Venice's Royal Gardens Reopen After Five-Year Restoration

On December 17, 2019, the Giardini Reali (Royal Gardens) in Venice reopened after a five-year restoration led by the Venice Gardens Foundation, chaired by Adele Re Rebaudengo. The gardens, originally created in 1807 under Napoleonic reform and opened to the public in 1920, had fallen into neglect since the mid-20th century. The architectural restoration, overseen by Alberto Torsello, preserved the neoclassical pavilion by Lorenzo Santi (1816-1817), the 19th-century cast-iron pergola, the main gate, and the drawbridge connecting to Piazza San Marco. The botanical restoration by Paolo Pejrone introduced 22 trees, 832 shrubs, 6,560 herbaceous plants, 3,150 bulbs, and 68 climbers, selected for drought resistance. The project was funded through Italy's Art Bonus scheme, with main partner Assicurazioni Generali (CEO Philippe Donnet) and supported by Illycaffè, which opened a café in the historic Cafehaus. Venice Gardens Foundation commissioned artists Mona Hatoum, Maria Thereza Alves, and Jimmie Durham to create works for the garden, while photographers Guido Guidi and Francesco Neri documented the restoration. The reopening is part of a broader requalification of the Marciana area, including the restoration of Procuratie Vecchie (Generali's headquarters) set for 2021.