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Detail of the Column in the Column square — (Marco Trevisan, Venipedia/Bazzmann)

The column once stood slightly further away from the present site and was used as an experiment by Galileo Galilei to demonstrate the effectiveness of his recent creation: the telescope. It is said to have supported the statue of Doge Domenico Contarini.

Prior to 1902 it was located was at the mouth of the Rio dei Vetrai and, apparently, supported the statue of the Doge Domenico Contarini, particularly loved by the Murano people as he had granted them the privilege of minting oselle, ancient gold coins. During his dogeship, in fact, the Muranese were again granted the privilege of minting the golden oselle in order to keep a ceremony (of ancient origins) going, during which the Doge gave this gold coin - which showed both the image of Saint Mark and his own effigy printed on the two faces - to some personalities of the Republic on Christmas da

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