The Livorno new Orlando Shipyard Canal, is a welcome addition to Livorno’s
fascinating Venice inspired canal network, which covers a relatively small area of
the city, to the east of the docks and mostly to the north and west of the modern town.
For information on the Livorno main canal system itself see my
http://www.braggaboutlife.com/world-waterways/livorno-tuscany
For information on other attractions in Livorno visit the link below:
LivornoNow Local Info for Livorno, Tuscany, Italy
To the south west of the old port the Orlando Brothers Shipyard was set up
between the middle harbour and the edge of the adjacent bay, by Luigi Orlando in 1865.
Over time more land was reclaimed and new breakwaters were built out
into the bay and the shipyard expanded to the south of the town.
In 2002 the shipyard closed and much of the site was taken over
by a luxury yacht builder in 2003.
The blue buildings are the new covered yacht building sheds built
when the old workshops just above them, were abandoned.
Developers are now in the process of creating a new
canal district within the dockyard area adjacent to the old port.
Part of the development plan includes constructing a brand
new canal through part of the old dockyard.
The new canal will connect the seaward dockyard harbour and
its bay with the original canal network via the middle harbour,
thus creating yet another extension to Livornos, original
canal network and a new southern access to the sea.
The original Orlando workshops from the old harbour the new canal is to the left.
Luigi Orlando and the original main entrance to the Orlando yard.
The new canal runs up to the back of this building
and then dog legs to the left under a new road system.
The new apartments which face onto the canal can be seen on the right.
The artists original concept drawing showing the new canal
running up to the rear of the original main entrance building.
The next, yet to be excavated section of new canal runs under the two newly
completed access road bridges and along the edge of the site into the bay.
The new retail, housing and the first part of the canal are now complete.