Calle del Paradiso, Castello

One morning, after downing a delicious coffee and warm, sweet pastry at Rosa Salva (ok, so maybe it was two of each), we headed off into the streets of Venice for another day of walking and looking.  

We walked across the Ponte dei Preti off the Campo Santa Maria Formosa and looked up to find this arch – the Arco del Paradiso.

Nizioletto - Ponte dei Preti near Campo Santa Maria Formosa

Arco del Paradiso, Castello, Venice (from the Ponte dei Preti)

 The arch dates from the early 15^th century and commemorates the marriage between a Foscari and a Mocenigo, and bears both family’s arms as well as a relief of the Madonna della Misericordia.  Twenty-six houses in this calle – the Calle del Paradiso – formed part of the marriage settlement.  

The calle itself is one of the best preserved medieval streets in Venice.

The Arco del Paradiso in the Calle del Paradiso

The narrow, short street comprises two parallel blocks, joined at the east end by the Arco del Paradiso.  

The ground floor was intended for shops and workshops, with a single storey of accommodation above, supported by barbacani.

The Calle del Paradiso, Castello

Here's a closer look at the barbacani:

Detail of the barbacani - supporting structures in the Calle del Paradiso

And another view of the barbacani and the street signs:

Street signs in the Calle del Paradiso, Castello

According to Richard Goy’s trusty Venice. An Architectural Guide, the section toward the bridge contains some 13^th century material as well as later medieval parts, whilst the section of the street toward the Salizzada San Lio is largely 16^th century.

Toward the Salizzada San Lio end of the street is one of Venice’s many fine bookshops.  This one, Editrice Filippi, specializes in hard-to-find Venice titles in Italian and other languages.  I’ve spent many happy hours examining its shop windows and deciding what other piece of clothing I can jettison in favour of another tome. 

Shop window of Editrice Filippi, Calle del Paradiso, Castello

On my last visit to Venice, we travelled to eight cities in three weeks, each of us carrying one small cabin bag on wheels.  I regretfully decided there was no way I could fit Alvise Zorzi’s comprehensive, gorgeously illustrated Venezia Scomparsa in my small bag, nor nonchalantly waltz through check-in with such a heavy book in my luggage. 

Luckily, the bookshop kindly posted it to me.