View source for Street altars

{{Infobox Street Altar2
|image=[[File:StreetAltar2.jpg|200px]]
|totalnumber=109
|totalnumbermissing=0
|purpose=Religious/Decorative
}}

Street altars, or ''edicole'', are religious  shrines found throughout the city of Venice and are a subset of [[Material Culture|material culture]].  These altars are usually  not located on [[churches]], but are instead mounted on the sides of walls at street level.  A frame is either set into, or protrudes from, the wall and may contain a framed picture, small [[Sculptures|statue]], or flowers and candles.  Most street altars exist for religious purposes, and often depict the religious icons of the various ''scuole'' of the city.  The location of these pieces is also significant to their history with some being placed as strategic sources of light in the dark alleys, and others erected as a thanks to God for divine protection.  These pieces of [[Decorative Artifacts|decorative artifacts]] are maintained by the local residents of Venice, and serve as places of prayer.  In total, there are 109 street altars located in Venice.  
[[Image:SM226.jpg|right|thumb|Example of a Venetian Street Altar]]

==Statistics==
*The [[Street Altar: Cannaregio 000-1|oldest street altar]] is located in [[Cannaregio]] and dates from 1300 AD.
*The [[Street Altar: Dorsoduro 1880|most recent street altar]] is located in [[Dorsoduro]] and dates from 1860 AD.
*The [[Street Altar: Santa Croce 1599|street altar in the most need of restoration]] is located in [[Santa Croce]] and dates from 1748 AD.

[[Image:Streetaltarssubjectmatter.JPG]]
[[Image:Streetaltarssestiere.JPG‎]]
[[Image:Streetaltarsmaterial.JPG‎]]
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==Damage and Preservation==
For general information pertaining to the sources of damage to Venetian street altars, please see the [[Damage to public art]] page.

For general information pertaining to the restoration and preservation of Venetian street altars, please see the [[Public art preservation|Restoration and preservation of public art]] page.

Specific information regarding the damage and restoration needs of each altar can be found on the pages dedicated to each individual altar, as listed in the navigation box under the "See Also" section of this page.

{{Map Street Altars}}

==See Also==
{{Street AltarsNav}}
{{PublicArtNav}}

==References==
*Rizzi, Alberto. "Scultura Esterna a Venezia." Stamperia di Venezia Editrice, 1987.
*[[Venice Project Center]] 

==Bibliography==
*[http://www.wpi.edu/Pubs/E-project/Available/E-project-122610-103308/ 2010 WPI PreserVenice Project Team]
*[http://www.wpi.edu/Pubs/E-project/Available/E-project-122207-150125/ 2008 WPI PreserVenice Project Team]
*[http://www.wpi.edu/Pubs/E-project/Available/E-project-122207-150125/ 2007 WPI PreserVenice Project Team]
*[http://www.wpi.edu/Pubs/E-project/Scanned/00E050I 2000 WPI PreserVenice Project Team]

==External Links==
*[http://www.preservenice.org www.preservenice.org]
*[http://www.venice2point0.org www.venice2point0.org]

[[Category:Street Altars]]
[[Category:Decorative Artifacts]]
[[Category:Public Art]]
[[Category:Material Culture]]