuilt in a Renaissance architectural style.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Klett |first=Svenja |url=https://era.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1842/20482/Klett_2015_MSc.pdf?sequence=1 |title=The Case of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Wake-up Call for the Community of Venice (MS Thesis) |publisher=University of Edinburgh |year=2015 |location=Edinburgh |publication-date=}}</ref>
The '''''Fondaco dei Tedeschi''''', a historic building in Venice, Italy, is situated along the [[Grand Canal (Venice)|Grand Canal]], close to the iconic [[Rialto Bridge]].<ref name=":02">{{Cite journal |last=Oakes |first=Simon P. |date=2009 |title="Hieronymo Thodesco" and the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Reappraisal of the Documents and Sources Relating to a German Architect in Early Sixteenth-Century Venice |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40379434 |journal=Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte |volume=72 |issue=4 |pages=479–496 |jstor=40379434 |issn=0044-2992}}</ref> It was a hostel and a warehouse for the city's German ''(Tedeschi)'' merchants and their imports.<ref name=":02" /> After being destroyed by fire in 1505, the Fondaco dei Tedeschi was rebuilt in a Renaissance architectural style.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Klett |first=Svenja |url=https://era.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1842/20482/Klett_2015_MSc.pdf?sequence=1 |title=The Case of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Wake-up Call for the Community of Venice (MS Thesis) |publisher=University of Edinburgh |year=2015 |location=Edinburgh }}</ref>


It not only endured but also continued to serve its original purpose.<ref name=":3" /> Today, this building is used as a luxury mall located on Venice's Grand Canal.<ref name=":3" />
== Name ==

The word ''fondaco'' comes from the Arabic [[Caravanserai|''funduq'']] ({{Lang|ar|فُنْدُق}}), which refers to an inn-like establishment for traveling merchants.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.treccani.it/vocabolario/ricerca/FONDACO/|title=FONDACO: definizioni, etimologia e citazioni nel Vocabolario Treccani|website=www.treccani.it|access-date=2020-03-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnrtl.fr/lexicographie/fondouk|title=FONDOUK : Définition de FONDOUK|website=www.cnrtl.fr|access-date=2020-03-20}}</ref> ''Tedeschi'' means Germans.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.treccani.it/vocabolario/ricerca/tedesco/|title=tedesco: definizioni, etimologia e citazioni nel Vocabolario Treccani|website=www.treccani.it|access-date=2020-03-20}}</ref>
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== Etymology: Fondaco dei Tedeschi ==
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The word ''fondaco'' is derived from the Arabic [[Caravanserai|''funduk'']] (or ''fundque'') that was in essence a caravanserai (or caravansary)--a combination warehouse, shop, and inn, for traveling merchants.<ref name=":25">{{Cite journal |last=Hoffmann |first=J. Wesley |date=1932 |title=The Fondaco Dei Tedeschi: The Medium of Venetian-German Trade |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1822660 |journal=Journal of Political Economy |volume=40 |issue=2 |pages=244–252 |doi=10.1086/254329 |jstor=1822660 |issn=0022-3808}}</ref> The word ''funduq'' was also used to describe accommodation for European merchants in Eastern port towns''.<ref name=":25" />'' The word ''Tedeschi'' means Germans.<ref name=":2">{{Citation |title=tedesco, adj. |date=2023-03-02 |work=Oxford English Dictionary |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oed/4978550880 |access-date=2024-11-26 |publisher=Oxford University Press|doi=10.1093/oed/4978550880 }}</ref>


==History==
==History==
The Fondaco dei Tedeschi was first constructed in 1228 next to the [[Rialto Bridge]], and it was later rebuilt between 1505 and 1508, after its destruction in a fire that took place in 1505.<ref name=":02" /> The reconstruction of the building created a practical four-floor building that encircled a large inner courtyard and signaled the beginning of redevelopment in the Rialto region.<ref name=":3" /> The architectural style of the building is typical of the Italian [[Renaissance architecture|Renaissance]], drawing inspiration from theatre design and festival decoration.<ref name=":83">{{Cite book |last=De Maria |first=Blake |title=Reflections on Renaissance Venice: a celebration of Patricia Fortini Brown |last2=Frank |first2=Mary Engel |date= |publisher=5 Continents Editions |isbn=978-88-7439-634-4 |editor-last=De Maria |editor-first=Blake |location=Milan |publication-date=2013 |pages=113-117 |chapter=Facades, Pageantry, and Identity: The Fondaco dei Tedeschi Frescoes |editor-last2=Frank |editor-first2=Mary E}}</ref> This can be seen in the heights of the building's stories and was one of the first buildings in Venice built with this type of style.<ref name=":32">{{Cite book |last=Klett |first=Svenja |url=https://era.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1842/20482/Klett_2015_MSc.pdf?sequence=1 |title=The Case of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Wake-up Call for the Community of Venice (MS Thesis) |publisher=University of Edinburgh |year=2015 |location=Edinburgh |publication-date=}}</ref> The Fondaco dei Tedeschi was not only specifically constructed for commerce and trade, but also is similar to the [[Fondaco dei Turchi]] in that the building served as a multifunctional place, blending the roles of a palace, warehouse, marketplace, and living quarters.<ref name=":33">{{Cite book |last=Klett |first=Svenja |url=https://era.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1842/20482/Klett_2015_MSc.pdf?sequence=1 |title=The Case of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Wake-up Call for the Community of Venice (MS Thesis) |publisher=University of Edinburgh |year=2015 |location=Edinburgh |publication-date=}}</ref><ref name=":84">{{Cite book |last=De Maria |first=Blake |title=Reflections on Renaissance Venice: a celebration of Patricia Fortini Brown |last2=Frank |first2=Mary Engel |date= |publisher=5 Continents Editions |isbn=978-88-7439-634-4 |editor-last=De Maria |editor-first=Blake |location=Milan |publication-date=2013 |pages=113-117 |chapter=Facades, Pageantry, and Identity: The Fondaco dei Tedeschi Frescoes |editor-last2=Frank |editor-first2=Mary E}}</ref> The Fondaco dei Tedeschi also fed German [[Merchant|merchants]] from cities like [[Nuremberg]], [[Judenburg]], and [[Augsburg]]. <ref name=":33" />
The Fondaco dei Tedeschi was first constructed in 1228 next to the [[Rialto Bridge]], and it was later rebuilt between 1505 and 1508, after its destruction in a fire that took place in 1505.<ref name=":02" /> The reconstruction of the building created a practical four-floor building that encircled a large inner courtyard and signaled the beginning of redevelopment in the Rialto region.<ref name=":3" /> The architectural style of the building is typical of the Italian [[Renaissance architecture|Renaissance]], drawing inspiration from theatre design and festival decoration.<ref name=":2" /> This can be seen in the heights of the building's stories and was one of the first buildings in Venice built with this type of style.<ref name=":3" /> The Fondaco dei Tedeschi was not only specifically constructed for commerce and trade, but also is similar to the [[Fondaco dei Turchi]] in that the building served as a multifunctional place, blending the roles of a palace, warehouse, marketplace, and living quarters.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /> The Fondaco dei Tedeschi also fed German [[merchant]]s from cities like [[Nuremberg]], [[Judenburg]], and [[Augsburg]].<ref name=":3" />


