Though Venice is no stranger to anyone and tens of millions of tourists visit it annually, there are places which are completely foreign to the vast majority of them. The Venetian Arsenal is one such place. If you’re looking for a place irrevocably linked to its rich history, you may just want to steer off the beaten track and see the Arsenal too.
Venetian Arsenal
The Arsenal is a shipyard complex where the fleet of the Venetian Republic was built. The Arsenal was initiated in 1104 (though it may have existed prior) and quickly became the largest industrial complex in Europe, over 600 years before the actual Industrial Revolution.
The Venetian arsenal was expanded in stages. In pre-industrial times, the shipbuilding complex, where ships and weapons were manufactured, was the largest production facility in the world. Up to 16,000 workers were employed here. Workers were able to assemble a ship from the components produced at the complex in… one day. The fleet of Venice in 1450 consisted of 3,000 merchant ships.
The Arsenal complex in Venice is approximately 45-46 hectares in size. As an indication of the size of the place, it is an area of about 15% of the whole of Venice. For the republic and the construction of the fleet, Venice had its woods in Montello.
Unfortunately, the complex is not open to the public because the area is still at the disposal of the state. Visits to the arsenal in Venice are only possible during special events organised on its premises, but there is nothing to prevent you from seeing the symbol of the power of the Venetian Republic from the outside.
If you are visiting Venice, it is a good idea to go to the area around the arsenal – not just because of the Arsenal itself, but also for purely practical reasons. There are definitely fewer tourists here and prices are lower than in the most popular places.
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