Sestieri the Venice neighborhoods

Sestiere is one of six parts that divides the city of Venice. The Sestieri that unite some 200 islands are, in fact, six, are named in relation to historic buildings or their geographical characteristics. St. Mark for St. Mark's Basilica, Castello to an ancient castle placed in view of the harbor, Cannaregio for large expanses of reeds occupying some areas of the district, Dorsoduro because of the hardness of the soil, San Polo to the great church built inside, and Santa Croce for the old church demolished by Napoleon.
The Grand Canal, crossing the city, it has three on the one hand, St. Mark, Castello and Cannaregio, three of which are located in the other side of the Channel, [Santa Croce]], San Polo and Dorsoduro, calling them de Citra the first who are on this side of the channel with respect to St. Marco and de Ultra the other, which of course are on the other side of the channel. De Ultra and de Citra were also called the Prosecutors of St. Mark who dealt justice to one side or the other of the Grand Canal.

The division into districts came about in the twelfth century. At that time a war against the Byzantines put a strain on the finances of Venice and it was necessary to impose some sort of fee to the citizens, actually a kind of loan to the State, to support the expenses of war.
To make sure you collect all the money was provided to divide the city into zones sestieri to the tax collectors, also split for Sestiere, could act in a widespread manner.
The numbering of the Civic is very special. Each Sestiere part with the number 1 and continue following tortuous paths that only the postmen and employees to the delivery of goods and a few others know well.
Ends only when each door of the District has its own number, so it is not difficult to be with numbers that exceed five thousand numbers as the three Sestieri de citra.

The main one must definitely consider the San Marco District for the presence of St. Mark's Basilica dedicated Evangelist, building that dates back to the ninth century, built on the foundations of the previous chapel dedicated to the Doge San Teodoro, the previous patron saint of the city, and Doges' Palace, the vital center of political and economic life, the seat of government, justice and decision-making assembly, which met in Hall of Great Council. Extends from Rialto's Bridge, which divides it from San Polo, the Accademia Bridge, which divides it from Dorsoduro until Ponte della Paglia, which instead divides it from Castello.

Of course the number 1 of the San Marco District is Door of the Charter, the main entrance of Doges' Palace near the Basilica, the other input is the Door of wheat, near the Ponte della Paglia, to finish the next Ponte dell'Olio to Fondaco dei Tedeschi

In his area there are the Teatro La Fenice, the headquarters of the Regional Consigio in Palazzo Ferro Fini, Palazzo Grassi, the Church of Santo Stefano and Town Hall Venice.

• San Marco Go to the dedicated page

The District of Castello is the part of the city that is in the east, where the Arsenale, true heart of the Republic military, able to set up a ship ready for battle in a few weeks, the 'ancient Basilica di San Piero, ancient bishopric instead of Aquileia, the Palace of Prisons, attacked the Doge's Palace through Bridge of Sighs, the Chiessa di San Zaccaria, the Chiesa di Santa Maria Formosa, the Scuola Grande di San Marco, large-charitable institution at the time of the Serenissima.

In this case the street numbers start from San Pietro di Castello to finish near the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo.

• Castello Go to the dedicated page
  

The District of Cannaregio is the third de citra, from this part of the Grand Canal. It is, along with the District of Castello, the largest such extension and the most populous. Derives its name probably from the expanses of reeds in the marshy areas to the lagoon were very generous.

In addition to Saint Lucia Railway Station, the Jewish Ghetto (the word 'Ghetto' derives from the Venetian stream, as the area where she was imprisoned Jewish community in Venice before there was an ancient furnace for melting metal, since then all closed communities took this name precisely Ghetto), the Fondamente Nove, from where boats depart for the islands of Murano, Burano, Torcello and the Island of San Michele, the Venice cemetery, there are the Chiesa della Madonna dell'Orto, the Church of Jesuit and the small but precious Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Miracoli.

• Cannaregio Go to the dedicated page

The District of Santa Croce derives its name from the church which was said to contain part of the Holy Cross where Jesus was crucified. Includes the Chiesa di San Nichola da Tolentino, the Chiesa di San Simeon Profeta, the ancient Chiesa di San Giacomo dell'Orio, the Museum of Natural History, Ca 'Pesaro - Museum of Modern Art, Ca' Corner della regina where he resided the Caterina Cornaro Queen of Cyprus, so that the street leading to the palace is called Calle della Regina.

It is perhaps best small in area, but richly populated, was the site of numerous activities such as wool washers.

The Rio di San Cassiano, which separates it from the San Polo, is the Ponte delle Tette, Tits Bridge.

While the No. 1 is located on the bridge near San Pantalon, at Campiello Mosca, the latest numbers are in the vicinity of Ca 'Corner of the Queen.

• Santa Croce Go to the dedicated page

The San Polo district starts at the top of Rialto's Bridge. It is home to the fish market and vegetable market where all the fishermen and peasants wore, with their boats, daily goods from the islands of the lagoon, such as Sant'Erasmo, the Vignole, Burano, Mazzorbo or from coastal areas as Caorle.

In its territory we find the Chiesa di San Giacometto, a splendid example of Romanesque Church, obviously the Chiesa di San Polo ¸ great Church dedicated to St. Paul and Basilica dei Frari which exhibits on its altar, the famous Assumption of Titian.

• San Polo Go to the dedicated page

The District of Dorsoduro derives its name from the hardness of the ground, hard Dosso. The first issues of this area is the Punta della Dogana and Basilica della Salute. Continuing numbering are the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, the Accademia Gallery, the Squero di San Trovaso one of the few places that still builds and repairs the Gondola and Scuola Grande dei Carmini another great charity active during the Serenissima Republic.

The Campo Santa Margherita, which is located in this area, is considered the largest in the city and very much alive, both day and night, for the presence of numerous students attending the University of Ca' Foscari and that of architecture, the IUAV.

• Dorsoduro Go to the dedicated page