For those who haven't yet visited, it's hard to imagine the presence of large parks and green gardens in Venice.
But they do exist!
In this article, I present the different gardens in Venice.
Venice gardens: article summary
Gardens of Venice: the Gardens of the Biennale
The first stop I'd like to recommend is the Biennale Gardens. Also known as the Napoleonic Gardens. The gardens are located in the Castello district. They represent the largest green space in Venice's historic center.
As its name suggests, the area is one of the venues for the International Art Exhibition, better known as the Biennale. The idea for the park was born in 1807. It stands on the ruins of a series of churches demolished to create the space needed to build the green space. It was subsequently inaugurated in 1812.
At the end of the 19th century, the garden was divided into two parts. One open to the public, the other given over to the Ente Biennale. The latter built the Palazzo delle Esposizioni and 29 exhibition pavilions. These are still the main feature of the garden today. The pavilions were designed and built by renowned architects. Each building corresponds to the nation that installs its representative works within the exhibition.
Remembrance Park
Not far from the Giardini della Biennale, on the island of Sant'Elena, lies the Parco delle Rimembranze. In Venice, it's also known as the Sant'Elena pinewood. The vast public park is the ideal place for a stroll among the pine trees, along a path that runs alongside the San Marco basin.
The garden includes a bathroom, a skating rink, a soccer field, benches and a playground. It's the ideal place for the whole family to relax. There are also different varieties of pine, lime, holm oak and palm trees on site.
Gardens of Venice: Papadopoli Gardens
In the Santa Crocenear Piazzale RomaThe Papadopoli Gardens are located in the heart of Venice. This is Venice's historic green space. Created in 1834, the gardens were home to some very rare species of tree. Their beauty demonstrated the attention paid to them by architect Francesco Bagnara.
During the First World War, the gardens were severely damaged by bombing. In the 1930s, they were completely transformed. following the construction of Piazzale Roma.
Today, the park has a very dense tree cover due to the presence of evergreen species such as cypresses, cedars and holm oaks. You may also come across hackberry, lime and oak trees. On the south side of the park is the winter garden of the Papadopoli Hotel, designed by Pietro Porcinai in 1970.
Savorgnan Gardens
Les Jardins de Savorgnan are located in the district of Cannaregio. They represent one of the city's most spacious green spaces. The public park is an example of the many gardens that overlooked the Cannaregio stream in the 1600s.
An unsuspected oasis immersed in the shade of plane and horse-chestnut trees and enveloped in silence, Savorgnan Park was born as a private garden in the Savorgnan Palace now home to the Institut Technique du Tourisme. Developed in 1826, the park was bought by the Galvagna family and redesigned as a landscaped garden.
The garden was enlarged, gentle slopes were created in the ground and large trees were planted. Today, the park belongs to the Municipality of Venice and is open to the public. A place perfect for getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Gardens of Venice: the Royal Gardens
Finally, you can end your trip in one of the city's most central green spaces. I'm talking, of course, about the Royal Gardens of Venice, located between Saint Mark's Square and the basin of the same name. The history of the royal gardens dates back to 1807, when Napoleon gave way to the project to reform the Marciana area with the intention of using the Procuratie Nuove as the seat of the Crown.
Architect Mezzani's design called for the creation of an Italian-style garden overlooking the San Marco basin. More recently, the gardens have gone through a period of decline due to poor maintenance, leading to a state of abandonment of the structure. In 2019, thanks to the involvement of the municipality and the Venice Garden FoundationThe public park has undergone a landscape, architectural and botanical restoration that has given new life to one of the most beautiful and precious green oases in the whole of Venice.
There are many well-hidden gardens in Venice. During your visit, I'm sure you'll be able to appreciate these various green spaces and take the time to relax in these oases of calm.
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