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Dogana di Mare
ABOVE: The Dogana di Mare is located at the Punta della Dogana on the tip of Dorsoduro, where the Grand Canal reaches its greatest width (231 feet or 70 meters) as it merges with St. Mark's Basin. Venice may be built on more than 100 islands and millions of wooden pilings, but its real foundation has always been international trade and tourism. For centuries, the Serene Republic of Venice was the meeting place of East and West, with ships ferrying goods between Europe and ports from the Holy Land to the Far East. Arriving cargo ships were inspected by customs officials at the Punta della Dogana, or Customs Point. This wedge of land is at the entrance to the Grand Canal, across the water and a few hundred yards to the west of St. Mark's Square. It offers one of Venice's most beautiful views--from an ancient mariner's perspective, no less.
The current building's tower is crowned by two Atlases (identical twins, presumably) holding up a bronze globe. Atop the globe, another statue--Fortuna, or "Fortune"--acts as a weathervane by holding a garment, or perhaps a ship's rudder, to the wind. The interior of the Dogana di Mare is now home to contemporary artworks from the Palazzo Grassi's Pinault Collection. In his Italian Hours essay on Venice, Henry James describes the Dogana di Mare:
Reaching the Dogana di Mare
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