Naval History Museum in Castello, Venice

Naval History Museum

Venice, Italy

A museum of Venice’s seafaring history and naval power through the ages

Activity

View the history of the power of Venice through its seafaring past

About

Spread over several floors, this maritime Museum shows the history of the Repubblica Serenissima (Republic of Venice).

For many centuries Venice was a fearsome naval power – from the medieval to the early modern period. This power gave Venice control and influence over trade and politics in the Adriatic and Mediterranean.

Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The museum shows a number of aspects of this from war gallies including one used against the Turks at Lepanto (1571) to the ceremonial ship used on Ascension Day for the “marriage of the sea”.

The building itself was built in the mid-sixteenth Century as an oars workshop and storage facility. Shortly after its completion in 1577, it was temporarily adapted to house the Great Council, the main government body of the city, following the disastrous fire that had destroyed much of the Palazzo Ducale

Also included in the entrance ticket is access to the annexe in the Arsenale where full-size vessels such as typical Venetian boats, ancient ceremonial gondolas, lagoon, military and racing boats are kept.

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