Dorsoduro district of Venice: legends, stories and tales

Venice is an extraordinary city to visit and each district has its own history in particular , today we explore that of Dorsoduro so that those who visit the city can have a complete overview not only of the historical places to visit but also of the legends, the dark prophecies and all the peculiarities that give this city an aura of mystery and magic. The Dorsoduro district, known as the artistic heart of Venice thanks to the Accademia Galleries and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection , also hides fascinating legends. Punta della Dogana, the end of Dorsoduro which extends between the Grand Canal and the Giudecca Canal, is the protagonist of a legendary story: the Black Water Monster.

The legend of the Blackwater Monster

As expected from a lagoon city, Venice also has its mysterious sea monster. According to legend, under Punta della Dogana , there is a cavity inhabited by a gigantic sea serpent known as the "black water monster". Its name comes from the color of the lagoon water on moonless nights, when the creature seems to emerge. In 1933, some fishermen claimed to have seen the monster with their own eyes, fueling the mystery.

Whether it may be true or not, many young tourists venture to discover the Punta della Dogana to try to spot the great monster.

A cursed building in the center of Dorsoduro

When visiting Venice you may want a bit of mystery and horror and that's when you can go to the cursed Ca' Dario : a palace built at the end of the fifteenth century. Legend has it that every owner of this building met a tragic end, including suicides, murders and financial ruin. From ancient times with Marietta, daughter of Giovanni Dario, to more recent events such as the financial collapse of Fabrizio Ferrari, Ca' Dario seems to carry with it a curse.

The theories concern the construction on an ancient Templar cemetery or a talisman placed on the palace. The ghosts of the former owners, it is said, still wander inside, making it a deserted and inhospitable place.

The bridge of wonders

Near the Accademia Galleries, the Ponte de le Maravegie stands as an icon of Dorsoduro, bringing with it a story of love and miracles that has withstood the passing of centuries . It owes its name to a Venetian story that tells of seven sisters who lived in a house overlooking the bridge. Six of them were extraordinarily beautiful, while the seventh was considered less attractive.

Near the bridge lived a young boatman who was struck by the mysterious charm of the house of the seven sisters. He spent more and more time in their home. As the days passed, he began to get sick. Suspecting that her less attractive sister was a witch, the young man decided to confront her and while the other sisters were absent, the young man crossed the threshold of the house. Looking up at the window of the young woman's room, he was stunned to see the girl kneeling in front of her crucifix.

In that moment of revelation, the young man understood the truth: the young woman prayed for his health, offering her life in exchange for healing. Struck by the girl's nobility of soul, he declared his love for her.

Calle della Toeletta

Close to the suggestive Ponte de le Maravegie and the Accademia Galleries, Calle della Toletta hides an intriguing mystery linked to an old alarm clock, which marks the time of the alleged spells of a witch. Looking towards the roof of a yellow house on the corner of Calle della Toletta, you can notice an old alarm clock . According to popular tales, this alarm clock is linked to a witch who once lived in the street. Legend has it that the alarm clock marked the time during which the witch performed her spells and spells. When the woman died, the house remained uninhabited for a long time, but strange phenomena began to appear.

To perform a prank or perhaps for darker purposes, the barber asked some workers who were fixing the roof to hang the alarm clock on the house. From that moment, the strange phenomena stopped, years later, when the alarm clock was removed during restoration work and people stopped believing the legend, the inexplicable phenomena resumed. The house was the victim of accidents, disturbing noises, inexplicable encounters and disappearances. The alarm clock seemed to have acquired a supernatural influence. Faced with the persistence of the phenomena, the decision was to reposition the alarm clock

The horror of San Trovaso

San Trovaso, an island steeped in history within Dorsoduro, reveals macabre stories connected to its wells and the Church of Santi Gervasio e Protasio. On the island, the Church of Saints Gervasio and Protasio hosts not one, but three wells. The peculiarity of this configuration is accompanied by a macabre episode which dates back to 14 June 1779.

In that year, the bust of a man was found inside the oldest well in San Trovaso, dating back to the thirteenth century. A macabre mystery that would have upset the tranquility of the island. Investigations revealed that the man had been murdered, and the limbs, severed from the body, were discovered shortly afterwards in other areas of the city. The story of San Trovaso was intertwined with a passionate drama, involving the victim's wife and her lover, a young Friulian who worked in the lagoon.

Those responsible, the wife and the young lover, were brought to justice and executed in Piazza San Marco. This crime of passion remained imprinted in Venetian history and still brings many visitors to the islet today. Visiting Venice means immersing yourself in ancient stories and a single day is not enough to fully experience its charm . Choosing to stay in the city for a few days means fully experiencing its magic and this is why booking an apartment in advance can help you reduce your budget and dedicate more time to discovering the city.