Before the fire from 1505, the building consisted of smaller buildings inside that offered storage facilities and accommodation for German merchants.<ref name=":06">{{Cite journal |last=Oakes |first=Simon P. |date=2009 |title="Hieronymo Thodesco" and the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Reappraisal of the Documents and Sources Relating to a German Architect in Early Sixteenth-Century Venice |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40379434 |journal=Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte |volume=72 |issue=4 |pages=479–496 |issn=0044-2992}}</ref> The Fondaco dei Tedeschi played a crucial role in the success of the [[Republic of Venice]], as a hub for distributing and receiving goods to and from the North and the East.<ref name=":07">{{Cite journal |last=Oakes |first=Simon P. |date=2009 |title="Hieronymo Thodesco" and the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Reappraisal of the Documents and Sources Relating to a German Architect in Early Sixteenth-Century Venice |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40379434 |journal=Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte |volume=72 |issue=4 |pages=479–496 |issn=0044-2992}}</ref><ref name=":36">{{Cite book |last=Klett |first=Svenja |url=https://era.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1842/20482/Klett_2015_MSc.pdf?sequence=1 |title=The Case of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Wake-up Call for the Community of Venice (MS Thesis) |publisher=University of Edinburgh |year=2015 |location=Edinburgh |publication-date=}}</ref>
Before the fire from 1505, the building consisted of smaller buildings inside that offered storage facilities and accommodation for German merchants.<ref name=":02" /> The Fondaco dei Tedeschi played a crucial role in the success of the [[Republic of Venice]], as a hub for distributing and receiving goods to and from the North and the East.<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":3" />


The 1505 fire caused a serious risk to the longstanding trade networks that had flourished there for centuries.<ref name=":08">{{Cite journal |last=Oakes |first=Simon P. |date=2009 |title="Hieronymo Thodesco" and the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Reappraisal of the Documents and Sources Relating to a German Architect in Early Sixteenth-Century Venice |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40379434 |journal=Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte |volume=72 |issue=4 |pages=479–496 |issn=0044-2992}}</ref> Following a practice typical of the eastern Mediterranean and beyond, the ground floor surrounding the courtyard of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi was designated for rental storerooms and accessible by water, while the upper levels were reserved for merchants' living quarters and communal dining areas. <ref name=":09">{{Cite journal |last=Oakes |first=Simon P. |date=2009 |title="Hieronymo Thodesco" and the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Reappraisal of the Documents and Sources Relating to a German Architect in Early Sixteenth-Century Venice |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40379434 |journal=Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte |volume=72 |issue=4 |pages=479–496 |issn=0044-2992}}</ref>[[File:Fondaco dei Tedeschi - Courtyard.jpg|thumb|left|New organization of the Courtyard.]]
The 1505 fire caused a serious risk to the longstanding trade networks that had flourished there for centuries.<ref name=":02" /> Following a practice typical of the eastern Mediterranean and beyond, the ground floor surrounding the courtyard of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi was designated for rental storerooms and accessible by water, while the upper levels were reserved for merchants' living quarters and communal dining areas.<ref name=":02" />[[File:Fondaco dei Tedeschi - Courtyard.jpg|thumb|left|New organization of the Courtyard.]]


Even thought the Fondaco dei Tedeschi has seen both destruction and subsequent repairs over its history, the building's purpose stayed mostly unchanged throughout history.<ref name=":37">{{Cite book |last=Klett |first=Svenja |url=https://era.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1842/20482/Klett_2015_MSc.pdf?sequence=1 |title=The Case of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Wake-up Call for the Community of Venice (MS Thesis) |publisher=University of Edinburgh |year=2015 |location=Edinburgh |publication-date=}}</ref> German merchants occupied it constantly, shortly after it was built in the 13th century, until [[Napoleon|Napoleon's]] arrival in 1806.<ref name=":85">{{Cite book |last=De Maria |first=Blake |title=Reflections on Renaissance Venice: a celebration of Patricia Fortini Brown |last2=Frank |first2=Mary Engel |date= |publisher=5 Continents Editions |isbn=978-88-7439-634-4 |editor-last=De Maria |editor-first=Blake |location=Milan |publication-date=2013 |pages=113-117 |chapter=Facades, Pageantry, and Identity: The Fondaco dei Tedeschi Frescoes |editor-last2=Frank |editor-first2=Mary E}}</ref>
Even though the Fondaco dei Tedeschi has seen both destruction and subsequent repairs over its history, the building's purpose stayed mostly unchanged throughout history.<ref name=":3" /> German merchants occupied it constantly, shortly after it was built in the 13th century, until [[Napoleon|Napoleon's]] arrival in 1806.<ref name=":2" />


Upon arriving at the Fondaco dei Tedeschi, Germans had to perform a ceremonial handover of their weapons to the ''Fontegher'', the Venetian authority in charge of room assignments, highlighting the formality of the process.<ref name=":86">{{Cite book |last=De Maria |first=Blake |title=Reflections on Renaissance Venice: a celebration of Patricia Fortini Brown |last2=Frank |first2=Mary Engel |date= |publisher=5 Continents Editions |isbn=978-88-7439-634-4 |editor-last=De Maria |editor-first=Blake |location=Milan |publication-date=2013 |pages=113-117 |chapter=Facades, Pageantry, and Identity: The Fondaco dei Tedeschi Frescoes |editor-last2=Frank |editor-first2=Mary E}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=fontegher |date=2024-10-15 |work=Wiktionary, the free dictionary |url=https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fontegher |access-date=2024-12-08 |language=en}}</ref> As one of the city's most influential merchant colonies, the Fondaco also became a key trading hub, facilitating the flow of goods from the East toward the Alps.<ref name=":310">{{Cite book |last=Klett |first=Svenja |url=https://era.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1842/20482/Klett_2015_MSc.pdf?sequence=1 |title=The Case of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Wake-up Call for the Community of Venice (MS Thesis) |publisher=University of Edinburgh |year=2015 |location=Edinburgh |publication-date=}}</ref> The Venetian Republic profited from these transactions by taking a commission on the trades conducted there.<ref name=":311">{{Cite book |last=Klett |first=Svenja |url=https://era.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1842/20482/Klett_2015_MSc.pdf?sequence=1 |title=The Case of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Wake-up Call for the Community of Venice (MS Thesis) |publisher=University of Edinburgh |year=2015 |location=Edinburgh |publication-date=}}</ref>
Upon arriving at the Fondaco dei Tedeschi, Germans had to perform a ceremonial handover of their weapons to the ''Fontegher'', the Venetian authority in charge of room assignments, highlighting the formality of the process.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /> As one of the city's most influential merchant colonies, the Fondaco also became a key trading hub, facilitating the flow of goods from the East toward the Alps.<ref name=":3" /> The Venetian Republic profited from these transactions by taking a commission on the trades conducted there.<ref name=":3" />[[File:Canal Grande Aug 2020 1.jpg|thumb|Arial view of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi, showing location along Grand Canal (note Fondaco is large square building at center)]]

