The Fondaco dei Tedeschi

The Fondaco dei Tedeschi

Historical Context

Venice was utilized as a natural gateway to the Adriatic and Mediterranean for travelers and traders from the German empire. Of the many exchange houses in Venice, the German community of merchants was required to stay at the Fondaco dei Tedeschi at Rialto, established in the early thirteenth century. The German community of merchants hailed from cities such as Ausburg, Nuremberg, and Regensburg.

The historical foundation of the fondaco brings ties from the European culture, but also the Arabic/Muslim cultures. The European fondaci shared common interest in commercial and fiscal utility, in contrast to the Arabic funduq’s, whose focuses pertained to storage, money and taxes.

Jacopo de' Barberi_Woodcut 1500