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Hidden corners

The underground canal of Santo Stefano

The rio del Santissimo entering beneath the former convent of Santo Stefano: above the arch passes an internal bridge of the monastery
The rio del Santissimo entering beneath the former convent of Santo Stefano: above the arch passes an internal bridge of the monastery Photo: Didier Descouens, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Venice has hundreds of rii, but only one performs this conjuring trick: it disappears beneath a church and reappears on the other side. From this bridge you can see it with your own eyes: the rio del Santissimo points straight at the apse of Santo Stefano and, instead of swerving, passes beneath it. It is the only still-navigable canal in the city that flows under buildings.

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