The German community worshipped at a nearby Catholic church, [[San Bartolomeo, Venice|San Bartolomeo]].<ref name="San Bartolomeo">{{cite web | url=http://issr.marcianum.it/sites/default/files/ISSR/Chiese_Ve/san_bartolomeo_abstract_-_eng.pdf | title=The church of San Bartolomeo | accessdate=August 4, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150105000851/http://issr.marcianum.it/sites/default/files/ISSR/Chiese_Ve/san_bartolomeo_abstract_-_eng.pdf | archive-date=January 5, 2015 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[https://archive.today/20120914154148/http://www.vanedwards.co.uk/month/jun00/month.html Madonna of the Rose Garlands]</ref>

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[[File:View from the top of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi.jpg|thumb|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.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/benetton-store-is-latest-indignity-for-venices-grand-canal-8533182.html Benetton store is latest 'indignity' for Venice's Grand Canal]</ref> This caused protests among the groups campaigning for preservation of the Italy's historical heritage. Today, the building houses a T Galleria [[Duty-free shop|duty-free store]] as part of the [[DFS Group]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Welcome To T Fondaco Dei Tedeschi {{!}} DFS {{!}} T Galleria|url=https://www.dfs.com/en/welcome-to-t-fondaco-dei-tedeschi|access-date=2021-11-06|website=www.dfs.com|language=en}}</ref>

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=== Function Today ===


==Description==
==Description==
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There are only a few descriptions that exist about the Fondaco dei Tedeschi before the 1505 fire that destroyed the structure.<ref name=":02" /> One of these surviving accounts is by a German [[Friar]] who described the Fondaco as having two central courtyards which faced the [[Grand Canal (Venice)|Grand Canal]].<ref name=":02" /> There is also a surviving map by [[Jacopo de' Barbari|Jacopo de’ Barbari]] that shows that the Fondaco was made up of many smaller buildings which were used for storage as well as housing.<ref name=":8">{{Cite book |last1=De Maria |first1=Blake |title=Reflections on Renaissance Venice: a celebration of Patricia Fortini Brown |last2=Frank |first2=Mary Engel |publisher=5 Continents Editions |isbn=978-88-7439-634-4 |editor-last=De Maria |editor-first=Blake |location=Milan |publication-date=2013 |pages=113–117 |chapter=Facades, Pageantry, and Identity: The Fondaco dei Tedeschi Frescoes |editor-last2=Frank |editor-first2=Mary E}}</ref> The original Fondaco can also be seen in [[Vittore Carpaccio|Vittore Carpaccio's]] painting ''[[Miracle of the Relic of the Cross at the Ponte di Rialto]]'', were the Fondaco is visible in the background.<ref name=":8" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Healing of the Madman by CARPACCIO, Vittore |url=https://www.wga.hu/html_m/c/carpacci/2/01mirac.html |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=www.wga.hu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Miracle of the Relic of the Holy Cross at the Rialto Bridge |url=https://www.gallerieaccademia.it/en/miracle-relic-holy-cross-rialto-bridge |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia |language=en}}</ref>


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The rebuilding of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi after the 1505 fire resulted in a much larger building than the previous one.<ref name=":02" /> The new design now had one central courtyard formed by the four sections of the building itself.<ref name=":02" /> Moreover, the building had fifty-six rooms and many additional rooms for storage.<ref name=":62" /> With this expansion the Fondaco could now house over one hundred merchants, and an equal number of servants, as well as many additional administrative officials.<ref name=":62">{{Cite book |last=Israel |first=Uwe |title=Migrating Words, Migrating Merchants, Migrating Law: Trading Routes and the Development of Commercial Law |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-90-04-41664-2 |editor-last=Gialdroni |editor-first=Stefania |location=Leiden/Boston |publication-date=2019 |pages=95–117 |chapter=Brokers as German-Italian Cultural Mediators in Renaissance Venice |doi=10.1163/9789004416642_007 |editor-last2=Cordes |editor-first2=Albrecht |editor-last3=Dauchy |editor-first3=Serge |editor-last4=Pihlajamäki |editor-first4=Heikki |editor-last5=Ruysscher |editor-first5=Dave de}}</ref> On the canal side, the Fondaco dei Tedeschi had a five-[[Bay (architecture)|bay]] [[loggia]] where merchandise as well as arriving merchants would have disembarked from boats.<ref name=":3" />


Not many of the original decorative elements that adorned the Fondaco remain on the building today.<ref name=":3" /> Of the few remaining decorative elements is a large wall clock that was installed in 1571.<ref name=":3" /> Other details that remain are the [[merlon]]s, which line the roof, and feature circular cut-outs that are topped with spheres.<ref name=":3" />
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.


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Compared to Venetian ornamental arts, the interiors of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi were nevertheless far more subtle, yet were durable and simple to understand.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Strzałka-Rogal |first=Dominika |date=2021 |title=The new function of architectural monuments – a comparative analysis of two different cases: Palazzo Querini Stampalia and the Fondaco dei Tedeschi building |url=https://sciendo.com/article/10.37705/TechTrans/e2021014 |journal=Technical Transactions |volume=118 |issue=1 |language=en |pages=1–8 |doi=10.37705/TechTrans/e2021014 |issn=2353-737X|doi-access=free }}</ref> Moreover, the building came to represent a high standard of architectural excellence and magnificence within the city.<ref name=":25" />
The interior also features outstanding artworks by [[Paolo Veronese]], Titian and [[Jacopo Tintoretto]], also mostly disappeared.


