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The reopening of the Royal Gardens to visitors at this time is a bright spot for Venice, after the difficulties caused by successive high tides and floods over the past two months.
The Royal Gardens of Venice were first built in 1807 by Napoleon, as a lush green area surrounding San Marco Square. The entire area covers approximately 5,000 square meters.2, including the royal chambers of the Royal Palace, the Archaeological Museum, the Marciana Library, and these Royal Gardens.
Image of the Royal Gardens in 1816
Beginning in the 1950s, the Royal Gardens fell into a state of decay, neglect, and ecological imbalance due to the encroaching development of adjacent structures. The neoclassical iron frames, railings, gates, and historic drawbridges, built by architect Lorenzo Santi in 1816, were visibly damaged. The gardens were continuously encroached upon without direct management until they were officially closed.
The restoration project began in December 2014 by two architects: Paolo Pejrone was responsible for the garden layout and Alberto Torsello for the restoration and renovation of the greenhouse. The garden was replanted with 22 large trees, 68 climbing plants, 804 shrubs, 6,560 flowering plants, and 3,150 light bulbs were installed.
The glasshouse was restored with new window frames and a new titanium-coated zinc roof. The complex is divided into two parts: the eastern section houses The Human Garden, which will host cultural and artistic activities, and the western section contains functional rooms and 18 restrooms managed by Venetian Veritas, a waste management company that uses environmentally friendly products for cleaning and sanitation, minimizing water consumption. The entire restoration project was completed over five years, from 2015 to 2019.
The garden has been newly planted with 22 large trees, 68 climbing plants, 804 shrubs, 6,560 flowering plants, and 3,150 light bulbs have been installed.
The Italian insurance company Generali has spent approximately €3 million (equivalent to $3.5 million) to renovate the entire Royal Gardens. This is part of a €400 million donation from over 1,000 individual and corporate donors to restore and renovate cultural treasures and heritage sites in Italy.
“After five years of intense and dedicated work, we have now restored the Royal Gardens – a place of life and peace in the city of Venice,” said Dario Franceschini, Minister of Culture.
The Royal Gardens, once again resplendent and elegant with their historic 19th-century design, have been restored and preserved. Located right next to the bell tower of San Marco Square, the Royal Gardens will be a place for people to meet, chat, and relax in a lush green oasis of Venice.
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