10 Interesting Facts about Giacomo Casanova

10 Interesting Facts about Giacomo Casanova

Among the many famous people of Italian history, today you will read about one in particular. I will tell you about a man known all over the world for being a great seducer and wife thief, but not only!

He was a traveler, a gambler, and investor who lost all his possessions. In his lifetime he didn’t fall short; he was also wanted by the Venetian gendarmes and then got arrested.

We’re talking about Giacomo Casanova!

Here are 10 interesting facts about Giacomo Casanova that you absolutely cannot miss!

1. A man of many talents: Casanova was a world traveler, violinist, diplomat & knight

Portrait by Adriano C – Wikimedia Commons

Giovanni Giacomo Casanova was born in Venice on 02 April 1725.

His parents were actors, but they were never home and so his maternal grandmother took care of him. He started his studies in Padua and fell in love with Bettina, his tutor’s sister who taught him the art of seduction.

Between 1741 and 1742 he visited Levant, Corfu and Constantinople. He obtained a law degree in Padua but in 1745 he became a violin player for the S. Samuele theatre in Venice.

While he was at work, he saved Senator Bragadin from certain death, and the Senator decided to adopt him. In 1750, he left for Dresden, Prague, Vienna and Paris where he lived a very intense life. He became a diplomat and maintained a relationship with the Marchesa D’Urfè.

After building his own house and his new fabric factory he lost everything. Over time, he continued the countless journeys that take him to Holland, Switzerland, Germany and London, but also Prussia, Russia and Spain.

He decided to proclaim himself Knight of Seingalt and in 1774 he returned to Italy. Casanova died on the 4^th of June 1798 in Dux, and his grave is located inside a castle unknown to many.

2. Casanova’s autobiography recounts all of his encounters, both professional and sexual

Manuscript by Lubiesque – Wikimedia Commons

In the autobiography known as “Historie de ma vie“, Casanova tells the details of his entire life. He enumerates all his love adventures, calculating about 120 women whom he seduced. He writes about the meetings with Voltaire and Rousseau, Mozart and Frederick II of Prussia, Catherine II of Russia.

Nowadays the original manuscripts belong to the National Library of France. In all, there are 3.700 pages written between 1789 and 1784 approximately.

If you would like to take a peek, you will find part of the manuscript here

3. There is an entire museum dedicated to Casanova in Venice

Palazzo Pesaro in Venice by Didier Descouens – Wikimedia Commons

Not far from the Grand Canal, exactly at Palazzo Pesaro in Venice, you will find the first and only museum dedicated to Casanova. In this Gothic palace, you can immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the past thanks to digital reconstructions. To welcome you, you will find Casanova who, in a virtual version, will tell you all about his life and his world.

Along the path, you will find photographs and digital real size reproductions. Through the six rooms you will discover the life of Casanova divided into:

1. His life and his family;
2. His travels;
3. Meetings with different famous personalities;
4. The return to Venice;
5. The prison period.

The museum is located in Via Campo San Samuele n. 30124 inside Palazzo Malipiero. You will find more information here!

You can book tickets in advance on Vivaticket

4.   Behind the bars of Palazzo Ducale

Engraving of Casanova under arrest by Lubiesque – Wikimedia Commons

On 25 July 1755, Casanova was captured and taken to the Palazzo Ducale prison in Venice. The “Council of X” imprisoned him for his libertine behaviour, and they gave him a place in a cell known as “Piombi”, which was covered with lead plates.

He was meant to stay in the cell for about 5 years, but he discovered a way to escape with another inmate, Father Marino Balbi.

Casanova managed to escape by making a hole into the courtyard of Palazzo Ducale.

You can admire Palazzo Ducale and Casanova’s cell in Via  Piazza San Marco n.1.

You will find all the necessary information here on the WEB SITE

5. Health Ledger plays Casanova in the movie dedicated to his life

Heath Ledger as Casanova by Alexdevil- Wikimedia Commons

“Casanova” is a film, produced by Lasse Hallström in 2005, with the participation of Heath Ledger as Giacomo Casanova, Sienna Miller and Natalie Dormer.

Left to his grandmother, Giacomo grows up and becomes wanted by the inquisition. The Doge of Venice advises him to marry a woman in order to escape from the inquisitor Pucci.

Casanova meets Victoria. She is ready to marry him but in reality, he falls in love with Francesca Bruni and the marriage fades. Through some vicissitudes, Casanova and Francesca will manage to escape from Venice!

This film is a must-see!

6. You can still visit his favourite places in Venice

Casanova’s places in Venice by F. Saputo

While in Venice, Casanova loved to visit three places:

1. “Sotoportego dei do Mori” in Via Campo S. Polo, 429, where he took his lovers;
2. “Cafè Florian” in Piazza San Marco n. 57;
3. “Ridotto” a famous gambling house located in Calle Vallaresso where he loved to spend evenings with other Venetian nobles. Nowadays it doesn’t exist but if you are in Venice take a nice walk down the Calle, you won’t regret it!

7.  Casanova’s lounge is preserved as it was during his life

Casino Venier by Geraud – Wikimedia Commons

If you want to find out more about Giacomo Casanova then “Casanova’s lounge” is the place for you.

If you are in Venice you cannot miss it, here in Via Casino Venier n. 4939 near Ponte dei Baretteri in San Marco you will find:

1. The corner of Casanova’s memories. Here you will find parts of the manuscripts and faithful reproductions of his desk;
2. The room dedicated to his life;
3. Objects and products of Venetian craftsmanship “made in Italy” dedicated to Casanova;
4. Tastings of the “Casanova’s favourite dishes”.

You can buy the tickets at the box office at the entrance. For more information check the website!

8. Casanova was educated in the art of magic

Tree of Life by Unknown – Wikimedia Commons

Thanks to his grandmother, Casanova became interested in magical arts. When he was young, he was very sick but with the help of a mysterious lady, he no longer had health problems.

Later, thanks to Senator Bragadin, he approached the world of alchemy and set off in search of the philosopher’s stone. He became interested in the occult sciences and in Freemasonry but above all, in esoteric brotherhoods.

In his autobiography, you will find information about   “theurgic” and “kabbalistic” magic practices. But Casanova himself declared that he carried out these practices to amaze people and to always be at the centre of conversations.

9.  You can visit the Casanova Foundation in Venice

“Beauty never seems extraneous to the man who carries the divine character engraved in the soul,” translated from Italian – Casanova Foundation by F. Saputo

The “Casanova Foundation” was created in Venice. This “cultural study movement” was born with the intent to divulge and promote the exploits and revisit the path of his life, through all possible means such as documentaries, books, exhibitions and much more.

On their website, you will find all the information about his life, works, documentaries and even books for your searches!

10. The Duchcov Chateau in Boemia

Duchcov Castle by Jaquesverlaeken – Wikimedia Commons

There is a place in Europe that very few know. A place where Casanova is remembered for the diplomat and poet he was.

We are talking about the town of Dux, known at the time as Duchcov in Bohemia.

In 1783, he left Venice again because the entire Venetian aristocracy hated him and for this reason, he headed to Vienna. But later he accepted to work as a librarian for the Duke of Waldstein in Dux, Bohemia.

In this small town, Casanova spent the saddest years of his life, inside a castle that today is only possible to visit with a guide. Right here in the Duchcov Castle, he wrote his autobiographical work “Stories of my life“.

Casanova died on June 4, 1798.

The castle is located in 419 01 Duchcov, Czechia. You will find all the information about the castle and the tour here, you can download the guide and the map of the castle.

If you need any information you can contact duchcov@npu.cz