The former prison of “I Piombi” (The Leads)
Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace)
Venice, September 2013
“The famous Piombi were housed in rooms under the roof. They owe their name to the slabs of lead that covered the roofs, making these rooms extremely hot in summer and ice-cold in winter. These rooms were in general, designated to upper-class inmates or to those awaiting trial. The most famous guest of the Piombi was Giacomo Casanova, who ended up in prison after a long series of crimes and was the protagonist of the most famous and fantastical of escapes: having climbed onto the prison roof, Casanova managed to slide down a drain pipe, slip inside the Palace and then persuade someone to open the door, in order for him to then escape calmly on a gondola. Not, according to legend, without first allowing himself a coffee in the Piazza San Marco.” (Prisons, Doge's Palace, ItalyGuides.it)
That explains it. He was a coffee addict. :-)
ReplyDelete:-) This looks more or less like some modern prisons.
ReplyDeleteLooks like hell but has an interesting history.
ReplyDeleteImpressive bars and story too!
ReplyDelete