On the 14th of December 2003 a moved and enthusiastic crowd entered again Venice’s most famous and favourite theatre: the Teatro della Fenice, finally risen up from its ashes. The building had been entirely destroyed (only the bearing walls had survived, with a huge chasm in the middle) by an arson in January 1996 and was rebuilt, in its original style, in 8 years. The tragic night of 29th January 1996 the fire-brigade tried all night to put the fire off as it risked expanding to the surrounding buildings, while a large number of Venetians, desperate and hypnotized by the flames rising high towards the sky, stood in the water raining down from the only helicopter. Unfortunately, nothing was saved (only the side-wall remained): they only managed to prevent the surrounding area from catching fire. Today’s theatre is perfectly identical to the previous one.

More informations about Theatre La Fenice in our Venice Guide.
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