Italy 2631

     To celebrate the 900th centenary of the construction of the Venice Arsenal, Italy issued a single stamp with a plan of the Arsenal, oriented with north at the top. The Arsenal occupies part of the Sestiere di Castello (on the stamp, the area to the east of the canal that enters from the north.
     Between the canal and the lagoon is the Arsenale Veccio, (Old Arsenal) which was built from the 14th to the 16th century. This includes the Porta dell'Arsenale, the land gateway, east of the canal, the Corderie, south of the lagoon, where the ropes were made, and the Volti acquei alle canne, below the peninsula. The Officina Remi, where the oars of the Serenissima were produced is at the southwest corner of the lagoon. Newer construction surrounds all of these areas and includes the peninsula to the northeast.
     The Arsenal is a military preserve of the Italian navy, and is not accessible by the public except during the annual Navalis exhibitions.