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La Giudecca, Italy. Travel guide & tourist information by Hostelbookers.com |
 | | The modern name might refer to the Jews (Giudei) who lived here from the late thirteenth century until their removal to the Ghetto, but is most likely to originate with the two disruptive noble families who in the ninth century were shoved into this district to keep them out of mischief (giudicati means "judged"). |
 | | Giudecca was also the city's industrial inner suburb: Venice's public transport boats used to be made here; an asphalt factory and a distillery were once neighbours on the western end; and the matting industry, originating in the nineteenth century, kept going until 1950. |
 | | Swathes of La Giudecca are now purely residential areas, but in this respect things are looking up, with a spate of housing developments and ancillary social facilities being funded in recent years, while artists, theatre co-operatives and other creative groups have moved into a number of the redundant buildings. |
| www.hostelbookers.com /guides/italy/la_giudecca (426 words) |