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=== Islamic Influence ===
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== Etymology: Fondaco dei Tedeschi ==
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The reconstructed Fondaco dei Tedeschi was built with many [[Islamic architecture|Islamic architectural]] elements that can be seen in other surviving buildings from far away places like Egypt and Syria.<ref name=":9">{{Cite book |last=Howard |first=Deborah |url=https://aaeportal.com/?id=-100340 |title=Venice & the East: The Impact of the Islamic World on Venetian Architecture, 1100-1500 |publisher=Yale University Press |year=2000 |isbn=978-0-300-08504-4 |location=New Haven |chapter=Chapter Introduction and chapter 4. The Merchant City}}</ref> One of these architectural elements is the stairs in the Fondaco that are visually similar to a set of stairs that can be found in the [[Wikala of al-Ghuri|Wakala al-Ghauri in Cairo]], built around the same time as the Fondaco.<ref name=":9" /> There were also large arches on the lower level of the Fondaco that were paired with smaller arches above, comparable to the design of the [[Umayyad Mosque|Great Mosque in Damascus]].<ref name=":9" /> These two Islamic-styled features are among the many elements that made the new Fondaco a cosmopolitan building in term of its building style.<ref name=":02" /> Some of these elements were even copied in other structures built around the same time as the Fondaco notably several building built by the [[Fugger family]] including three houses that were remodeled between 1512 and 1515 in [[Augsburg|Augsburg Germany]] over looking the Weinmarkt .<ref name=":02" />
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The word ''fondaco'' is derived from the Arabic [[Caravanserai|''funduk'']] (or ''fundque'') that was in essence a caravanserai (or caravansary)-a combination warehouse, shop, and inn, for traveling merchants.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Hoffmann |first=J. Wesley |date=1932 |title=The Fondaco Dei Tedeschi: The Medium of Venetian-German Trade |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1822660 |journal=Journal of Political Economy |volume=40 |issue=2 |pages=244–252 |issn=0022-3808}}</ref> The word ''funduq'' was also used to describe accommodation for European merchants in Eastern port towns''.<ref name=":22">{{Cite journal |last=Hoffmann |first=J. Wesley |date=1932 |title=The Fondaco Dei Tedeschi: The Medium of Venetian-German Trade |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1822660 |journal=Journal of Political Economy |volume=40 |issue=2 |pages=244–252 |issn=0022-3808}}</ref>'' The word ''Tedeschi'' means Germans.<ref>{{Citation |title=tedesco, adj. |date=2023-03-02 |work=Oxford English Dictionary |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oed/4978550880 |access-date=2024-11-26 |publisher=Oxford University Press}}</ref>


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=== Italian Renaissance Frescoes ===
== Description ==
The building constructed after the fire was adorned with vibrant polychrome frescoes often characterized as dynamic and vividly colorful.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":25" /> All four exterior façades of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi were frescoed by either [[Giorgione]] or [[Titian]] in 1508.<ref name=":02" /> With the new reconstruction and the addition of the frescoes the Fondaco was effectively a German merchant's palace.<ref name=":8" /> The frescoes featured scenes with various men and women in different or foreign costumes or nude, as well as important local officials.<ref name=":8" /> Only fragments of theses frescoes survive today, due to deterioration by the salty air and humid climate because of the lagoon with only small traces of color remaining visible.<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":42" /> Some parts of the frescoes have been saved and can be seen at the [[Ca' d'Oro|Ca’ d’Oro]] and the [[Gallerie dell'Accademia]], both located in Venice.<ref name=":3" />
⚫
There are only a few descriptions that exist about the Fondaco dei Tedeschi before the 1505 fire that destroyed the structure.<ref name=":03">{{Cite journal |last=Oakes |first=Simon P. |date=2009 |title="Hieronymo Thodesco" and the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Reappraisal of the Documents and Sources Relating to a German Architect in Early Sixteenth-Century Venice |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40379434 |journal=Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte |volume=72 |issue=4 |pages=479–496 |issn=0044-2992}}</ref> One of these surviving accounts is by a German [[Friar]] who described the Fondaco as having two central courtyards which faced the [[Grand Canal (Venice)|Grand Canal]].<ref name=":04">{{Cite journal |last=Oakes |first=Simon P. |date=2009 |title="Hieronymo Thodesco" and the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Reappraisal of the Documents and Sources Relating to a German Architect in Early Sixteenth-Century Venice |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40379434 |journal=Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte |volume=72 |issue=4 |pages=479–496 |issn=0044-2992}}</ref> There is also a surviving map by [[Jacopo de' Barbari|Jacopo de’ Barbari]] that shows that the Fondaco was made up of many smaller buildings which were used for storage as well as housing.<ref name=":8">{{Cite book |last=De Maria |first=Blake |title=Reflections on Renaissance Venice: a celebration of Patricia Fortini Brown |last2=Frank |first2=Mary Engel |date= |publisher=5 Continents Editions |isbn=978-88-7439-634-4 |editor-last=De Maria |editor-first=Blake |location=Milan |publication-date=2013 |pages=113-117 |chapter=Facades, Pageantry, and Identity: The Fondaco dei Tedeschi Frescoes |editor-last2=Frank |editor-first2=Mary E}}</ref> The original Fondaco can also be seen in [[Vittore Carpaccio|Vittore Carpaccio’s]] painting ''[[Miracle of the Relic of the Cross at the Ponte di Rialto]]'', were the Fondaco is visible in the background.<ref name=":82">{{Cite book |last=De Maria |first=Blake |title=Reflections on Renaissance Venice: a celebration of Patricia Fortini Brown |last2=Frank |first2=Mary Engel |date= |publisher=5 Continents Editions |isbn=978-88-7439-634-4 |editor-last=De Maria |editor-first=Blake |location=Milan |publication-date=2013 |pages=113-117 |chapter=Facades, Pageantry, and Identity: The Fondaco dei Tedeschi Frescoes |editor-last2=Frank |editor-first2=Mary E}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Healing of the Madman by CARPACCIO, Vittore |url=https://www.wga.hu/html_m/c/carpacci/2/01mirac.html |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=www.wga.hu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Miracle of the Relic of the Holy Cross at the Rialto Bridge |url=https://www.gallerieaccademia.it/en/miracle-relic-holy-cross-rialto-bridge |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia |language=en}}</ref>


