FAIMARATHON

(Venice, Italy) This Sunday, October 13, 2013, the Venetian chapter of FAI will take part in a national cultural marathon, "the only marathon that you run with your eyes." Last year the Fai Marathon featured the Wells of Venice. This year, the Fai Marathon will focus on the Stairs of Venice -- and Venice has some spectacular staircases.

Let's recap:

The Fondo Ambiente Italiano (FAI), or the Italian Environmental Foundation was established in 1975 to "emulate the English National Trust." (For Americans, a similar organization would be the National Trust for Historic Preservation.) ...FAI declares that it bases its work on five principles: knowledge, pragmatism, consistency, independence and quality. Since FAI is a foundation, we can agree those are principles upon which any solid foundation should be built. FAI safeguards the heritage of art, nature and the Italian landscape.

The FAI MARATHON is a non-competitive race involving more than 90 Italian cities, in which the goal is to call attention to cultural and artistic places that are part of hectic, everyday life, but often overlooked. Together with Il Gioco del Lotto, Italy's national lottery, FAI hopes to raise awareness of the art and culture that surrounds us here in Italy while raising funds to protect and restore that beauty. Using funds from the Lotto is a tradition that goes back 400 years when Pope Innocent XII finished construction of Palazzo Montecitorio, the current Chamber of Deputies, with lottery money.

Last year, 450 people participated in the marathon in Venice, and this year FAI is expecting even more. Moving a very large group of people around Venice is a challenge, to say the least. However, FAI is confident they can set an example for organized, cultural tourism that impacts Venice in a positive way. The group will gather at Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista between 10:00 and 11:00AM on Sunday where you can sign up. Staggered departures then head off on a 3 1/2 hour tour that winds throughout the city, visiting 13 monumental staircases along the way, including some inside private palaces. The marathon concludes at Palazzo Bon-Rezzonico.

One of Venice's most famous staircases is at Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo. In the Venetian language, "Bovolo" is the name of the spiral shell of a yummy little local snail. From the City of Venice's website:

Contarini del Bovolo Staircase

the spiral staircase 'Scala Contarini del Bovolo' is an extraordinary example of Venetian architecture in transition: leaving the realms of the gothic to embrace renaissance style.

The staircase is believed to be the work of Giovanni Candi, employed by Pietro Contarini to make a unique addition to his late-gothic palazzo, S. Paternian. Contarini wished to enhance the palazzo's internal facade which overlooks a small courtyard that was formerly protected by high walls.

A series of overlapping arches link the different levels as the staircase winds upwards to form a cylindrical tower. Its Venetian name of "Bovolo" refers to the spiral shell of a small local edible snail.

You can scale the staircase and from the top, can savour a truly splendid view of Venice: rooftops, bell towers, the dome of St Mark's and more.
That's just one example of the staircases you will visit in a truly unique, affordable tour of Venice, so if you're in town this Sunday, be sure to head over Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista between 10 and 11AM. Plus, it's for a good cause!

Even if you're not in Venice, you can still help out FAI. From their English-language website:

What you can do

Palazzo Cavalli-Franchetti Staircase by Camillo Boito

Monumental Stairs of Venice
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Departs from:
Scuola Grande di S. Giovanni Evangelista
San Polo 2454
Starting at 10:00AM
Staggered departures until 11:00AM

Final destination:
Ca' Rezzonico
Dorsoduro Fondamenta delle erbe 3136
Length of marathon: 3 1/2 hours
Cost:
Adults: minimum contribution of 6 euro, 5 euro for FAI members
Couples and families: minimum contribution of 10 euro; 8 euro for FAI members
Anyone who joins FAI or renews their membership may participate for free

FAI: www.fondoambiente.it
GIOCO DEL LOTTO: www.giocodellotto.it

Ciao from Venezia,
Cat
Venetian Cat - The Venice Blog

Lunghezza percorso:

Tempo di percorrenza: 3h e 30m

Orario di partenza: PARTENZA DA: Scuola grande di San Giovanni Evangelista,Calle de la Lacca 2454, San Polo - dalle ore 10.00 - partenze scaglionate fino alle ore 11.00

Note: E’ possibile iscriversi alla maratona anche presso: Hotel Bauer - Campo San Moisè – San Marco, 1459 giovedì 3 e giovedì 10 ottobre, ore 10.30 - 12.00

Info: Segreteria Fai Veneto

Tel.: 041 719707 ;

e-mail: segreteriafaiveneto@fondoambiente.it

Ringraziamenti: Con il Patrocinio del Comune di Venezia. Si ringrazia per il contributo alla realizzazione dell’evento per la Delegazione FAI di Venezia: Camuffo Lab; Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia; Scuola Grande San Giovanni Evangelista; Scuola alberghiera Barbarigo; Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana

Scarica la mappa del percorso

- See more at: http://www.fondoambiente.it/Cosa-facciamo/Index.aspx?q=faimarathon2013-trova-il-tuo-itinerario#sthash.C8xCtkND.dpuf

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