Every work of architecture is  a chance of building relationships between people. The spirit of this year’s 12th International Architecture Exhibition (29 August – 21 November) is very much influenced by this idea and by the the artistic talent of Kazuyo Sejima herself.

But who is this woman, the first one ever to be appointed director of the Biennale in Venice?

Born in Japan, in the prefecture of Ibaraki in 1956, in 1981 she took a degree in architecture at the Japan Women’s University and began working in the studio of Toyo Ito. In 1987, she opened her own studio in Tokyo. In 1995, together with Ryue Nishizawa, she founded SANAA (recently awarded with the 2010 Pritzker Prize), the Tokyo studio that has designed some of the most innovative works of architecture built recently around the world, from the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York to the Serpentine Pavilion in London. The recent Rolex Learning Center in Lausanne, Switzerland (March 2010) and a branch of the Louvre Museum in Lens (now under construction) are also major projects of SANAA.

Sejima has a completley new idea of an architecture that is liberated from any traditional background and deeply immersed in space. The exhibition reflects this ideal, and sets up an environment in which ideas and projects are free to circulate, meet and be re-shaped by visitors.

Among this year’s new features, for example, there’s the Architecture Saturdays a series of conversations and opportunities for discussion held weekly with architects, critics and figures from the world of architecture in Italy and abroad for the entire period of the Exhibition’s opening (see program). This will be an occasion for people, to meet and for the conversation on architecture do go on.

The 12th International Architecture Exhibition will be held from August 29th to November 21st, 2010, at the Giardini and at the Arsenale (preview August 26, 27 and 28, 2010), and in various other venues in Venice. The Best Western Premier Hotel Sant’Elena is located just a few meters away from the Giardini.

Walking the whole day in the hot sun tires both parents and children. And yet, for those who are able to find the right way, this city has plenty of stories to tell - stories that seem to have been written precisely for kids. That’s how your visit to Venice can turn itself into an exciting game.

Leave the Best Western Hotel Sant’Elena in the morning and make for Piazza San Marco (if you take the Vaporetto it’ll take you 5 mis only). From the square look up at the clock tower. What are those two statues doing up there in the flat roof? Are they striking the right hours? Not at all: the Moor on the right, facing the future, strikes the bell two minutes in advance; the Moor on the left, looking at the past, strikes the bell two minutes after. Does it sound strange? Why not going upstairs and seeing it yourself? If you’re at least 6 years old and don’t fear taking the stairs to the fifth floor, hurry up!

If you make your way through the “Riva degli Schiavoni” towards the Arsenale, your long walk will be repaid by the Venice Naval History Museum (open till 13.30). Cannons of the XIV century, torpedos of the World War two and old boats reconstructions will drive your imagination and take you far away, dreaming to be somewhere in the sea. Or maybe you will dream to be on the Bucintoro, the queen of all boats, chosen by the Dogi of Venice as ceremony boat during the celebration of the Bridal of The Sea festivity.

How not to mention Murano, the well known isle of glass. A glass master at work is a great attraction for every child. The melting glass, blown as a soap bubble, transforms into a wonderful vase. Parents will find plenty of souvenirs and children will make an unforgettable experience (for more info on the furnaces opened to the public visit www.promovetro.com , phone: 0415275074).
Venice, of course, is also a city of art. But will art exhibitions and children ever meet together? At the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, every Sunday afternoon at 15.00 the Kids day begins: a visit to the museum and a workshop organized exactly for children from 4 to 10 years old.

photo credit: rachdavies

The main attractions that will open their doors free to the public are:
• The “Ca d’Oro” and the tour exhibition of Flemish tapestries of the 16th century.
• The Museum of Oriental Art and the opportunity to see some masks representative of traditional Japanese Noh theater.
• The  “Gallerie dell’Accademia”, where for the first time there will be organized the show of two drawings by Jacopo Tintoretto and Francesco Guardi, acquired in 2009.
• The “Palazzo Foscari”, last residence of the Doge Francesco Foscari and now seat of the Venice University, which hosted illustriouscharacters such as Henry III of Valois, King of France and Poland.
• The “Palazzo Grimani”, a noble residence in Venice of the sixteenth century.
• The “Libreria Sansoviniana”, with the inauguration of the exhibition ” Tesori della musica veneta del Cinquecento. La policolarità Giovanni Matteo Asola e Giovanni Croce”.
• The Provincial Museum of Torcello - Archaeological Section and Section Medieval and Modern, which includes ruins and artifacts related to the island and lagoon.
• The “Arsenale”, whose visit will be preceded by an introductory lesson by the architect Claudio Menichelli in cooperation with the Maritime Research Center.
• The house of the famous Venetian painter Jacopo Tintoretto.
• The National Archaeological Museum of Venice.

For more information or details regarding specific dates and opening hours, please visit the website: www.beniculturali.it

There is a mosaic on the basilica showing how the sailors covered the relics with a layer of pork. Since Muslims are not allowed to touch pork, this action was done to prevent Muslim intervention in the relics removal. Moreover, according to tradition, in 1094 the saint himself revealed the location of his remains by extending an arm from a pillar. The newfound remains were placed in a sarcophagus in the basilica.
Nevertheless, the destiny of  the relics of the Saint is vexed: copts believe that his head remained in Alexandria. Every year, on the 30th day of the month of Babah, the Coptic Orthodox Church celebrates the commemoration of the consecration of the church of St. Mark, and the appearance of the head of the saint in the city of Alexandria. This takes place inside St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Alexandria, where the saint’s head is preserved.

In other countries, like Italy, Shrove Tuesday is known as ‘Martedì Grasso’, This means ‘Fat Tuesday’ in Italian and also comes from the idea of using up food before Lent.

Many countries round the world have ‘Martedì Grasso’ celebrations and carnivals. Some of the most famous are in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, New Orleans in the U.S.A., and Venice in Italy.
One of the most exquisite, unique and typical  Venice Carnival specialty is the home made ‘frittella’ (‘fritoleri’ in Venetian dialect) that you can find in every coffee and pastry shops of the city. These ‘frittelle’are one of the symbol of the Venetian Carnival.
Here you have the traditional recipe to make your own traditional sweets…

Ingredients for 4 people:

12 g of beer yeast
200 g of flour
40 g of raisans
40 g of pinoli nuts
40 g di candied fruits
ca. 350 g of seed oil
40 g of sugar
16 g of icing sugar
ca. 0,5  of grappa or rum

Preparation:

Dissolve yeast with a little warm water and sugar.  Add grappa and then flour adding water when needed.  Mix well until there are no air bubbles on the surface.  Cover and leave to rise in a warm place.  When the mix has doubled in size, add raisans, candied fruits and pinoli.  Heat oil and cook draining each doughnut on paper towels.  Arrange in a pyramid form and sprinkle with icing sugar.  Serve hot and enjoy your “frittelle”.

The phenomenon largely depends on three main factors:
• an astronomical component, which results from the movement and alignment of celestial bodies, principally the Moon; this component is dependent upon the laws of the astronomical mechanics and can be accurately predicted for the long run;
• a geophysical component, primarily dependent upon the geometric shape of the basin, which amplifies or reduces the astronomical component and, because it is dependent upon the laws of the physical mechanics, can be also computed and accurately predicted for the long run;
• a meteorological component, linked to a large set of variables, such as the direction and strength of winds, the location of barometric pressure fields and their gradients, precipitation. This component can only be forecast for the very short run and is probably the principal determinant of acqua alta emergencies.

 
This “Acqua Alta” spreads particularly in the St. Mark’s basin and in the lower areas of the city next to the Grand Canal. Despite some diseases to the local population, it has become a significant attraction for tourists from all over the world who come to Venice. Anyway, if you decide to come to our Best Western Premier Hotel Sant’Elena, don’t worry, our hotel is in a quiet area, higher than the St. Mark’s basin and not interested by this unique and particular phenomenon.

A new and enthralling way to visit Venice and its treasures: what  you need is only a map, a “whaiwhai” notebook and a mobile. “Whaiwhai” is an interactive story and a particular hunt to Venice treasures, to discover the most original and exciting aspects of the city.