Many of the frescoes that are now lost were documented by [[Antonio Maria Zanetti (the younger)|Antonio Maria Zanetti (the younger]]) in the mid-eighteenth century in his folio titled, ''Varie pitture a fresco de' principali maestri Veneziani''.<ref name=":42">{{Cite journal |last=Brown |first=David Alan |date=1977 |title=A Drawing by Zanetti after a Fresco on the Fondaco dei Tedeschi |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1553375 |journal=Master Drawings |volume=15 |issue=1 |pages=31–88 |jstor=1553375 |issn=0025-5025}}</ref> Some of the prints in his folio are by him, while a few were by Jacopo Piccino from a century earlier.<ref name=":42" /> Among the art works at the Fondaco documented by Zanetti is the print, ''Female Head and Bust'' (c. 1760), originally by Titian.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Female Head and Bust from the Fondaco dei Tedeschi |url=https://philamuseum.org/collection/object/29625 |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=philamuseum.org |language=en}}</ref> Another Zanetti print, ''Fragment of a Woman'' (c. 1760), records a fresco originally by Giorgione.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Fragment of a Woman from the Fondaco dei Tedeschi |url=https://philamuseum.org/collection/object/29625 |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=philamuseum.org |language=en}}</ref>[[File:View from the top of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi.jpg|thumb|View from the top of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi in July 2017]]
⚫
The rebuilding of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi after the 1505 fire resulted in a much larger building than the previous one.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Oakes |first=Simon P. |date=2009 |title="Hieronymo Thodesco" and the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Reappraisal of the Documents and Sources Relating to a German Architect in Early Sixteenth-Century Venice |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40379434 |journal=Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte |volume=72 |issue=4 |pages=479–496 |issn=0044-2992}}</ref> The new design now had one central courtyard formed by the four sections of the building itself.<ref name=":05">{{Cite journal |last=Oakes |first=Simon P. |date=2009 |title="Hieronymo Thodesco" and the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Reappraisal of the Documents and Sources Relating to a German Architect in Early Sixteenth-Century Venice |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40379434 |journal=Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte |volume=72 |issue=4 |pages=479–496 |issn=0044-2992}}</ref> Moreover, the building had fifty-six rooms and many additional rooms for storage.<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last=Israel |first=Uwe |title=Migrating Words, Migrating Merchants, Migrating Law: Trading Routes and the Development of Commercial Law |date= |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-90-04-41664-2 |editor-last=Gialdroni |editor-first=Stefania |location=Leiden/Boston |publication-date=2019 |pages=95–117 |chapter=Brokers as German-Italian Cultural Mediators in Renaissance Venice |doi=10.1163/9789004416642_007 |editor-last2=Cordes |editor-first2=Albrecht |editor-last3=Dauchy |editor-first3=Serge |editor-last4=Pihlajamäki |editor-first4=Heikki |editor-last5=Ruysscher |editor-first5=Dave de}}</ref> With this expansion the Fondaco could now house over one hundred merchants, and an equal number of servants, as well as many additional administrative officials.<ref name=":62">{{Cite book |last=Israel |first=Uwe |title=Migrating Words, Migrating Merchants, Migrating Law: Trading Routes and the Development of Commercial Law |date= |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-90-04-41664-2 |editor-last=Gialdroni |editor-first=Stefania |location=Leiden/Boston |publication-date=2019 |pages=95–117 |chapter=Brokers as German-Italian Cultural Mediators in Renaissance Venice |doi=10.1163/9789004416642_007 |editor-last2=Cordes |editor-first2=Albrecht |editor-last3=Dauchy |editor-first3=Serge |editor-last4=Pihlajamäki |editor-first4=Heikki |editor-last5=Ruysscher |editor-first5=Dave de}}</ref> On the canal side, the Fondaco dei Tedeschi had a five-[[Bay (architecture)|bay]] [[loggia]] where merchandise as well as arriving merchants would have disembarked from boats.<ref name=":34">{{Cite book |last=Klett |first=Svenja |url=https://era.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1842/20482/Klett_2015_MSc.pdf?sequence=1 |title=The Case of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Wake-up Call for the Community of Venice (MS Thesis) |publisher=University of Edinburgh |year=2015 |location=Edinburgh |publication-date=}}</ref>


⚫
== Function today ==
It should be noted that not many of the original decorative elements that adorned the Fondaco remain on the building today.<ref name=":35">{{Cite book |last=Klett |first=Svenja |url=https://era.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1842/20482/Klett_2015_MSc.pdf?sequence=1 |title=The Case of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Wake-up Call for the Community of Venice (MS Thesis) |publisher=University of Edinburgh |year=2015 |location=Edinburgh |publication-date=}}</ref> Of the few remaining decorative elements is a large wall clock that was installed in 1571.<ref name=":36">{{Cite book |last=Klett |first=Svenja |url=https://era.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1842/20482/Klett_2015_MSc.pdf?sequence=1 |title=The Case of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Wake-up Call for the Community of Venice (MS Thesis) |publisher=University of Edinburgh |year=2015 |location=Edinburgh |publication-date=}}</ref> Other details that remain are the [[Merlon|merlons]], which line the roof, and feature circular cut-outs that are topped with spheres.<ref name=":38">{{Cite book |last=Klett |first=Svenja |url=https://era.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1842/20482/Klett_2015_MSc.pdf?sequence=1 |title=The Case of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Wake-up Call for the Community of Venice (MS Thesis) |publisher=University of Edinburgh |year=2015 |location=Edinburgh |publication-date=}}</ref>
Making use of historical areas for business purposes and moving from public to private ownership are themes that are frequently found in Venice, in this case, with the Fondaco dei Tedeschi.<ref name=":3" />


In the 20th century, the Fondaco dei Tedeschi housed the headquarters of the [[Poste Italiane]] for approximately 70 years.<ref name=":3" /> Then in 2008, the building was sold to Edizione Property Srl, a business owned by the Benetton family, for a low amount.<ref name=":3" /> Significant controversy developed after this purchase of the Fondaco by the [[Benetton Group]] in 2008, for around 55 million Euros, and when in 2012, the group offered the Venice City Council an extra 6 million Euros in return for unrestricted building permissions.<ref name=":3" /> When the Benetton Group announced their plans for the renovation of the Fondaco, the Venetian community protested in opposition with written articles, public gatherings, internet websites, and conservation organization like the Venetian chapter of [[Italia Nostra]].<ref name=":3" />
⚫
Compared to Venetian ornamental arts, the interiors of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi were nevertheless far more subtle, yet were durable and simple to understand.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Strzałka-Rogal |first=Dominika |date= |title=The New Function of Architectural Monuments, A Comparative Analysis of Two Different Cases: Palazzo Querini Stampalia and the Fondaco dei Tedeschi Building |url= |journal=Technical Transactions |language=en |publication-date=2021 |volume=118 |issue=1 |pages=1–8 |doi=10.37705/TechTrans/e2021014 |issn=2353-737X}}</ref> Moreover, the building came to represent a high standard of architectural excellence and magnificence within the city.<ref name=":23">{{Cite journal |last=Hoffmann |first=J. Wesley |date=1932 |title=The Fondaco Dei Tedeschi: The Medium of Venetian-German Trade |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1822660 |journal=Journal of Political Economy |volume=40 |issue=2 |pages=244–252 |issn=0022-3808}}</ref>


