Built Context

The 1853 Fondaco dei Tedeschi- Front Facade / Five Bays

Click here  to view an interactive map of The Fondaco dei Tedeschi. 

Located north of the Rialto Bridge, the Fondaco dei Tedeschi was used as a trading post for German merchants and was destroyed twice by fires, first in 1318, and later in 1505. The fire of 1505 threatened trading activities, and temporary arrangements were made for the German merchants, a cause of great economic concern to the Venetians. 

The fondaco's facade opens up to the Grand Canal through five arched bays, creating an environment that controls the speed and nature of circulation on both the interior and exterior, where users circulate around the sites edges. 

The surrounding buildings, the Rialto bridge, and the Grand Canal, also play a role in the movement of traffic at the fondaco. The Grand Canal had (and has) a high density of traffic that brought attention to the fondaco and the merchants selling goods there. The Rialto bridge was an important node in the Venetian built environment and attracted a great deal of traffic, contributing to the need to increase security at the fondaco.

Although the Fondaco changed very little between the 16th and the 19th century, its surrounding buildings changed more frequently, with their multitude programs and functions. The Grand Canal is constantly animated, whereas the Rialto Bridge is situated at a fixed point, and is connected to networks that stretched throughout the city. Although the bridge is stationary, it accommodates continuous movement.