Right here stands Cippo di conterminazione lagunare n. 23. It is one of a series of markers defining the boundaries of the Venetian Lagoon. These cippi have silently watched the lagoon’s transformation for over two centuries.
But what exactly is a Cippo di conterminazione lagunare n. 23? Since the late 18th century, one hundred cippi have marked the boundaries of the Laguna di Venezia. They established a legal, administrative, geographic, and scenic border between water and land.
Originally made of brick and adorned with Istrian stone. The stone featured the Lion of San Marco. Later, the brick cippi were replaced with stone.
The Republic of Venice understood the need to mark the lagoon’s borders. This need arose in the early 1600s. They wanted to precisely define the territorial limits. These limits helped enforce regulations protecting the lagoon.
After nearly two centuries, the boundaries were physically marked. Between 1791 and 1792, 99 cippi were erected. Later between 1846 and 1898, the brick cippi were replaced with more durable Istrian stone. The line connecting them stretched about 157 km. It defined the lagoon territory. It separated salt water from the surrounding land.
The Cippo di conterminazione lagunare n. 23 and its counterparts were not just markers. They symbolized Venice’s commitment to preserving its lagoon. Decrees from the Republic imposed severe penalties. Penalties for building within the lagoon or taking away from the waters. The inscription arrecar detrimento all’acque which means harm to the waters appeared on many cippi. The Venetians saw the waters as the city’s walls and defense.
In 1924, the contermination line was modified. The new path mainly followed the historical one. The exception was the Brenta Delta area. The ancient ridges of Conche and Fogolana were excluded from the lagoon perimeter. Thirty concrete cippi similar to the 19th-century ones marked this change.
A ministerial decree updated the lagoon’s contermination path in 1990. This adjustment accommodated natural and human-caused morphological changes over two centuries. The current boundary includes the three port mouths and the island of S. Erasmo within the lagoon area.
Today, projects like “La Laguna dei Cippi” seek to investigate the changes in the lagoon. This is done from a different viewpoint. It documents what these cippi witness today. It shows what lagoon they “see” today. This is more than 200 years after their installation. Photographs capture the Laguna di Venezia from the perspective of the lions carved on the cippi. The goal is to gather valuable information. Information to understand the evolution of the lagoon environment.
So, as you stand before Cippo di conterminazione lagunare n. 23, remember its silent vigil. Remember its role in shaping and protecting Venice.