Water-walking gondoliers. Demon-repelling monster masks. Palaces with wandering ghosts and enchanted stones. The city of Venice is steeped with myths and mystery.
A new legend awaits discovery around every corner and down every alley. Here are a few of the most fascinating examples.
Warning From The Witches
Among the maze of alleys around the Accademia Gallery is the peaceful Calle della Toletta, home to the so-called “witch’s clock” that keeps the area running on time. A vintage alarm clock can be seen dangling from the yellow home’s exterior pipework.
There was supposedly a witch who practiced dark arts in this house. She set the alarm to call attention to the fact that payments were overdue from her clients. In humor, the locals hung an alarm clock on the structure after her death.
When it had been gone for a while, people in the area started mentioning unexplained noises and misfortunes. Time paused as the clock was put back in its original position. Years later, when neighbors reported supernatural occurrences after the clock had been removed, it was reinstalled indefinitely.
Viennese Murder
The columns of San Marco and San Todaro should be passed, but not walked between. Photograph by Getty Images) )
From 1310 to 1797, the city was administered by the feared Council of Ten, which had eyes everywhere thanks to its hundreds of anonymous informants who revealed the secrets and falsehoods of its citizens, leading to the imprisonment and execution of many of them.
The tiny Calle della Morte was rumored to be the “death alley” where condemned individuals would be lured into visiting before being executed by the Council of Ten. It’s believed that the street was given its name because of a body that was discovered there.
The narrow area between the columns of San Marco and San Todaro in Piazza San Marco was designated as a site for city-sanctioned deaths, and Venetians still do not walk between the columns to this day.
The Giant of Corte Bressana Venice is a city with many different faces, ranging from charming during the day to terrifying after dark. Neighbors of Castello say that if you wander the alleys near the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo at midnight, you might run upon a giant who wants to sell you his bones.
Who is the tall one here? Taller than most people, at about seven feet, he is rumored to be one of the final bell ringers at St. Mark’s Bell Tower.
The director of a research institute offered the Bell Ringer a little price to leave his skeleton to science in exchange for his fame due to his height.
The gigantic bell ringer accepted the offer since he knew the institute’s director would eventually retire and forget about the agreement.
Unfortunately, the bell ringer passed away soon after, and his skeleton can now be seen in Venice at the Museum di Storia Naturale.
The locals of Castello claim that every night at midnight, the skeleton leaves the museum, makes its way to Piazza San Marco, and from there, goes through the streets, ringing bells and begging for money to purchase back his skeleton before returning to his home on Corte Bressana (Castello).
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A Sacred Relic
Almost everyone would agree that the Holy Grail, or the chalice from which Jesus Christ drank at the Last Supper, is the most sought-after artifact by would-be Indiana Joneses.
After allegedly collecting Jesus’ blood in the cup, Joseph of Arimathea hid it away for decades, and the Knights Templar eventually hid it in Glastonbury.
This is where the Venetians depart slightly from the norm. The throne of the Apostle Peter (a marble seat),
Stolen from Constantinople during the Crusades and taken to Venice together with the rest of the plunder, is said to be where the Grail was concealed before it was transported to the British Isles. Currently, where is the chair? The inside of Saint Pietro in Castello’s Basilica.
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Sanctuary For The Souls
Do you have faith in occult practices? (Image from Alamy) At the end of the Fondamenta Nuova in Cannaregio, a stunning 16th-century palace can be found, just a short vaporetto ride from The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice.
For centuries, the Palazzo Contarini dal Zaffo has been infamously known as the Casin degli Spiriti (house of the spirits), a gathering place for the restless spirits of Venice, cults, orgies, pirates, and smugglers.
The spirit of Pietro Luzzo, a painter who took his own life on the royal grounds out of anguish over unrequited love, refuses to depart. The owner of the palace sealed up one of the windows after his ghost came there the day following his death.
When the owner of the palace caught Luzzo appearing in yet another window, he had them all bricked up. Legend has it that Luzzo’s ghost may be heard screaming through the halls of the palace on moonless nights.
