Traditional Venetian boats

The term “arsenale” (“arsenal”) in modern Italian comes from daras-sina’ah, meaning “house of industry”, “house of the trade”.

A place with a vast historical memory, filled with triumphs and glories from the era of the Most Serene Republic. A place whose naval construction secrets were admired by the whole world.

The Museum is divided into two main areas, one adjacent to the other. The main entrance with the two anchors and the Ship Pavilion in the background. A prestigious location and an ancient site used for boatbuilding.

Frame of a stern -
Skilled craftsmen created the scale models, which were then delivered to the master shipwrights for construction of the life-sized vessels.

Model of an 18th-century Venetian FRIGATE.
A ship for close reconnaissance.

The models were made with extreme care and attention to detail.

Model of a Venetian FUSTA

A war galley with 24 benches of rowers and two rowers per bench, with their own oars. 16th Century

Model of a 16th-century Venetian TRIREME.
Known as a “Galea Sottile”. This 1881 model is the result of studies by Admiral Luigi Fincati.

The studies of Admiral Fincati led to a different conclusion than those of Admiral Jurien De La Graviere, who had ruled out the possibility of galleys having three men and oars per bench.

Admiral Fincati, however, is confirmed by the work “della milizia marittima” (“of the maritime militia”) and a painting by Vittore Carpaccio. Oars were also crucial, being up to 12 metres in length and weighing from 50 to 80kg.

A close-up view of a precious oil lamp use for lighting

The first BUCENTAUR was built in 1277; the last was launched under Doge Alvise Mocenigo on 12 January 1728. Length 43.80m; width 7.31m; height 8.31m.
It had 42 oars, with 4 men per oar.

The etymology of the word is uncertain, but many Venetians writers consider it to come from “bucio” or “bucin”, an ancient multi-oared vessel, and “di oro” because it was abundantly gilded, hence the term BUCENTAUR.

Attention was paid to every detail for the Doge; he embarked at the stern, following the authorities and ambassadors. Having reached the open sea, he would throw a blessed ring into the water for everlasting dominion over the seas.

One of the few remaining relics, an oar shaft. With the fall of the Most Serene Republic to the French in 1797, the BUCINTORO was also destroyed.

They burned it, after recovering the gold that adorned the vessel. It was an affront to the honour of the Republic and a humiliating defeat. The legend of an era of pomp and domination that has filled pages of history still lives on.

Thanks to the characteristics of their hulls and special rudders, bragagne could fish in the vast lagoon areas known as the “palui”, where the water almost never exceeds one metre in depth.

Known as a MAROTA or “vivier”, this was used by the lagoon boats over the centuries for preserving live fish. Inside it, fish could remain fresh during the return to the market in Rialto.

The two crewmen would remain away from home for long periods, fishing around Venice. During this time, the fishermen lived on board, taking rest and shelter in the compartment beneath the bow.

However, bragozzi were also built measuring 40 feet and more, which the inhabitants of chioggia used for fishing on the east coast, reaching as far as the ports of Albania and Corfu.

The images in the interior, true works of art, represented an offering and a prayer. Typically, these religious paintings invoked protection during voyages and from the risk of stormy seas.

The coffin was placed in the centre of the vessel.

The allegorical frieze on the bow represents the flame of faith that gives light to darkness.

It was offered to the Company for the 25th anniversary of the Foscari family, by the Ministers Volpi and Giuriati, the municipality and Province of Venice, and other bodies.

For the occasion of the annexation to the Kingdom of Italy, the wooden sculptural group in the stern was modified to represent Venice crowning Italy.

For the occasion of the annexation to the Kingdom of Italy, the wooden sculptural group in the stern was modified to represent Venice crowning Italy.

This gesture shows the pride of Venice, which wanted to emerge from defeat with her head still held high. Its last outing was in 1959 for the return of the coffin of Pope St. Pius X to Venice.