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Overview
A labyrinth-garden in the Lagoon
The Borges Labyrinth, on the Island of San Giorgio in Venice, is inspired by the story The Garden of Forking Paths by Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges. It was built in 2011 by the Giorgio Cini Foundation on the initiative of the writer’s widow, Maria Kodama, and designed by British architect Randoll Coate, a labyrinth expert.
For ten years you could only admire it from the Branca Centre terrace, from which you can see the designs drawn by 3,200 boxwood plants: mirrors, hourglasses, a walking stick, a question mark, a tiger, the writer’s name and his wife’s initials. Since 2021, you can explore the labyrinth – being careful not to lose your bearings!
You can take an audio guide featuring the musical suite Walking The Labyrinth, specially composed by Antonio Fresa and performed by the La Fenice Theatre Orchestra in Venice. Then it’s time to get lost in the labyrinth.
The one-kilometre route is also accessible for visually impaired people. Navigating through its winding paths will transport you to an almost metaphysical realm. We also recommend visiting the Giorgio Cini Foundation, with its splendid 17th-century rooms.
