Introduction to Geography of Venice
Venice, (Italian : Venezia), Italy, the capital of Veneto region and of Venice province. It is often called the “Queen of the Adriatic” because of its unique beauty and abundant art and architectural treasures.
Venice lies in a protected lagoon at the north end of the Adriatic Sea. It is built on wooden pilings set into 118 islands and almost appears to be afloat. Some 160 canals provide transportation routes within the city. There are no streets for vehicular use, only narrow passageways for walking. The canals are spanned by more than 400 bridges, most of which are arched to allow boats to pass beneath. Gondolas are the traditional means of conveyance, but powerboats are also used, some serving as buses and taxis. Buildings front directly on canals, with entrances barely above water level. There are public squares, most of them small, scattered throughout the city.
Politically, Venice is part of the commune of Venice, which consists of the city proper, other islands in the lagoon, and a mainland section. On the mainland are the residential suburb of Mestre, the port city of Marghera, and Venice's airport. Venice and the mainland are connected by a 2.5-mile (4-km) bridge.
Economy
The economy of Venice is based primarily on tourism. Fabricated products are mainly handcrafted items such as glassware, jewelry, and leather goods. Many art objects are produced, particularly for tourists and the export trade.
Heavier industries of a more modern nature are in the Marghera area. Located there, largely on reclaimed land, are shipyards, machine shops, petroleum refineries, and chemical plants. The port is one of the busiest in Italy and provides work for many Venetians.
Places of Interest
St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco), with adjoining buildings, is the heart of the city and the largest square in Venice. It is bordered on one side by St. Mark's Basilica and the Doges' Palace and on the other three sides by arcaded, historic buildings with ground-floor cafes and shops. Large flocks of pigeons have long been associated with the square.
St. Mark's Basilica, built in the 11th century in predominantly Byzantine style, is a treasure house of medieval art. Adjoining the basilica is the Doges' Palace, built during the 14th and 15th centuries of pink and white marble in Gothic style. For many years, while Venice was a major European power, the palace was the seat of government and the residence of the city's chief magistrate, the doge. Adorning the interior are many paintings and other works of art. From the Doges' Palace the Bridge of Sighs leads across a narrow canal to a former prison and execution site.
Overlooking St. Mark's Square from above the entrance of the basilica are replicas of four giant bronze horses taken from Constantinople after its capture by Crusaders in 1204. (The original horses have been placed in a museum to protect them from air pollution.) A 325-foot (99-m) campanile, or bell tower, is in the square. Adjoining the square is the Piazzetta, a smaller square in front of the Doges' Palace.
The broad Grand Canal, nearly two miles (3 km) long, is the main thoroughfare of Venice. It extends entirely across the city in the form of a reverse S and connects St. Mark's Square and the railway station. About midway along the canal is the 16th-century Rialto Bridge, one of the principal landmarks of Venice. Nearby is the city's main outdoor market. Foremost among the hundreds of palaces and other impressive buildings that line the Grand Canal is the 15th-century Ca' d'Oro (Golden House), which at one time was completely gilded. The Ca' d'Oro houses the collection of the Franchetti Gallery.
The Gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts, which is also on the Grand Canal, is the home of Venice's largest collection of art. It is especially noted for works by painters of the Venetian school, including such masters as Giovanni Bellini, Giorgione, Titian, Veronese, and Tintoretto.
Just east of Venice, on a long sandy island at the seaward edge of the lagoon, is the Lido, a fashionable seaside resort with numerous hotels and a gambling casino. On other islands are the fishing village of Burano, known for fine handmade lace, and Murano, a glass-working center with a glass museum. The arsenal, in the eastern part of Venice, was once the headquarters of the powerful Venetian navy. Nearby is a naval museum.
Venice is host to a number of art, film, and music festivals. The Arts Biennial is an international exhibition of modern art. The International Film Festival is held each August and September at the Lido.
History
Venice was founded in the fifth century by Italians fleeing Attila the Hun, and at first was a wretched village on mud flats. After several centuries as a part of the Byzantine Empire, Venice emerged as an independent republic in the ninth century. When the Crusades encouraged trade between Europe and the East, the location of Venice made it a commercial and shipping center. By the 13th century Venice held territory on the Adriatic coasts and in the Near East. In 1380 Venice defeated its chief trade rival, Genoa, winning naval supremacy in the Mediterranean Sea.
In the 15th century Venice reached its greatest power. Some of the enormous profits of Venetian merchants built its marble palaces. Although a republic in name, Venice was actually ruled by a few merchants; the doge was a figurehead.
The decline of Venice began in the 16th century following costly wars with the Turks and discoveries of new routes to the East. Venice remained independent until Napoleon attached it to the Austrian empire in 1797. In 1866 Venice became part of the Kingdom of Italy.
During World War I the city was damaged by aerial bombing. It escaped serious damage during World War II.
Venice faces serious problems caused by its island location and by water and air pollution created by mainland industries. Among them are frequent flooding caused by high tides, currents that erode foundations, and pollution that eats away at buildings and statues. For a time, from the early 1950's until the mid-1970's, the city was sinking due to the lowering of the water table under the bed of the lagoon. The sinking stopped when the artesian wells in nearby cities were capped. During the 1970's and early 1980's much work was done to repair and restore Venice's churches, palaces, and other historic buildings. In 1996, a fire destroyed the historic opera house Teatro la Fenice, where works by Verdi, Rossini, Stravinsky, and others had first been presented.
Population: 296,422.