Dorsoduro

thumb|right|Location of Dorsoduro within Venice thumb|Shady canal in Dorsoduro, Venice thumb|The Watercolorist in the Campo San Gregorio. Dorsoduro is one of the six historic sestieri (districts) of Venice, Italy, located in the southern part of the city and known for its relatively firm terrain that earned it the name meaning "hard back" or "hard ridge" in Italian, distinguishing it from the more marshy areas of the lagoon. It stretches from the Grand Canal in the north to the Giudecca Canal in the south, encompassing waterfront promenades like the Zattere, the Punta della Dogana viewpoint, and occasionally including the nearby Giudecca island.

==History== The original heart of the area was the Giudecca Canal, along which buildings were constructed from the sixth century. By the eleventh century, settlement had spread across to the Grand Canal, while later religious buildings including the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute and the Zattere quay are now its main landmarks.