Widows in Venice

The scale of the districts

Zooming in to the scale of the districts, it is clear that the economical situation of widows is different in each districts.

It is worth mentioning that widows are not present in equal proportions in each district. In particular, the Ghetto is very dense with both widow owners and widow tenants.

Median rent varies among districts : San Marco is buy far the district with the highest median rent, while Dorsoduro has the lowest rent.

Widow tenants rent under median rent properties in every district except San Marco, San Polo and Cannaregio. San Marco and San Polo are also the two districts with the lowest density of widow-owned and widow-rented properties. Widow tenants seem to be economically integrated in Cannaregio.

The economical situation of widow owners is very different in each district. In Santa Croce and Dorsoduro, the poorest districts, they rent at even lower price than the district's median. Widow owners seem to be economically integrated in Castello. In San Marco, Cannaregio and the Ghetto widows rent at above median rents. Rent of widow owned properties is particularly high and exceeds 200% of median rent.

Median Rent in the districts

Sestiere	Median Rent	Widow Owners Median Rent Difference	Widow Tenants Median Rent Difference	Properties	Widow Owned Properties	Widow Rented Properties	Widow Properties Density
Castello	124.0₤	+0.0₤	-12.4₤	5774	36	49	1.47%
Santa Croce	111.6₤	-21.7₤	-31.0₤	3218	45	36	2.52%
Cannaregio	124.0₤	+124.0₤	0.0₤	6016	25	31	0.93%
Dorsoduro	86.8₤	-13.6₤	-15.5₤	5835	32	20	0.89%
San Marco	210.8₤	+49.6₤	+80.6₤	5697	20	28	0.84%
Ghetto Novossimo	124.0₤	+18.6₤	-37.2₤	529	12	8	3.78%
San Polo	142.6	-31.0	+31.0	2930	12	7	0.64%

To identify geographical biases it is necessary to observe rent at smaller scales.

Following in detail at each district. For each of them, the parishes in which widows are involved is provided by the dataset. Parishes represent local religious communities, but people do not always belong to the closest parish to where they live. In the following plots, parishes are represented by a line encircling all of it's members. Sometimes, non members happen to fall inside the parish's shape despite not belonging to it. Nobility owned properties are highlighted in black. Widow owners are highlighted in blue squares and yellow squares depending on their nobility status. Similarly, widow tenants are highlighted in red diamonds and yellow diamonds. Rent is shown with color. Here, the main method of investigation is to manually identify patterns in the following visualizations and comparing them to information about rent in the district's parishes.

Rent in San Marco [1]

San Marco

San Marco is a very rich district where rent is almost the double compared to the rest of Venice.

The widows representation in this district is low. Noble widows are integrated within the noble community. Interestingly in this district, most of the nobility is grouped in San Salvador.

Almost all widow tenants are concentrated in San Luca. It is not clear why widow tenants gather in San Luca. San Luca is the cheapest parish of San Marco after San Samuel, but it is way more connected to the heart of the district.

Overall, widows rent and own above median rent in this district, despite the fact that it is already the most expensive district.

Widows own more peripheral properties.

When ignoring the widows, the pattern of rent highlights key commercial elements of the district. For instance the main shopping street in the parish of San Salvador, "Merceria", is very visible because of the high rent. Overall, nobles gather in San Salvador.

Selected Parishes of San Marco

Parish	Median Rent	Widow Owners Rent Median Difference	Widow Tenants Rent Median Difference	Properties	Widow Owned Properties	Widow Rented Properties Size
Santa Maria Zobenigo	183.4₤	+126.6₤	+188.6₤	256	5	5
San Luca	161.2₤		+68.2₤	503	0	10
San Bortolomio	223.2₤	+24.8₤	+24.8₤	503	5	3
San Basso	396.8₤	+703.7₤	-124.0₤	135	2	1
San Marco	502.2₤	-254.2₤	+117.8₤	84	1	2
San Salvador	272.8₤	-71.8₤		521	2	0
San Vidal	310.0₤	-148.8₤		175	2	0
Sant'Angelo	186.0₤	+46.5₤		506	2	0
San Ziminian	248.0₤		+124.0₤	714	0	2
San Paternian	186.0₤		+24.8₤	178	0	2
San Maurizio	192.2₤		+303.8₤	139	0	2
San Samuel	124.0₤	+148.8₤		419	1	0
San Moise	204.6₤		-93.0₤	859	0	1
TOTAL San Marco	210.8₤	+49.6₤	+80.6₤	5697	20	28

Rent in Castello [2]

Castello

Castello has some widows, that really gather in specific parishes in the east of the district, in San Giovanni in Bragora, San Martin and Santa Maria Formosa.