In order to participate to this adventure, it is necessary to buy a whaiwhai notebook on the website or in one of the bookshops of the city. Once you bought the notebook that contains the stories that will drive you in the several places of the research, just to start, it is sufficient to send a message to a mobile number you find in the notebook.

To read the several stories about Venice, you should obtain the codes that will be sent you by sms: only in this way you could reassemble the pages, read what is written and know some peculiarities of the city where the discover will continue.

In order to proceed with the research, you should solve some riddles, sending the solution by sms to the number you find in our notebook ( the cost of a sms is the cost fixed by your operator). The notebook contains lots of stories and it will permit to play with whaiwhai till three times and to do different journeys in every treasure hunt. We will wait for you in Venice to look for some clues and to discover new hidden places of this wonderful and unique city.

Meeting point at the Hotel Sant’Elena of Venice for the tour “Between Convents and Gardens of Sant’Elena” escorted by the architect Mrs Gabriella Bondi part of the Wigwam Club Giardini Storici di Venezia.

Departure will be the grassy court of the formal monastic complex of Mantellate, built in the thirties which today hosts the elegant Hotel Sant’Elena.

A sophisticated aperitif, arranged by The Chef Giovanni Montella, will be served between the splash of roses’ colors and officinal herbs.

An introduction to the History of this marvelous part of Venice still not assaulted by tourists, will be offered on the spot.

A guided walk will take us to the near Sant’Elena island, located at the oriental extremity of Venice, where we will visit orts, fifteenth-century kiosk and the Church of the Convent complex dedicated to the mother of Emperor Costantino.

For centuries a thriving cultural and artistic center with very well furnished library of the venetian lagoon, its origin are very ancient and date back to XI Century.

We’ll walk through the recent area born from drainages Vittorio Emanuele III, crossed by rows of big linden trees of the Viale IV Novembre and the breezy pine wood facing the Basin of San Marco reachable crossing a bridge from the Gardens of the Biennale.

It begins with a ceremonial parade along the Grand Canal of historical boats manned by Venetians in period costume.

Like the celebrated Palio of Siena, the most important races are between the various neighborhoods of the city centre.  The fans and followers of each neighborhood boat and crew encourage and incite their rowers from the streets next to the Grand Canal. The traditional points of reference for the Venice historical regata are the *spagheto, a rope stretched across the starting point in front of the public gardens (Sant’Elena Area) in the Castello sestiere of Venice; the Paleto, a pole driven into the centre of the Grand Canal in front of the Church of Sant’Andrea de la Zirada, around which the boats must turn before going back up the Grand Canal to cross the finishing line. The finishing line is indicated by the Machina, a construction erected on a wooden raft richly carved, painted and gilded, and where the prize-giving ceremony is held.

The Historical Regatta is one of the most important event of the Serenissima’s recent history, but the origins of the procession are unknown.

According to some historians, the first testimony of the Historical Regatta is dated 10^th January 1315, during the government of the Doge Giovanni Soranzo. This event was organized to celebrate the war victories of the Serenissima Republic.

According to other historians, the water procession re-evokes the triumphant welcome accorded by the Serenissima yo the Queen of Cyprus, Caterina Cornaro, who had donated her kingdom to Venice in 1489. of the 16th Century when Caterina Cornaro, a native Venetian who was later crowned Queen of Cyprus returned to Venice to deliver the island of Cyprus into the hands of the Venetians.

The Venice Regatta was also immortalized in one of the masterpieces of the famous Venetian painter Canaletto who painted the Regatta’s processions in honour of the visit of the King of Denmark ,Friederich IX ,in 1709.

In other circumstances, foreign dignitaries were honoured in this way during the Historical Regatta included Beatrice d’Este in 1493, Anna de Foix, Queen of Hungary in 1502, Henry III of France in 1574, and the Crown Prince and Princess of Russia in 1782.Not infrequently they were also organized and financed by foreign princes, like the regata of 1686, arranged at the wish of Duke Ernest August of Brunswick, a general who had fought bravely in the service of the Serenissima.