Floating on water, Venice is unlike any other city. Venice is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on 118 islands. These islands are separated by expanses of open water and canals. Venice is linked by 472 bridges. Imagine that. The islands reside in the shallow Venetian Lagoon. This is an enclosed bay. The bay lies between the mouths of the Po and the Piave rivers. More exactly, it lies between the Brenta and the Sile.
Venice attracts millions of tourists annually. In 2020, around 258685 people lived in greater Venice. Around 51000 lived in the historical island city. The rest lived on the mainland. Venice is included in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area. This area is considered a statistical metropolitan area. It has a total population of 2.6 million.
Venice got its name from the ancient Veneti people. They inhabited the region by the 10th century BC. From 810 to 1797, Venice was the capital of the Republic of Venice. For almost a millennium it was the capital. Venice was a major financial and maritime power. This was during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. It served as a staging area for the Crusades and the Battle of Lepanto. Venice became an important center of commerce. Silk, grain, and spice were especially important. It was also a center of art from the 13th century to the end of the 17th. Venice was the first real international financial center. It emerged in the 9th century. Venice reached its greatest prominence in the 14th century. Venice remained a wealthy city.
For centuries Venice possessed territories along the Adriatic Sea. It also had territories within the Italian peninsula. Venice left a significant impact on architecture and culture. The Venetian Arsenal is considered the first factory in history. It was the base of Venice’s naval power. Napoleon ended Venice’s sovereignty in 1797. In 1866, the city became part of the Kingdom of Italy.
Venice has many nicknames. These include “La Dominante”, “La Serenissima”, and “Queen of the Adriatic”. Other nicknames include “City of Water”, “City of Masks”, and “City of Bridges”. It is also known as “The Floating City” and “City of Canals”. UNESCO inscribed the lagoon and the city within the lagoon as a World Heritage Site in 1987. It covers an area of 70176.4 hectares. Venice is known for artistic movements. This was especially during the Italian Renaissance. Venice played an important role in instrumental and operatic music. Tomaso Albinoni and Antonio Vivaldi were born here.
In the 21st century, Venice is a popular tourist destination. It is a major cultural center. Venice has often been ranked one of the most beautiful cities. The Times described it as one of Europe’s most romantic cities. The New York Times called it “undoubtedly the most beautiful city built by man”. Venice faces challenges. These include an excessive number of tourists and pollution. Tide peaks and cruise ships sailing too close to buildings are also challenges. Venice and its lagoon are under constant threat. Venice’s UNESCO listing has been under constant examination.
Venice sits atop alluvial silt. Rivers flowing eastward from the Alps washed the silt into the sea. The current flowing around the head of the Adriatic Sea stretched the silt into long banks. These are also called lidi. Subsidence is the gradual lowering of the surface of Venice. It contributes to the seasonal Acqua alta. This is the high water when the city’s lowest lying surfaces get covered at high tide. The lowest part of Venice is St Mark’s Basilica. It is only 64 centimetres above sea level. It is one of the most flood-prone parts of the city.