Venetian Arsenal, Venice, Italy

The Venetian Arsenal is a complex of former shipyards and armories clustered together in the city of Venice. Owned by the state, the Arsenal was responsible for the bulk of the Venetian republic's naval power during the centuries. It was one of the earliest large-scale industrial enterprises in history.

Construction of the Arsenal began around 1104, during Venice's republican era. It became the largest industrial complex in Europe before the Industrial Revolution, spanning an area of about 45 hectares, or about fifteen percent of Venice. Surrounded by a 3.2 km rampart, laborers and shipbuilders regularly worked within the Arsenal, building ships that sailed from the city's port. With high walls shielding the Arsenal from public view and guards protecting its perimeter, different areas of the Arsenal each produced a particular prefabricated ship part or other maritime implement, such as munitions, rope, and rigging. These parts could then be assembled into a ship in as little as one day. An exclusive forest owned by the Arsenal navy, in the Montello hills area of Veneto, provided the Arsenal's wood supply.

The Arsenal produced the majority of Venice's maritime trading vessels, which generated much of the city's economic wealth and power, lasting until the fall of the republic to Napoleon's conquest of the area in 1797.

Significant parts of the Arsenal were destroyed under Napoleonic rule, and later rebuilt to enable the Arsenal's present use as a naval base. It is also used as a research center and an exhibition venue during the Venice Biennale, and is home to a historic boat preservation center.

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User Reviews

Elyon Liu (8 months ago)
I love this site so much. It's beautiful! Have to put it on my sketch book.

Tom Shaw (8 months ago)
Bianalle was epic, loved the area in general but Jesus H Christ it was hot!

Trotting Horse (10 months ago)
Came here for Venice Biennale 2024. Love how vast and high the ceilings are, which makes it an ideal space for art exhibition.

Murillo Pontual (10 months ago)
Beautiful historical place that tells a little bit about the naval history of the fleet of Venice.

Greg Powers (2 years ago)
Both the beauty and scale of the Venetian Arsenal is amazing. The bridge between the two towers with the canal below is iconic Venice. Wonderful place to visit in the early morning before many people are out. I visited just before sunrise.

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