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Piombi ("The Leads" in
The Piombi prison was divided into six rooms, separated by wooden partitions strengthened with iron plates. Access to the prison was by two staircases, one located in the Sala dei Tre Capi (the three chiefs room) and the other in a corridor near the Sala degli Inquisitori di Stato (Hall of the State Inquisitors). Light is reached through small windows overlooking the waterway called
Construction dates back to the 16th century, which is testified by a promulgation of the Council of Ten, dated March 15, 1591. It said that since the pre-existing Wells were too harsh for the detention of prisoners it was necessary to build a new structure to house those convicted of minor crimes. The Piombi were built in the attic of the building, where the Council of Ten had its archive, above the Sala dei Tre Capi.
Some famous people were imprisoned there, including Paolo Antonio Foscarini and
ItalyGuides.it: Prisons (Doge's Palace)
{{Commons category, Prigioni Nuove (Venice) Defunct prisons in Italy Buildings and structures in Venice Piazza San Marco
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) is a former prison in the Doge's Palace
The Doge's Palace (''Doge'' pronounced ; ; ) is a palace built in Venetian Gothic architecture, Venetian Gothic style, and one of the main landmarks of the city of Venice in northern Italy. The palace included government offices, a jail, and th ...
in Venice
Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
. The name of the prison refers to its position directly under the roof of the palace, which was covered with slabs of lead
Lead () is a chemical element; it has Chemical symbol, symbol Pb (from Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a Heavy metal (elements), heavy metal that is density, denser than most common materials. Lead is Mohs scale, soft and Ductility, malleabl ...
. In winter, these slabs let the cold pass and they acted as a conductor in the summer heat, imposing harsh conditions for inmates.
Description
The Piombi prison was divided into six rooms, separated by wooden partitions strengthened with iron plates. Access to the prison was by two staircases, one located in the Sala dei Tre Capi (the three chiefs room) and the other in a corridor near the Sala degli Inquisitori di Stato (Hall of the State Inquisitors). Light is reached through small windows overlooking the waterway called Rio di Palazzo
Rio or Río is the Portuguese and Spanish word for "river". The word also exists in Italian, but is largely obsolete and used in a poetical or literary context to mean "stream".
Rio, RIO or Río may also refer to:
Places United States
* Rio, Flo ...
. The ceilings were made of lead, but under this was a double planking in larch
Larches are deciduous conifers in the genus ''Larix'', of the family Pinaceae (subfamily Laricoideae). Growing from tall, they are native to the cooler regions of the northern hemisphere, where they are found in lowland forests in the high la ...
, which made the prisons hot in summer.
The inmates could have furniture and furnishings such as beds and dishes. They had medical assistance, food brought from outside or to order, and a cash allowance for small needs.
History
Construction dates back to the 16th century, which is testified by a promulgation of the Council of Ten, dated March 15, 1591. It said that since the pre-existing Wells were too harsh for the detention of prisoners it was necessary to build a new structure to house those convicted of minor crimes. The Piombi were built in the attic of the building, where the Council of Ten had its archive, above the Sala dei Tre Capi.
Some famous people were imprisoned there, including Paolo Antonio Foscarini and Giacomo Casanova
Giacomo Girolamo Casanova (; ; 2 April 1725 – 4 June 1798) was an Italian adventurer who was born in the Republic of Venice and travelled extensively throughout Europe. He is chiefly remembered for his autobiography, written in French and pu ...
. On November 1, 1756, Giacomo Casanova made a famous escape from the prison. He published the story of his escape in 1787.
In 1797, Piombi was abandoned due to a reorganization of prison use. It was replaced as a city prison currently used for drug addicts, located on the island of Giudecca, until 1926.
The old prisons inside the Doge's Palace were supplemented by the New Prison, built across the Rio de Palazzo from the palace. The New Prison was connected to the old prisons in the Palace by the Bridge of Sighs
The Bridge of Sighs (Italian: ''Ponte dei Sospiri'', ) is a bridge in Venice, Italy. The enclosed bridge is made of white limestone, has windows with stone bars, passes over the Rio di Palazzo, and connects the New Prison (''Prigioni Nuove'') t ...
.
See also
*History of the Doge's Palace in Venice
The history of the Doge's palace in Venice begins in medieval times and continues with numerous extensions, renovations and demolitions aimed at adapting the building to the new needs of the city and in particular to the need to give a seat to th ...
References
External links
ItalyGuides.it: Prisons (Doge's Palace)
{{Commons category, Prigioni Nuove (Venice) Defunct prisons in Italy Buildings and structures in Venice Piazza San Marco