The Restoration of the Floor of the Gran Teatro La Fenice

A Symbol of Venetian Culture and Art

The Gran Teatro La Fenice, located in the heart of Venice, is one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world. Inaugurated in 1792, based on the design by architect Giannantonio Selva, it has hosted world premieres of legendary composers such as Giuseppe Verdi, Gioachino Rossini, and Vincenzo Bellini.

The theater owes its name to the mythical phoenix, a symbol of rebirth—a fate that has deeply marked its history. La Fenice was destroyed by fire twice: first in 1836, followed by a swift restoration, and again in 1996, when it was completely destroyed. The reconstruction project, guided by the motto "As it was, where it was," aimed to restore the theater to its original splendor, faithfully rebuilding every detail, including the precious historical flooring.

The Devastating Fire of 1996 and the Reconstruction

On the night of January 29, 1996, a devastating fire broke out in the theater due to arson. Within minutes, the flames spread rapidly, destroying scenery, furnishings, and the entire wooden structure. By morning, only the outer walls and a pile of rubble remained.

The restoration was initiated with the goal of faithfully reproducing La Fenice “as it was, where it was.” The project was entrusted to a team of experts and specialized companies. Among them, Berti Pavimenti was chosen for the reconstruction of the floors in the Sale Apollinee, spaces dedicated to conferences, galas, and prestigious receptions.

In 2002, with the reconstruction of the theater well underway, Berti Pavimenti was commissioned to create the floors of the Sale Apollinee, rooms of great historical and artistic importance. The task required our company to exactly reproduce the original floors, following historical decorative patterns and using fine woods.

✔ Faithfulness to Original Designs: the decoration had to match historical photographs and documents.

✔ Unique Technical Challenges: the structure of the Venetian theater, with its foundation irregularities due to the lagoon, required extreme precision.

✔ High-Quality Materials and Advanced Techniques: laser technology, in which Berti Pavimenti excels, enabled perfect detail reproduction.

Thanks to its experience in restoring historic buildings, our company was able to combine craftsmanship and technology, ensuring results that met the highest expectations.

On December 14, 2003, after seven years of work, the Gran Teatro La Fenice was finally reopened to the public with a concert conducted by Maestro Riccardo Muti. Two days earlier, on December 12, 2003, the Berti family attended a special evening thanking the companies that contributed to the theater's rebirth.

That evening, more than following the music, Giancarlo Berti and his team admired the newly completed flooring, appreciating the result of their work: parquet identical to the original, perfectly integrated into La Fenice's elegance.

The restoration of the Gran Teatro La Fenice’s flooring marked a significant milestone for Berti Pavimenti, confirming the company as a benchmark in the restoration of historical flooring and high-craftsmanship projects.

Our commitment to faithfully recreating La Fenice's wooden surfaces highlights the importance of Italian artisanal tradition, applied with innovation and cutting-edge technologies. This experience has further cemented Berti Pavimenti’s international reputation.