Itineraries

The Shipyard of the Venetian Republic and the Historical Naval Museum

The Venetian shipyard was the most important factory of the Republic, those who worked there where named 'Arsenalotti'. The Naval Museum is rich of different kinds of boats and ships designed, built  and used by Venetians during the Republic.

The fleet of the Most Serene Republic used to be for centuries one of the strongest in the Mediterranean: it would be somehow feared even by the most dreadful enemies, the Turks in the first place, and it would be able to travel long distances in order to bring back to Venice luxury goods coming from all over.
The Venetian ships were built in the great Arsenale, which used to occupy an incredibly large area in the Castello District. It was probably the first assembly line in Europe. In the Arsenale, during war periods, the thousands of workers could build one entire ship a day, which was witnessed in 1574 by a famous guest of the Venetian Republic, king Henry III. But the particular activity of the shipyard had already impressed, more than two centuries earlier, the famous Florentine poet Dante Alighieri, who mentioned the Venetian Arsenale in his Inferno.
This is definitely a great occasion to learn more about the history of the maritime power of the Republic, especially if you also visit the original Historical Naval Museum.

Time: 3 hours

Notes: The fare does not include entrance fees. The fare for groups has to be agreed with the guide.