Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-09
CHARMS Of OLD VENICE
TOLD BY KARL ST|ELER
Picture Of Queen Of the Adriatio
Basis of National Geographic
Bulletin.
Declared Few Cities in the World
Receive Veneration From More
Widely Scattered Sources.

less value to the world upon the threat
ened frontiers of the warning countries.
and among the richest OF these treas
ures Is Venice. the dream of genera
tons of tourists. of students of art and
history and of lovers of romance and
beauty. Few cities In the world receive
veneratfon from more widely scattered
and few stir SO many pleasant
on the eve Of a first visit
to them. This year. however, the city
will be deserted by its visitors. Venice.
a honeymoon objective and the tour
lists earliest across-sea aspiration. has
become an objective for Austrian air
fleets and battleships. Something OF the
charm OF this city of world pilgrimage
is told by one of its most noted friends.
Karl Stieler. whose picture OF the
Queen of the Adriatic forms the basis
of a bulletin just issued by the National
Geographic Society. He writes:
Before the Campanile We realize for
tho first time the widespread power OF
Venice. that fairy city which spranE
not from the earth. but the sea: still
touched with the glamour of the east.
and yet mistress of all western culture
so rich in arts and arms. in loves and
Venice is sphinx whose
enigma we never wholly penetrate. In
vain we strive to find an image that
shall express her mysterious essence.
The unique brooks no comparison.
Center Of Life and Movement.
"As in the old times. even SO today.
the center of life and movement is the
piazza of ST. Marks, although it offers
but pale shadow of the life of former
days. Here on sunny mornings all tho
10. hA
ciceroni, and on the neighboring piaz-
eta the gondoiers. Itinerant vendors
of all kinds push their way among tho
chairs that are set out in front of the
cafes under the open arcade.
But the most brilliant spectacle 10
at night, when hundreds Of gas jets
are alight in the huge bronze cande-
labra, when the gold sparkles in the
jewelers. windows and the sound OF gay
music is borne across the piazza. Then
come the nobili with their wives. The
gondolas throng to the piazetta and the
merceria seems far too narrow for the
press of people.
The noise and the passion which runs
through the publicity of italian life
continue deep into the night: then last
hasty words are spoken. yet one more
stolen glance Is shot from beautiful
eyes. and the happy individual for
is a,s asens ths
Of white marble. SO that
you cannot miss them. even at night
the gondolas gather again and then
separate on their different ways
canals.
"St. Marks stands alone among all
the temples of the world: Although
age and the moist sea air have spread
their veil over these walls. yet the
brilliant coloring and the mighty out
lines shine through all the gray dim
ness of tho past. The bronze horses
above the great door arc rearing; the
cupolas and arches stretch their great
curves in intensity Of power; each pSr-
and animated; yet in the whole reigns
the profound and noble peace proper to
the house Of God
Church Now 500 Years Old.
1T is now exactly 500 years ago since
the building of st. Marks was conn
pleted: its ecclesiastical sanctity 10 be-
slowed on 1t by the relics Of the great
evangelist; its historical sancity con-
sists in its intimate connection with
tho fortunes of tho city and Of her
rulers. It was the theater OF their
triumphs and the refuge for their
cares; all that she has achieved and
suffered Venice has done under the pro-
The Church of st. Mark contains
trophies from all parts of the world:
every stone has history. Those two
great pillars at the entrance to the
baptistry were part Of the booty Of
once in the Church of st. Sophia at
Stamboul The marble columns, which
stand right and left of the main portal.
are said to have been taken from the
temple in Jerusalem. The famous
~ Uh he
above the main portal. is of the antique
Roman period, and was for a long time
in Byzantium. the capital OF the En-
pire Of the West. The Doge Dandolo.
venetians to the storming of CONSTANT
nople G203). He was nearly blind. but
a fiery life still glowed in his veins.
What St. Marks is as the expression
of the religious spirit. that the ducal
palace is for the secular power OF
Venice; 1t has scarcely a rival. even In
Italy. The Doge's Palace, as It now
stands before us. was begun in the
fourteenth century and completed in
the fifteenth after a long interruption.
position of the palace. its relation TO
the Church Of ST. Mark. its two fronts
one commanding the piazetta and the
other the sea-declare the inner sig
dalton. the very corner stone OF all We
netian splendors.
splendors Not Unmarried.
sBut yet little shadow rests on these
yplendors. A slight shudder mars the
for the hands OF Venice
arc stained with blood-much noble
blood sacrificed to unworthy passions.
There is tho Booca di Leone. into which
.nyy threw its secret accusations,
Iere sat the council Of ten. Consielio
ie' Dieci. That was q word Of terror
% all cieisens Of Venice. In this trib-
unal she had q power which could
,nly be compared with that of Robes
pierre or the bloodthirsty Marat
"The complete truth about Venice
,annot be learned in the lofty ducal
palace, where the ceilings are full of
xold and where art, FREQ and untram-
neled, created her masterpieces. We
must go down even as far as the Poz-
Il, into the dungeons below the level
II tho water, or we must mount into
he hot leaden cells (the Piombi): then
ye begin to conceive what was the Sc
ret canker gnawing at tho root OF all
his beauty: then We feel with un-
peakable horror what IL tho shadow on
he conscience OF the proud queen OF
he Adriatic."