Widow tenants pay lower rent than the median rent of their parish, in rich parishes like San Severo as well as in poor parishes like San Martin. Sant'Antonio and Santa Maria Formosa are exceptions, as widow tenants in those parishes can afford expensive rents.

Widows rent more peripheral properties.

Widow owners are able to own expensive properties in some parishes and cheap properties in other, their situation is balanced at the scale of the district.

Santa Maria Formosa is a very diverse parish, were nobles and non nobles meet. Widows in Santa Maria Formosa have a good economical situation.

On the other hand, most of the widow tenants are living in cheap properties in San Martin and San Giovanni in Bragora and don't look well integrated.

Parishes of Castello

Parish	Median Rent	Widow Owners Rent Median Difference	Widow Tenants Rent Median Difference	Properties	Widow Owned Properties	Widow Rented Properties Size
San Martin	86.8₤	+49.6₤	-6.2₤	563	3	14
Santa Maria Formosa	186.0₤	+74.4₤	+31.0₤	747	10	7
Santa Marina	186.0₤	-86.8₤	-46.5₤	383	7	10
San Severo	260.4₤	-148.8₤	-40.3₤	207	4	6
San Pietro di Castello	99.2₤	-24.8₤	-12.4₤	1495	6	3
San Giovanni in Bragora	124.0₤	+106.0₤	-52.7₤	399	4	4
Sant'Antonino	189.1₤	+120.9₤	+58.9₤	240	1	5
Santa Giustina	117.8₤	+520.8₤		321	1	0
TOTAL Castello	124.0₤	+0.0₤	-12.4₤	5774	36	49

Rent in Cannaregio [3]

Cannaregio

Cannaregio is a district where widow tenants are better integrated than in the rest of Venice. Widow owners in Cannaregio own valuable properties.

Widows rent more peripheral properties.

The nobility owns significant parts of the district, but not necessary located in one area. Also, a case of charity for widows is mentioned in San Marcuola. Rent variations in this district are high.

Parishes of Cannaregio

Parish	Median Rent	Widow Owners Rent Median Difference	Widow Tenants Rent Median Difference	Properties	Widow Owned Properties	Widow Rented Properties
Santi Apostoli	161.2₤	-62.0₤	-55.8₤	618	9	2
Santa Sofia	136.4₤	+155.0₤	+43.4₤	546	4	6
San Marcuola	117.8₤	+71.3₤	+83.7₤	1432	2	6
San Marcilian	124.0₤	+117.8₤	+272.8₤	589	2	4
San Cancian	124.0₤	+124.0₤	-62.0₤	629	3	1
Santa Maria Nova	198.4₤		-111.6₤	183	0	4
San Giovanni Grisostomo	186.0₤	+136.4₤	+124.0₤	187	2	1
San Lunardo	148.8₤		-74.4₤	117	0	3
San Felice	186.0₤	+155.0₤	+434.0₤	351	1	1
San Geremia	99.2₤	+148.8₤	-49.6₤	1082	1	1
Santa Fosca	124.0₤	+620.0₤	+347.2₤	163	1	1
Santa Maria Maddalena	124.0₤		-37.2₤	119	0	1
TOTAL Cannaregio	124.0₤	+124.0₤	+0.0₤	6016	25	31

Rent in San Polo [4]

San Polo

Widows are not very present in San Polo. It is the district with the lowest density of widow properties. Additionally, very few properties are owned by nobility in this district.

San Polo is the only district in which the tendency is swapped : widow owners own cheaper properties and widow tenants rent more expensive properties. Widows rent more peripheral properties.