The Duty Free Shop [[DFS Group|(DFS) Group]] stated at that time that construction began in 2014 and was projected to be finished by June 2016.<ref name=":3" /> Later, the building's management was taken over by this French luxury retailer.<ref name=":3" />
⚫
=== Islamic Influence ===
⚫
[[File:Venice - Fondaco dei Tedeschi Well.jpg|thumb|Well in the Fondaco dei Tedeschi before renovation in 2014.]]
⚫
The reconstructed Fondaco dei Tedeschi was built with many [[Islamic architecture|Islamic architectural]] elements that can be seen in other surviving buildings from far away places like Egypt and Syria.<ref name=":9">{{Cite book |last=Howard |first=Deborah |url=https://aaeportal-com.sandiego.idm.oclc.org/?id=-100340 |title=Venice & the East: The Impact of the Islamic World on Venetian Architecture, 1100-1500 |date= |publisher=Yale University Press |year=2000 |isbn=978-0-300-08504-4 |location=New Haven |chapter=Chapter Introduction and chapter 4. The Merchant City}}</ref> One of these architectural elements is the stairs in the Fondaco that are visually similar to a set of stairs that can be found in the [[Wikala of al-Ghuri|Wakala al-Ghauri in Cairo]], built around the same time as the Fondaco.<ref name=":9" /> There were also large arches on the lower level of the Fondaco that were paired with smaller arches above, comparable to the design of the [[Umayyad Mosque|Great Mosque in Damascus]]<ref name=":92">{{Cite book |last=Howard |first=Deborah |url=https://aaeportal-com.sandiego.idm.oclc.org/?id=-100340 |title=Venice & the East: The Impact of the Islamic World on Venetian Architecture, 1100-1500 |date= |publisher=Yale University Press |year=2000 |isbn=978-0-300-08504-4 |location=New Haven |chapter=Chapter Introduction and chapter 4. The Merchant City}}</ref> These two Islamic-styled features are among the many elements that made the new Fondaco a cosmopolitan building in term of its building style.<ref name=":010">{{Cite journal |last=Oakes |first=Simon P. |date=2009 |title="Hieronymo Thodesco" and the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Reappraisal of the Documents and Sources Relating to a German Architect in Early Sixteenth-Century Venice |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40379434 |journal=Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte |volume=72 |issue=4 |pages=479–496 |issn=0044-2992}}</ref> Some of these elements were even copied in other structures built around the same time as the Fondaco notably several building built by the [[Fugger family]] including three houses that were remodeled between 1512 and 1515 in [[Augsburg|Augsburg Germany]] over looking the Weinmarkt .<ref name=":011">{{Cite journal |last=Oakes |first=Simon P. |date=2009 |title="Hieronymo Thodesco" and the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Reappraisal of the Documents and Sources Relating to a German Architect in Early Sixteenth-Century Venice |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40379434 |journal=Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte |volume=72 |issue=4 |pages=479–496 |issn=0044-2992}}</ref>


Today the ''[[fondaco]]'' serves as a luxury department store.<ref name=":3" /> It houses a restaurant, cafe, souvenir shops, and shops that sell items made by local craftsmen.<ref name=":3" /> The courtyard contains a medieval well, and now provides space for people to gather.<ref name=":3" /> This main courtyard is under a glass and steel roof that resembles a [[coffer]]ed ceiling, but actually forms a new floor above the central courtyard.<ref name=":3" /> A new loggia was also added during the 2014-2016 reconstruction, which was built to house several new [[escalator]]s.<ref name=":3" />
⚫
=== Italian Renaissance Frescoes ===
The building constructed after the fire was adorned with vibrant polychrome frescoes often characterized as dynamic and vividly colorful.<ref name=":39">{{Cite book |last=Klett |first=Svenja |url=https://era.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1842/20482/Klett_2015_MSc.pdf?sequence=1 |title=The Case of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Wake-up Call for the Community of Venice (MS Thesis) |publisher=University of Edinburgh |year=2015 |location=Edinburgh |publication-date=}}</ref><ref name=":24">{{Cite journal |last=Hoffmann |first=J. Wesley |date=1932 |title=The Fondaco Dei Tedeschi: The Medium of Venetian-German Trade |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1822660 |journal=Journal of Political Economy |volume=40 |issue=2 |pages=244–252 |issn=0022-3808}}</ref> All four exterior façades of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi were frescoed by either [[Giorgione]] or [[Titian]] in 1508.<ref name=":012">{{Cite journal |last=Oakes |first=Simon P. |date=2009 |title="Hieronymo Thodesco" and the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Reappraisal of the Documents and Sources Relating to a German Architect in Early Sixteenth-Century Venice |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40379434 |journal=Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte |volume=72 |issue=4 |pages=479–496 |issn=0044-2992}}</ref> With the new reconstruction and the addition of the frescoes the Fondaco was effectively a German merchant’s palace.<ref name=":87">{{Cite book |last=De Maria |first=Blake |title=Reflections on Renaissance Venice: a celebration of Patricia Fortini Brown |last2=Frank |first2=Mary Engel |date= |publisher=5 Continents Editions |isbn=978-88-7439-634-4 |editor-last=De Maria |editor-first=Blake |location=Milan |publication-date=2013 |pages=113-117 |chapter=Facades, Pageantry, and Identity: The Fondaco dei Tedeschi Frescoes |editor-last2=Frank |editor-first2=Mary E}}</ref>The frescoes featured scenes with various men and women in different or foreign costumes or nude, as well as important local officials.<ref name=":87" /> Only fragments of theses frescoes survive today, due to deterioration by the salty air and humid climate because of the lagoon with only small traces of color remaining visible. <ref name=":013">{{Cite journal |last=Oakes |first=Simon P. |date=2009 |title="Hieronymo Thodesco" and the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Reappraisal of the Documents and Sources Relating to a German Architect in Early Sixteenth-Century Venice |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40379434 |journal=Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte |volume=72 |issue=4 |pages=479–496 |issn=0044-2992}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite journal |last=Brown |first=David Alan |date=1977 |title=A Drawing by Zanetti after a Fresco on the Fondaco dei Tedeschi |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1553375 |journal=Master Drawings |volume=15 |issue=1 |pages=31–88 |issn=0025-5025}}</ref> Some parts of the frescoes have been saved and can be seen at the [[Ca' d'Oro|Ca’ d’Oro]] and the [[Gallerie dell'Accademia]], both located in Venice.<ref name=":311">{{Cite book |last=Klett |first=Svenja |url=https://era.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1842/20482/Klett_2015_MSc.pdf?sequence=1 |title=The Case of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Wake-up Call for the Community of Venice (MS Thesis) |publisher=University of Edinburgh |year=2015 |location=Edinburgh |publication-date=}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
Line 55: Line 53:
*[[San Bartolomeo, Venice]]
*[[San Bartolomeo, Venice]]
*[[Feast of the Rosary (Dürer)]]
*[[Feast of the Rosary (Dürer)]]
*[[Fondaco del Megio]]
*[[DFS Group]]
*[[Justice (Titian)]]
*[[Venice]]
*[[list of buildings and structures in Venice]]
*[[List of painters and architects of Venice]]
*[[Rialto]]
*[[Rialto Bridge]]


