Watercolour of the Venetian Arsenal the monumental land gate, the Porta Magna.
The Porta Magna dates to around 1460 and is widely described as one of the earliest examples of Renaissance architecture in Venice.
The gate was loaded with political symbolism: the Lion of Saint Mark crowns it, turning the entrance into a statement of state power rather than a purely practical doorway.
In 1692, the area in front of it was dressed up with a monumental stone terrace, statues, and war trophies to celebrate Francesco Morosini’s victories over the Ottomans. Its why it seems a little disjointed.
 
Interesting facts...
You would never guess but their is a bit of viking in this gate!
The two lions contain Viking graffiti. Thought to be carved by Scandinavian warriors serving in Byzantium, probably Varangians, in the 11th century. The best-known reading says they record names and a boast about an expedition or raid, roughly along the lines of “Haakon with Ulf, Asmund and Orn” and their deeds in the east.