Italian Modernism of the 1920s and 1930s introduced a new view of functionality, aesthetics and relationship with the environment to architecture. Buildings constructed during this period were characterised by elegance, simplicity and the skilful use of modern materials. One of the most interesting examples of this trend is the Giovanni Nicelli Airport in Venice, which still impresses today with its style and incredibly rich history.
The origins of aviation at the Lido in Venice
The first flight over Venice took place in 1911, when Alessandro Umberto Cagno flew over St Mark’s Basilica. A few years later, during the First World War, the site of Forte San Nicolò on the Lido became a temporary airfield used to defend the city. French squadrons took off from here, and Gabriele D’Annunzio established the base of the First Naval Air Torpedo Squadron here. After the war, the potential of the site began to be recognised. The location, surrounded by a 16th-century fort, was conducive to transforming the base into a regular airport that could handle the growing passenger traffic.
The birth of Nicelli Airport
In 1926, engineer Renato Morandi prepared the design for the new airport. In the same year, the airport was opened for civil aviation and quickly established itself as one of the most important in the whole of Italy. The Transadriatica airline operated from here, which later changed its name to Ala Littoria and after the war became Alitalia. Regular services connected Venice with Vienna, as well as with smaller cities in the Adriatic basin. The official opening of the passenger station took place in 1935. The building, designed by Mario Emmer, was considered the most modern in the country. Every element of it, from the architecture to the interior furnishings, was elaborated with the greatest care. The walls were decorated with paintings by the futurist Tato, which referred to the theme of aviation. Nicelli quickly became a symbol of Italian modernity. It was at this airport that Hitler and Mussolini met eye to eye for the first time in history.
Giovanni Nicelli Airport in Venice – wartime and post-war fate
After the fall of Mussolini’s regime, the airport was occupied by German troops. Some of the equipment was destroyed, but thanks to the courage of the workers, the runway was saved from being blown up and thus paralysing the whole complex. After the war, the airport served as a communications base for the British and Americans until 1946. In the following decades, however, its importance began to decline. In the 1950s and 1960s, Nicelli gradually gave way to the new Tessera airport, which took over passenger and commercial traffic. The Venice airport then remained the responsibility of the military and aviation organisations, becoming a training site for pilots and paratroopers. Although the buildings and infrastructure were in decline, the port was never completely closed.
Rescue and rebirth
Towards the end of the 20th century, there was an initiative to restore the airport to its former glory. In 1998, extensive renovation work began, which lasted almost a decade. Their aim was to preserve the modernist character of the terminal building and restore its 1930s elegance. The interiors and terraces were therefore restored, while the lost works of Tato returned in the form of replicas. In 2007, the restoration work was officially completed and the airport began to function again, now as a space combining aviation and culture. Today, the facility is used for private flights and artistic and social events. Its gardens and interiors serve as a setting for exhibitions, banquets and film shoots.
Nicelli’s contemporary significance
Further projects are currently underway to transform Nicelli into a modern private aviation hub. In doing so, the port retains its historic character, which makes it unique from modern complexes. In 2014, the BBC named it one of the ten most beautiful airports in the world. Above all, for Venice and its residents, it is a living monument to local modernism, a testament to the history of aviation and a place that continues to attract visitors with its extraordinary atmosphere full of wonderful sky-high history.
Source: aeroportonicelli.com, visitlido.it
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