==References==
==References==
Line 71: Line 77:


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fondaco Dei Tedeschi}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fondaco Dei Tedeschi}}
[[Category:Houses completed in 1508]]
[[Category:Houses completed in 1508]]

Latest revision as of 17:04, 17 December 2024

The Fondaco dei Tedeschi before renovation.
The new façade and the panoramic roof.

The Fondaco dei Tedeschi, a historic building in Venice, Italy, is situated along the Grand Canal, close to the iconic Rialto Bridge.[1] It was a hostel and a warehouse for the city's German (Tedeschi) merchants and their imports.[1] After being destroyed by fire in 1505, the Fondaco dei Tedeschi was rebuilt in a Renaissance architectural style.[2]

It not only endured but also continued to serve its original purpose.[2] Today, this building is used as a luxury mall located on Venice's Grand Canal.[2]

Etymology: Fondaco dei Tedeschi

[edit]

The word fondaco is derived from the Arabic funduk (or fundque) that was in essence a caravanserai (or caravansary)--a combination warehouse, shop, and inn, for traveling merchants.[3] The word funduq was also used to describe accommodation for European merchants in Eastern port towns.[3] The word Tedeschi means Germans.[4]

History

[edit]

The Fondaco dei Tedeschi was first constructed in 1228 next to the Rialto Bridge, and it was later rebuilt between 1505 and 1508, after its destruction in a fire that took place in 1505.[1] The reconstruction of the building created a practical four-floor building that encircled a large inner courtyard and signaled the beginning of redevelopment in the Rialto region.[2] The architectural style of the building is typical of the Italian Renaissance, drawing inspiration from theatre design and festival decoration.[4] This can be seen in the heights of the building's stories and was one of the first buildings in Venice built with this type of style.[2] The Fondaco dei Tedeschi was not only specifically constructed for commerce and trade, but also is similar to the Fondaco dei Turchi in that the building served as a multifunctional place, blending the roles of a palace, warehouse, marketplace, and living quarters.[2][4] The Fondaco dei Tedeschi also fed German merchants from cities like Nuremberg, Judenburg, and Augsburg.[2]

Before the fire from 1505, the building consisted of smaller buildings inside that offered storage facilities and accommodation for German merchants.[1] The Fondaco dei Tedeschi played a crucial role in the success of the Republic of Venice, as a hub for distributing and receiving goods to and from the North and the East.[1][2]

The 1505 fire caused a serious risk to the longstanding trade networks that had flourished there for centuries.[1] Following a practice typical of the eastern Mediterranean and beyond, the ground floor surrounding the courtyard of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi was designated for rental storerooms and accessible by water, while the upper levels were reserved for merchants' living quarters and communal dining areas.[1]

New organization of the Courtyard.

Even though the Fondaco dei Tedeschi has seen both destruction and subsequent repairs over its history, the building's purpose stayed mostly unchanged throughout history.[2] German merchants occupied it constantly, shortly after it was built in the 13th century, until Napoleon's arrival in 1806.[4]

Upon arriving at the Fondaco dei Tedeschi, Germans had to perform a ceremonial handover of their weapons to the Fontegher, the Venetian authority in charge of room assignments, highlighting the formality of the process.[2][4] As one of the city's most influential merchant colonies, the Fondaco also became a key trading hub, facilitating the flow of goods from the East toward the Alps.[2] The Venetian Republic profited from these transactions by taking a commission on the trades conducted there.[2]

Arial view of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi, showing location along Grand Canal (note Fondaco is large square building at center)

Description

[edit]

There are only a few descriptions that exist about the Fondaco dei Tedeschi before the 1505 fire that destroyed the structure.[1] One of these surviving accounts is by a German Friar who described the Fondaco as having two central courtyards which faced the Grand Canal.[1] There is also a surviving map by Jacopo de’ Barbari that shows that the Fondaco was made up of many smaller buildings which were used for storage as well as housing.[5] The original Fondaco can also be seen in Vittore Carpaccio's painting Miracle of the Relic of the Cross at the Ponte di Rialto, were the Fondaco is visible in the background.[5][6][7]

The rebuilding of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi after the 1505 fire resulted in a much larger building than the previous one.[1] The new design now had one central courtyard formed by the four sections of the building itself.[1] Moreover, the building had fifty-six rooms and many additional rooms for storage.[8] With this expansion the Fondaco could now house over one hundred merchants, and an equal number of servants, as well as many additional administrative officials.[8] On the canal side, the Fondaco dei Tedeschi had a five-bay loggia where merchandise as well as arriving merchants would have disembarked from boats.[2]

Not many of the original decorative elements that adorned the Fondaco remain on the building today.[2] Of the few remaining decorative elements is a large wall clock that was installed in 1571.[2] Other details that remain are the merlons, which line the roof, and feature circular cut-outs that are topped with spheres.[2]

Compared to Venetian ornamental arts, the interiors of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi were nevertheless far more subtle, yet were durable and simple to understand.[9] Moreover, the building came to represent a high standard of architectural excellence and magnificence within the city.[3]

Islamic Influence

[edit]

