Situated on the upper balustrade at the corner of St. Mark’s Basilica facing the canal, you can spot a reddish marble head of a person. It is the head of the poor Fornaretto — the “young baker” whose story, set in 1507, takes place at the corner between Calle della Mandola and the Bridge of the Assassins. The tale tells of a young baker who, on his way to propose to his fiancée, passes near the scene of a murder. Though innocent, he is mistaken for the culprit by passersby and blamed for the crime.
The Fornaretto was thus accused of murder and sentenced to be decapitated. Years later, the real killer was discovered, and the Grand Council decided to place a copy of the Fornaretto’s head on the upper corner of St. Mark’s Basilica — clearly visible to everyone — as a warning to all judges, now and in the future, to be cautious and certain before condemning someone to death. The warning was explicitly stated:
“Before you judge, remember the head of the Fornaretto.” Since then, the Fornaretto’s head has looked out from the heights of St. Mark’s Basilica toward the lagoon.
