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The Venice Arsenale were built around 1104 and was then extended over three centuries, to a point where they took up a large area of the Castello sestiere. The Arsenale are made up of a set of buildings from where the Venetian war and merchant fleets set off.

The entire shipyard area was surrounded by high walls, protected by square towers that had winged lions on the top. The large archway at the entrance was built by A. Gambello when the Doge Pasquale Malipiero (1460) ruled the Republic. Above the main door there is a stone statue of a winged lion with a sword and bible that is open on the words “pax tibi Marce evangelista meus” (may peace be with you, Mark, my evangelist), which is the symbol of Venice.
In 1682 a terrace was built from where it is possible to see the square below and there are eight allegorical stone statues on the rails of gods and goddesses.

When the shipyards were at their busiest, there were 16,000 men working in these yards, who were given the name Arsenalotti. They were divided into teams of joiners, sawyers and stucco decorators who could prepare up to six large trading galleys ships every two years. In the 14th century, many warehouses were built to make and store ropes and rigging: one of these was called “la Tana”. Hemp plants were separated inside “la Tana”, which were then used to make strong ropes by the master rope makers.

Venice was the main naval center on the Adriatic Sea until 1797. The Serenissima came to an end following the Napoleonic wars and the Austrian occupation, and the shipyards were slowly abandoned. Today it is possible to see models of the Serenissima ships in the Venice Shipyards museum.

Riva San Biasio, Castello 2148
 
Opening hours Monday/Friday: 8:45/13:30 Saturday and the day before a holiday: 8.45/13.00

Closed Sundays and holidays

Full entrance fee € 1,55 free for schools