Dior Announces End of Restoration of Venice’s Porta Magna

LION’S GATE: Underscoring its ties to Venice, Dior has announced the completion of the restoration of the Porta Magna gate in Venice.

The French fashion house announced in April it was collaborating with the Venetian Heritage Foundation on its charity ball, designed to fund work on the monument as well as the ongoing renovation of the Ca’ d’Oro Museum on the Grand Canal.

Now it has unveiled the first images of the imposing gateway located in the Venice Arsenale, a complex of former shipyards and armories. Built in the mid-15th century, it is crowned with a sculpture of the Lion of Saint Mark, emblem of the Republic of Venice. 

Surrounding the entrance are eight statues representing Roman mythological gods and goddesses, towering over an ironwork gate with bronze ornaments.

“Reflecting the grandeur of the City of the Doges, the Arsenale, conceived in the 12th century, was one of the most important shipyards in the world, expressing the economic, political and military power of the Serenissima,” Dior said in a statement.

Dior joins the ranks of luxury brands backing the renovation of Italian landmarks. Also in Venice, Renzo Rosso’s OTB Group funded the restoration of the Rialto Bridge, while in Rome, Tod’s supported the rehabilitation of the Colosseum; Fendi, the Trevi Fountain, and Bulgari, the Spanish Steps.

Dior has deepened its ties with Venice as an official donor of the Venice Biennale. For the last three years, it has supported Venetian Heritage’s gala evenings.

The partners are linked by architect Peter Marino, who was named chairman of the Venetian Heritage Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to the restoration and preservation of Venice’s cultural treasures, in 2019. 

He has designed countless stores for Dior parent LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.