_1280905.jpg
first discovered this little chapel in the Sotoportego in Corte Nova in 2014. I twas in pretty terrible condition as the photos show.
When I returned in 2016 Save Venice Inc had students rehabilitating the passage.
A sotoportego (written with one “t” in Venetian dialect as opposed to the double consonant – Sottoportego – in Italian) is a characteristically Venetian urban feature allowing public passage through the ground floor of a building, forming an underpass. The 17th-century Sotoportego di Corte Nova is unusual as it also served as a chapel for prayers of salvation from the plague, and it remains a cherished local landmark today.
Much beloved by Venetians, this ornately decorated sotoportego served as a votive chapel and is imbued with legends dating to the 1630 outbreak of the plague in Venice. Tradition states that the residents of the Corte Nova area of Castello were spared from the plague thanks to the protection of the sotoportego.
In 2016, Save Venice provided additional support to the IVBC, allowing conservation students to complete the restoration of the entire Sotoportego di Corte Nova underpass. From June to September 2016, students worked onsite in the underpass removing layers of dirt, grime, and unsightly overpainting were removed, to reveal gilding, colorful marbles, and jewel-toned painted trim work. The rotted wooden paneling on the walls of the underpass was replaced and finished with a natural wood stain. The lighting fixture was also repaired, guaranteeing that the underpass will be illuminated at night.
Although the ornately decorated underpass had fallen into a disheartening state of disrepair, the results of the students’ efforts were immediate and the sotoportego has been completely transformed.
( note from the Save Venice site )
_1280905.jpg
first discovered this little chapel in the Sotoportego in Corte Nova in 2014. I twas in pretty terrible condition as the photos show.
When I returned in 2016 Save Venice Inc had students rehabilitating the passage.
A sotoportego (written with one “t” in Venetian dialect as opposed to the double consonant – Sottoportego – in Italian) is a characteristically Venetian urban feature allowing public passage through the ground floor of a building, forming an underpass. The 17th-century Sotoportego di Corte Nova is unusual as it also served as a chapel for prayers of salvation from the plague, and it remains a cherished local landmark today.
Much beloved by Venetians, this ornately decorated sotoportego served as a votive chapel and is imbued with legends dating to the 1630 outbreak of the plague in Venice. Tradition states that the residents of the Corte Nova area of Castello were spared from the plague thanks to the protection of the sotoportego.
In 2016, Save Venice provided additional support to the IVBC, allowing conservation students to complete the restoration of the entire Sotoportego di Corte Nova underpass. From June to September 2016, students worked onsite in the underpass removing layers of dirt, grime, and unsightly overpainting were removed, to reveal gilding, colorful marbles, and jewel-toned painted trim work. The rotted wooden paneling on the walls of the underpass was replaced and finished with a natural wood stain. The lighting fixture was also repaired, guaranteeing that the underpass will be illuminated at night.
Although the ornately decorated underpass had fallen into a disheartening state of disrepair, the results of the students’ efforts were immediate and the sotoportego has been completely transformed.
( note from the Save Venice site )