Martin Rico y Ortega - The Riva Degli Schiavoni in Venice [1873]

Martin Rico y Ortega - The Riva Degli Schiavoni in Venice [1873], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

The Riva Degli Schiavoni is a lovely and lively, albeit often overcrowded, promenade that sits on the waterfront at St. Mark's Basin in Venice. It was originally built in the 9th century from dredged silt and was named for the Slavic men who brought cargo to Venice from across the Adriatic Sea. 

The Riva Degli Schiavoni commences outside the Doges Palace and ends near the Arsenal. Along the way the promenade is lined with numerous hotels, restaurants, bars, and a number of notable historic buildings. Some of the hotels once functioned as palaces. For example, the Hotel Danieli used to be the Palazzo Dandolo, home to the aristocratic Dandolo family. Originally Byzantine in style, the palazzo includes a modern 1950s extension that was added when it was made a hotel.

[Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid - Oil on canvas, 42 x 72 cm]