Zecca di Venezia

The history of the Venetian mint dates back to 810 and the settlement of Malamocco on the Venetian Lido where the Doge's Palace was then located, with the relocation of the doge and most of the inhabitants to the Rialto, Zecca was also moved. From 1112, the mint operated in a building located in the parish of San Bartolomeo, near the Rialto Bridge, but during the reign of the doge Ordelafo Falier (1102-1118) the building was sold to the Venetian state. During the reign of the doge Jacopo Tiepolo (1229-1249), Zecca became an independent state institution in 1229. During the reign of the doge Pietro Gradenigo (1289-1311) Zecca was moved to a new space, next to St. Mark's Square, in order to be closer to the Grand Council (Consiglio Maggiore). In the second half of the sixteenth century, Zecca moved into a new building designed by Jacopo Sansovino as a typical Renaissance palace. La Zecca, “forziere della Repubblica” was built between 1537 and 1547, and it is a classic building with severe forms, exemplifying, in its architecture, the concepts of safety, jealousy and power to which it was intended. Up to two million coins (gold and silver ducats) are minted in the new building each year. Since fire was obviously used to melt metals, the building is entirely built in stone, without poles or wood that could somehow jeopardize the treasure of Venice. Zecca continued her activity even under Habsburg rule. Zecca stopped working in 1866, when Venice was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy. Today the palace, after the annexation of Venice to the Italian State and the subsequent suppression of the Mint in 1870, houses offices, deposits and reading rooms of the Marciana National Library.