Venetian arsenal: what is visible from outside and how to get inside
The Venetian Arsenal looks like a fortress and still belongs to the Italian navy.
That's why you usually only see the Porta Magna gate with its Greek lions and the two towers of the sea entrance. The shipyard itself was founded in 1104 (according to Comune di Venezia).
Below we'll cover what you can see from outside for free, what's included in the Museo Storico Navale (MUNAV) ticket, and how to get to the Castello district.
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What to see at the Venetian Arsenal
💡 In short:
- From outside, see the Porta Magna gate with its Greek lions and the towers of the sea entrance.
- You get inside with a Museo Storico Navale (MUNAV) ticket: the route through the Arsenal grounds is included.
- Tickets and museum opening hours: 09/2026, verified on the museum website.
The Arsenal occupies the eastern part of the Castello district and opens directly onto the lagoon. It looks most impressive from the water: two towers, a wooden bridge between them, and a long brick wall along the shore. You can take it all in from a vaporetto or from the Riva degli Schiavoni promenade.
On the land side, the main landmark is Porta Magna, a gate shaped like a triumphal arch. In front of it, Greek lions stand on pedestals, and the largest one is the Piraeus Lion, about three meters tall.
There is no free entry inside. The grounds belong to the Marina Militare, so visitors are only allowed in as part of an organized tour with the museum. The route through the Arsenal grounds is included in the Museo Storico Navale (MUNAV) ticket; the museum is nearby, on Riva S. Biasio (as of: 09/2026, MUNAV tickets).
- Who it's for: if you're interested in naval history and industrial archaeology, set aside a couple of hours for the visit.
- Not for: if you're expecting a museum walk with ships along the entire waterfront, most of the grounds are closed to visitors.
© Sergey Ashmarin · CC BY-SAPhoto: Sergey Ashmarin, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), Wikimedia CommonsHistory of the Venetian Arsenal
The Venetian Republic needed large warships, and the small private shipyards scattered across the city couldn't handle the job (according to the official history of the Arsenal). So shipbuilding was consolidated in one place, behind a common wall, and placed under state control.
© Lothar John · CC BY-SAPhoto: Lothar John, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), Wikimedia CommonsThe Arsenal grew together with the city. Docks, rope workshops, foundries, armories, and rigging warehouses appeared here. Each workshop had its own place, and work followed a strict order: it was overseen by state officials, not the craftsmen themselves.
In its best years, about 16,000 people worked at the arsenal (according to the Venice timeline). The workers were called arsenalotti. They built galleys, merchant and military ships, and also repaired everything that came in from the sea.
Materials were selected as carefully as the hull joints. The keel was made of oak and seasoned in water for years, the planking of spruce, the capstans of elm, the rudder of walnut. Timber was brought from different regions of the republic and stored under cover in warehouses.
In the second half of the 15th century, the complex was divided into the Old and New Arsenals and significantly expanded (according to the arsenal timeline). Construction went on for decades. Money went to wars, and fires and explosions in the powder stores destroyed workshops that were already finished.
The arsenal's productivity amazed contemporaries. In its best years, it managed to assemble one galley a day, while an ordinary shipyard built the same boat in six to twelve months (according to the city chronicle). The republic sold the finished ships, and this brought in a good profit.
Napoleon put an end to this order. The French army occupied Venice and took away the ships, and the complex was dismantled piece by piece. It was never fully restored. In the last century, most of the shipbuilding was moved to private shipyards, and the walls now house warehouses, workshops, and museum halls.
Today the complex lives a double life. Part of the territory is occupied by the Italian Navy, and part is given over to the museum, exhibitions, and festivals. The museum displays a model of the Bucintoro, the ceremonial galley of the doges.
Gates and buildings of the arsenal
© Didier Descouens · CC BY-SAPhoto: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia CommonsThe main land gate, Porta Magna, was rebuilt in 1457-1460, when Pasquale Malipiero was doge and the work was led by Antonio Gambello (according to VeneziaMuseo). It is the first triumphal arch in Venice in the antique style: double pilasters, marble slabs with statues, reliefs above the opening.
