Title

Redentore

Excerpt

Date

Every third Sunday of July it’s Festa del Redentore in Venice. This is probably the most important event celebrated in the city since 1576 after the end of the terrifying plague that killed more than 50.000 people, including the famous painter Tiziano Vecellio.
Fireworks are the most scenic and important part of the whole event: the whole city takes part to it during saturday night. An amazing show that can be seen from many places in Venice but particularly from San Marco starts as an array of big fireworks are shot from pontoons planed nearby the island of San Giorgio around 11.30 PM.

Actually everyone in Venice has been preparing for this nite right after noon: tens and then hundreds of boats start to gather in the bacino of San Marco, most of them decorated with the Redentore lamps. People eat on them, enjoy the sunset and then wait for the fireworks. Many others gather all around Venice, often setting up tables in the midde the calles or enjoying the view of the city from above on an “altana”, a sort of terrace built right on the top of the roof of many venetian houses. After they finish dinner with friends and relatives and right before the beginning of the show, they move towards San Marco, some walking, some by boat.
The fireworks last for about 50 minutes: it’s an amazing and powerful show that leaves everybody smiling and speechless.
Best viewed on a boat, like in this photo.

IT