Dorsoduro is one of the six sestieri of Venice, in northern Italy.

Dorsoduro includes the highest land areas of the city and also Giudecca island and Isola Sacca Fisola. Its name derives from the Italian for "hard back", due to its comparatively high, stable, rocky land.^[1]

History

The original heart of the area was the Giudecca Canal, along which buildings were constructed from the sixth century.^{[citation needed]} By the eleventh century, settlement had spread across to the Grand Canal, while later religious buildings including the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute and the Zattere quay are now its main landmarks.

In the nineteenth century the Accademia was set up in Dorsoduro and the Ponte dell'Accademia linked it to San Marco, making it an expensive area, popular with foreign residents. The western quarter end and the Giudecca, became industrialised around this time.^{[citation needed]}

Main sights

Landmarks and visitor attractions in Dorsoduro include: