About
the City
Venice
Venice is considered among the most beautiful and best preserved cities
in the world, unique in the fact that it is the only city in the world
built on water. The city has earned the name of La Serenissima, the
most serene, as throughout the city’s remarkably stable history
Venice favoured neutrality and peace when possible. Today the city’s
peaceful atmosphere is due to the complete absence of cars; boats provide
the only means of transport along a system of over one hundred and fifty
canals. For those who prefer to explore the city on foot, more than
430 bridges connect the canals and streets or calle together.
Central Venice is
divided into six sestieri, or administrative districts, three on each
side of the Grand Canal. On the northern side is Cannaregio, to the
east Castello and in the centre the San Marco sestiere, boasting the
beautiful Piazza San Marco. Santa Croce, San Polo and Dorsoduro are
on the southern side of the bank. San Giorgio
Maggiore (the Workshop venue), Giudecca and Lido are separate
islands, as are Torcello, Murano (where glass is produced), and Burano
(where lace is historically made). There are over 100 islands in the
lagoon, with an ever declining population of 120,000. Tourists swell
this number to around 25 million each year.
Please visit the useful links
for further general information.
History
The Veneto region
was part of the Roman Empire until the barbarian invasions of the 5th
and 6th centuries forced much of the population to retreat toward the
coastline and marshy islands of the lagoon. The islands fell under Byzantine
rule until 726 when Venetians elected their first Doge and achieved
autonomy.
With a booming spice trade, luxury and ship building industries, Venice
quickly became an important trading city and naval power. Despite recurring
wars with Genoa and the Turks, Venice began to expand on mainland Italy
and down the Eastern coast of the Adriatic.
However, Venice was powerless to defend itself against Napoleon. Soon
after it found itself under the rule of the punitive Austrian Empire.
In 1866, Venice became part of the Italian state.
Visit Venice Escape
website for an in-depth guide through Venice's history.
