Venice, Italy

Venice is built on 120 tiny islands. The city was founded in the 5th century by immigrants escaping from the waves of Germanic and Hun invasions. The lagoon, which proved to be a safe haven, impenetrable to anyone without the knowledge of the varied and changing morphology, was inhabited at the time only by a few fishermen.
In 726 Venice elected the doge autonomously for the first time: he was Orso Ipato, the first of many that would rule for over a millennium.
Originally circulation took place only by sea but little by little the bridges were built (there are over 400 today) and it became possible to move from one island to another by foot. A Palace of Justice and a "Palazzo Comune" were built and, in 829, the Ducal Chapel, later known as the Basilica of St. Mark, also started being built.
Trade with the East, a source of riches and prestige flourished and eventually, Venice established itself as the greatest maritime power in Europe, creating a network of maritime ports and settlements from the Adriatic sea to the Marmara sea.
However, continuously involved in defending its bases against the Turks, in the East, and in continental wars, in the West, Venice became weakened, both military and economically. In 1797 it was conquered by Napolean and lost its independence: a meeting of the High Council was called for the last time and decreed the end of the republic. In the second half of the 19th century, Venice became Italian.

Campanile de San Marco
Doge's Palace









Local: Veneza, Itália

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