Campo della Maddalena is one of Venice’s most intriguing spots, where so many colours glimmer off the water and the windows in an otherwise perfectly still environment. Aside from the gleams and the lights, this campo is a charming tangle of clashing angles and lines, all responding to real urban problems.
Since the campo was once too low, one side was elevated to raise the level of clean water in the well cistern, otherwise contaminated by the marshy waters of the lagoon. And, while creating a livelihood was a burdensome endeavour for anyone here, the buildings with their chimneys, all in different shapes, heights and colours, create one of the most attractive sightings in the city. Campo della Maddalena is simply a great testament to the Venetian skill of turning an apparent chaos into a fascinating, pleasing urban layout.