The Greek lions were brought from Athens as a trophy in the late 17th century. Before that, the Piraeus Lion stood in the port of Piraeus and served as a fountain there. The runes on its side were left by Scandinavian mercenaries who served in the Byzantine guard (according to the article on the Piraeus Lion).
The sea entrance is marked by two towers. They are connected by a wooden bridge, which is considered the oldest in the city. Only ships passed through it, and people were let through the land gate, and only with permission.
Inside, behind the wall, stood a whole city of craftsmen: forges, warehouses, a rope yard, a granary. The former granary on Riva S. Biasio now houses the Museo Storico Navale. The remaining spaces are used today for exhibitions and festival venues.
Museo Storico Navale: tickets and opening hours
The museum next to the arsenal is the easiest way to get inside and see the shipyards with your own eyes. It brings together the history of the Venetian fleet: galley models, weapons, navigation instruments, and the Enrico Dandolo submarine.
© G.dallorto · CC BY-SAPhoto: G.dallorto, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/it/deed.en), Wikimedia CommonsTicket prices on the museum's website are as follows (as of 09/2026, MUNAV ticket page):
Ticket | What's included | Price |
|---|---|---|
Full | Museum and Ship Pavilion, with audio guide | 16 € |
Reduced | Same, for guests over 65, students, and groups | 12 € |
Full with arsenal | Museum, route through the arsenal grounds, and the submarine | 26 € |
Opening hours depend on the season. From March 21 to November 22 the museum is open from 10:00 to 18:00, from November 23 to March 20 from 10:00 to 17:00 (as of 09/2026, schedule on the city website). It is closed on Mondays.
It's best to buy tickets in advance, especially for weekends and for the arsenal route. If you want to tour the Castello with a guide, check out Venice tour options.
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Where the arsenal is and how to get there
The arsenal is in the eastern part of Venice, in the Castello district. Museum address: Riva S. Biasio, Castello, Venice.
The most convenient way to get there is by vaporetto. You need the Arsenale stop: routes 1, 4.1, and 4.2 go here, the trip from Venezia Santa Lucia station takes about 30 minutes, and from the San Zaccaria stop near San Marco it's only three minutes (according to ACTV schedules).
From Marco Polo Airport, the Alilaguna blu line goes to the same stop (according to the Alilaguna operator). On foot, it's easier to walk along the Riva degli Schiavoni waterfront; from St. Mark's Square the walk to the museum is short.
Venetian arsenal on the map
Below is a map with a point at the main Porta Magna gate. The coordinates are easy to check against a navigator; you can open the arsenal's location on the map in OpenStreetMap.
⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions
Can you get inside the Venetian Arsenal?
There is no free access, the site belongs to the Italian Navy. You can get behind the wall with a Museo Storico Navale (MUNAV) ticket: the route through the arsenal grounds and the Enrico Dandolo submarine are included in the 26 € ticket (as of 09/2026, museum tickets and prices).
How much is the ticket and when is the museum closed?
A full ticket to the museum and the Ships Pavilion costs 16 €, reduced 12 €. The museum is closed on Mondays year-round. In summer it is open from 10:00 to 18:00, in winter until 17:00 (as of 09/2026, hours and prices).
What can you see for free?
From outside you can see the Porta Magna gate with the Greek lions, the Piraeus Lion with runes, and the two towers of the sea entrance with the wooden bridge. You can walk around the complex on foot or by vaporetto, along the brick wall that stretches for several kilometers.
How do you get to the arsenal from the train station?
Take vaporetto 4.1 and get off at the Arsenale stop, the trip takes about 30 minutes (according to the ACTV website). From San Marco, routes 1, 4.1 and 4.2 work, it is a three-minute ride. From Marco Polo Airport, the Alilaguna blu line runs.
In short: what to book
If you have a couple of hours to spare, get a Museo Storico Navale ticket for 16 €: that covers the museum and the Ships Pavilion. If you want to see the shipyards from inside, pay the upgrade to 26 € for the route through the arsenal grounds (as of 09/2026, ticket prices).
For a guided walk through Castello, check out Venice tours on GetYourGuide. Plan your visit for the morning: lines are shorter and the light on the brick walls is better.
A small editorial team writing guides for independent travel. We travel ourselves, but we haven’t been everywhere, so we check prices, opening hours and how to get there against official sources.