Rilke’s Venice

‘Knowing every last corner of the city was his passion’
Stefan Zweig

‘Combines careful exegesis of Rilke’s writing – in particular his reflections on paintings – with detailed historical background and eyewitness accounts of the six sestièri’
Time Out

‘knowledgeably written…’
Die Zeit 

The sights and sounds of Venice provoked and enthralled the Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke, luring him back again and again to the city in which he found the decaying shipyards and back alleys as enchanting as the iconic landmarks.

Throughout Rilke’s ten visits to Venice, whether staying in a simple guesthouse or a palazzo, there was one constant: he walked prodigiously, determined to discover every corner of the city on foot.

Birgit Haustedt guides the reader on eleven Venetian walks, retracing Rilke’s footsteps and recounting his words to give travellers a new perspective on this captivating city, from the humble to the sublime.

BIRGIT HAUSTEDT taught German Literature at the University of Salerno and works as a freelance writer in Hamburg. She is the author of several books on Italian and German cities.

STEPHEN BROWN is a playwright, translator, and cultural critic.