Mercato di Rialto is Venice’s oldest and most famous market area, with roots going back to the 11th century and the formal fish trade established in 1227. It was not just a food market: Rialto became the commercial and financial heart of Venice, where banks, exchange offices, warehouses, and merchants all clustered around the Grand Canal.
 
The name “Rialto” comes from the elevated riverbank, Rivoaltus, that made the site practical for early settlement and trade. By 1097 the market had moved there, and over the next centuries the district expanded into a dense urban hub linking everyday provisioning with international commerce.
 
A major fire in 1514 destroyed much of the area, but the district was rebuilt and the present Rialto Bridge was completed in 1591, turning the market zone into one of Venice’s defining urban landscapes.
 
interesting facts...
Look out for Gobbo di Rialto, the stone “hunchback” statue near the market. It served as a place where magistrates announced public condemnations and other official notices. He holds the stair where officials would make these statements