The reconstructed Fondaco dei Tedeschi was built with many Islamic architectural elements that can be seen in other surviving buildings from far away places like Egypt and Syria.[10] One of these architectural elements is the stairs in the Fondaco that are visually similar to a set of stairs that can be found in the Wakala al-Ghauri in Cairo, built around the same time as the Fondaco.[10] There were also large arches on the lower level of the Fondaco that were paired with smaller arches above, comparable to the design of the Great Mosque in Damascus.[10] These two Islamic-styled features are among the many elements that made the new Fondaco a cosmopolitan building in term of its building style.[1] Some of these elements were even copied in other structures built around the same time as the Fondaco notably several building built by the Fugger family including three houses that were remodeled between 1512 and 1515 in Augsburg Germany over looking the Weinmarkt .[1]

Italian Renaissance Frescoes

[edit]

The building constructed after the fire was adorned with vibrant polychrome frescoes often characterized as dynamic and vividly colorful.[2][3] All four exterior façades of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi were frescoed by either Giorgione or Titian in 1508.[1] With the new reconstruction and the addition of the frescoes the Fondaco was effectively a German merchant's palace.[5] The frescoes featured scenes with various men and women in different or foreign costumes or nude, as well as important local officials.[5] Only fragments of theses frescoes survive today, due to deterioration by the salty air and humid climate because of the lagoon with only small traces of color remaining visible.[1][11] Some parts of the frescoes have been saved and can be seen at the Ca’ d’Oro and the Gallerie dell'Accademia, both located in Venice.[2]

Many of the frescoes that are now lost were documented by Antonio Maria Zanetti (the younger) in the mid-eighteenth century in his folio titled, Varie pitture a fresco de' principali maestri Veneziani.[11] Some of the prints in his folio are by him, while a few were by Jacopo Piccino from a century earlier.[11] Among the art works at the Fondaco documented by Zanetti is the print, Female Head and Bust (c. 1760), originally by Titian.[12] Another Zanetti print, Fragment of a Woman (c. 1760), records a fresco originally by Giorgione.[13]

View from the top of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi in July 2017

Function today

[edit]

Making use of historical areas for business purposes and moving from public to private ownership are themes that are frequently found in Venice, in this case, with the Fondaco dei Tedeschi.[2]

In the 20th century, the Fondaco dei Tedeschi housed the headquarters of the Poste Italiane for approximately 70 years.[2] Then in 2008, the building was sold to Edizione Property Srl, a business owned by the Benetton family, for a low amount.[2] Significant controversy developed after this purchase of the Fondaco by the Benetton Group in 2008, for around 55 million Euros, and when in 2012, the group offered the Venice City Council an extra 6 million Euros in return for unrestricted building permissions.[2] When the Benetton Group announced their plans for the renovation of the Fondaco, the Venetian community protested in opposition with written articles, public gatherings, internet websites, and conservation organization like the Venetian chapter of Italia Nostra.[2]

The Duty Free Shop (DFS) Group stated at that time that construction began in 2014 and was projected to be finished by June 2016.[2] Later, the building's management was taken over by this French luxury retailer.[2]

Well in the Fondaco dei Tedeschi before renovation in 2014.

Today the fondaco serves as a luxury department store.[2] It houses a restaurant, cafe, souvenir shops, and shops that sell items made by local craftsmen.[2] The courtyard contains a medieval well, and now provides space for people to gather.[2] This main courtyard is under a glass and steel roof that resembles a coffered ceiling, but actually forms a new floor above the central courtyard.[2] A new loggia was also added during the 2014-2016 reconstruction, which was built to house several new escalators.[2]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Oakes, Simon P. (2009). ""Hieronymo Thodesco" and the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Reappraisal of the Documents and Sources Relating to a German Architect in Early Sixteenth-Century Venice". Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschichte. 72 (4): 479–496. ISSN 0044-2992. JSTOR 40379434.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad Klett, Svenja (2015). The Case of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi: A Wake-up Call for the Community of Venice (MS Thesis) (PDF). Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh.
  3. ^ a b c d Hoffmann, J. Wesley (1932). "The Fondaco Dei Tedeschi: The Medium of Venetian-German Trade". Journal of Political Economy. 40 (2): 244–252. doi:10.1086/254329. ISSN 0022-3808. JSTOR 1822660.
  4. ^ a b c d e "tedesco, adj.", Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, 2023-03-02, doi:10.1093/oed/4978550880, retrieved 2024-11-26
  5. ^ a b c d De Maria, Blake; Frank, Mary Engel (2013). "Facades, Pageantry, and Identity: The Fondaco dei Tedeschi Frescoes". In De Maria, Blake; Frank, Mary E (eds.). Reflections on Renaissance Venice: a celebration of Patricia Fortini Brown. Milan: 5 Continents Editions. pp. 113–117. ISBN 978-88-7439-634-4.
  6. ^ "The Healing of the Madman by CARPACCIO, Vittore". www.wga.hu. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  7. ^ "Miracle of the Relic of the Holy Cross at the Rialto Bridge". Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  8. ^ a b Israel, Uwe (2019). "Brokers as German-Italian Cultural Mediators in Renaissance Venice". In Gialdroni, Stefania; Cordes, Albrecht; Dauchy, Serge; Pihlajamäki, Heikki; Ruysscher, Dave de (eds.). Migrating Words, Migrating Merchants, Migrating Law: Trading Routes and the Development of Commercial Law. Leiden/Boston: Brill. pp. 95–117. doi:10.1163/9789004416642_007. ISBN 978-90-04-41664-2.
  9. ^ Strzałka-Rogal, Dominika (2021). "The new function of architectural monuments – a comparative analysis of two different cases: Palazzo Querini Stampalia and the Fondaco dei Tedeschi building". Technical Transactions. 118 (1): 1–8. doi:10.37705/TechTrans/e2021014. ISSN 2353-737X.
  10. ^ a b c Howard, Deborah (2000). "Chapter Introduction and chapter 4. The Merchant City". Venice & the East: The Impact of the Islamic World on Venetian Architecture, 1100-1500. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-08504-4.
  11. ^ a b c Brown, David Alan (1977). "A Drawing by Zanetti after a Fresco on the Fondaco dei Tedeschi". Master Drawings. 15 (1): 31–88. ISSN 0025-5025. JSTOR 1553375.
  12. ^ "Female Head and Bust from the Fondaco dei Tedeschi". philamuseum.org. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  13. ^ "Fragment of a Woman from the Fondaco dei Tedeschi". philamuseum.org. Retrieved 2024-11-07.

Sources

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  • Brusegan, Marcello (2005). La grande guida dei monumenti di Venezia. Rome: Newton & Compton. ISBN 88-541-0475-2.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fondaco dei Tedeschi.
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45°26′18″N 12°20′11″E / 45.43833°N 12.33639°E / 45.43833; 12.33639

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