Parishes of San Polo

Parish	Median Rent	Widow Owners Rent Median Difference	Widow Tenants Rent Median Difference	Properties	Widow Owned Properties	Widow Rented Properties
San Giovanni Elmosinario	124.0₤	-12.4₤	+49.6₤	797	6	1
San Mattio	136.4₤	+31.0₤	-37.2₤	319	5	1
San Toma	136.4₤		+24.8₤	272	0	2
Sant'Aponal	148.8₤		+130.2₤	400	0	2
San Polo	161.2₤	-117.8₤		353	1	0
San Stin	124.0₤		-49.6₤	169	0	1
TOTAL San Polo	142.6₤	-31.0₤	+31.0₤	2930	12	7

Rent in Santa Croce [5]

Santa Croce

Santa Croce has a significant number of widows.

Most of the widows are present in the Santa Croce. Widow tenants live in properties with rent lower than median rent. This reflects a tendency in the economical situations of widows.

Here the number of property owned by widows can be deceiving because it is quite high but most of the properties are owned by a handful of very rich widows. For instance Nobil Domina Leonora Corner relicta Lorenzo Gabriel owns 23 of the 26 properties of the Santa Croce parish. Even if the median rent for widow owners in Santa Croce seems to be below rent, it only reflects the median rent of properties owned by Leonora and not her economical situation. In fact her income from those 23 properties sums up to 2321.9₤.

Charity for tenants is mentioned in Santa Maria Mater Domini .

Parishes of Santa Croce

Parish	Median Rent	Widow Owners Rent Median Difference	Widow Tenants Rent Median Difference	Properties	Widow Owned Properties	Widow Rented Properties
Santa Croce	111.6₤	-23.2₤	-37.2₤	739	26	25
Santa Maria Mater Domini	124.0₤	+31.0₤	-31.0₤	152	5	5
Santa Lucia	86.8₤	+49.6₤		151	8	0
San Simeon Apostolo	99.2₤	+334.8₤	-37.2₤	198	1	3
San Cassiano	186.0₤	-86.8₤		546	3	0
San Giacomo dall'Orio	99.2₤	+24.8₤	-55.8₤	657	1	1
San Giovanni Decollato	124.0₤	+99.2₤	+12.4₤	98	1	1
San Simeon Profeta	93.0₤		+0.0₤	447	0	1
TOTAL Santa Croce	111.6₤	-21.7₤	-31.0₤	3218	45	36

Rent in Dorsoduro [6]

Dorsoduro

There are very few widows in Dorsoduro. A significant part of the district is nobility owned. Still, a majority of tenants rent for below the local median rent.

Parishes of Dorsoduro

Parish	Median Rent	Widow Owners Rent Median Difference	Widow Tenants Rent Median Difference	Properties	Widow Owned Properties	Widow Rented Properties
San Nicolo	59.9	-11.9		1137	11	0
San Gregorio	86.8	-12.4	+198.4	487	6	3
San Raffael	74.4	+576.6	-43.4	772	1	7
Santa Margherita	99.2	-43.4	+6.2	483	3	3
Sant'Agnese	111.6	+49.6	+18.6	269	2	4
San Barnaba	124.0	-37.2	-62.0	904	3	2
San Pantalon	111.6	+111.6	+446.4	639	2	1
San Basegio	74.4	-37.2		359	2	0
San Vio	86.8	+372.0		233	2	0
TOTAL Dorsoduro	86.8	-13.6	-15.5	5835	32	20

Rent in the Ghetto [7]

The Ghetto

The Jewish Ghetto is made of three parts that were added at different times in history. There is almost no nobility in this district. The situation of tenants is the same as in most of the cities, their rent is lower than the median. For widow owners, the situation seems to be better in the old Ghetto Nuovo and worse in the Ghetto Vecchio.

Parishes of the Ghetto

Parish	Median Rent	Widow Owners Rent Median Difference	Widow Tenants Rent Median Difference	Properties	Widow Owned Properties	Widow Rented Properties
Ghetto Vecchio	124.0	+12.4	-24.8	276	7	5
Ghetto Nuovo	124.0	+105.4	-55.8	207	5	2
Ghetto Nuovissimo	148.8		+68.2	46	0	1
TOTAL Ghetto	124.0	+18.6	-37.2	529	12	8