Venice

Venice: something about the city Venice is situated in Veneto, a region in the north-east of Italy, in the centre of the Venetian lagoon. It is called the City of Water because of its intricate web of canals. Hundreds of canals (almost 150) and bridges link the collection of islands on which is built Venice.

History of Venice At first Venice was controlled by the Byzantine Empire (the Eastern half of the Roman Empire, which survived the fall of Rome). In the 9th century Venice flourished as a trading center and ships sailed to and from its ports. In 828 St. Mark then became the patron saint of the city. In the Middle Ages Venice continued to flourish as a port and trading center. Meanwhile Venice was involved in some wars. During the 17th century Venice gradually lost power and influence. In 1815 Venice was handed to Austria, however the city did not prosper under Austrian rule. After the retreat of the Austrians, Venice was again proclaimed Republic. In 1866 Venice was allowed to join the new nation of Italy. Today tourism is the mainstay of Venice.

The Lion of Venice The symbol of Venice is the winged lion with a book open under his paw. When the winged lion was represented in paintings or sculptures with a sword it meant that Venice was facing a period of war.

Bridges Venice are still visible 417 bridges, of which 72 are private. Among them 300 bridges are made of stone, 60 made of iron, the other 57 made of wood.

Gondola The gondola is a traditional Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian lagoon. For centuries gondolas were the main means of transportation and the most common watercraft in Venice. It is driven by a gondolier. In modern times the iconic boats still have a role in public transport in the city;their primary role, however, is to carry tourists on rides at fixed rates.

Our route Ca' d'Oro Our arrival Rialto Bridge -St. Mark's Square and Church -Ducal Palace St. Mary of the Friars

Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari The Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (St. Mary of the Friars) is one of the greatest churches of Venice. The church is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary (Assunzione della Beata Virgine) and is notable for its many masterpieces of Venetian Renaissance art.

Ca' d'Oro Ca' d'Oro is one of the older palaces on the Grand Canal. It is known as Ca' d'Oro ("golden house") due to the polychrome external decorations which once adorned its walls.

Rialto bridge The Rialto is the oldest bridge across the Grand Canal. It is one of the architectural icons of Venice. Its peculiarity is that on either side of the central portico the covered ramps carry rows of shops.

St. Mark's Square This square has always been the centre of political life and all the buildings that surround it were connected to the government of the city.

Bell Tower The basilica has a separate campanile (bell tower) that stands 98.6 meters tall and is one of the city's most recognizable landmarks.

St. Mark's Basilica The Basilica di San Marco ( St. Mark's Basilica) is built in Venetian-Byzantine style, a mixture of western and eastern styles.The Basilica's inside is decorated with beautiful Byzantine-style mosaics.

Ducal Palace The Doge's Palace, built in 1340, was the home of the doge, but it was also the centre of political life in the city. The main entrace to the palace is by the "porta della carta" ( door of paper).

La Fenice Theatre Bridge of Sighs Scala Contarini del Bovolo

Curiosity -The most narrow alley in the City is Calletta Varisco: it has a width of only 53 centimeters (about 21 inches)! -The word "ciao" has Venetian origins. In ancient times Venice people were accustomed to greet in this way: "s- ciavo vostro", it means "I'm your servant, your slave". So time after time it became "s-ciao" and finally "ciao". -In Venice the most popular alcoholic beverage is called "Spritz": it's comprised of one part of white wine, one part of mineral water (carbonated), and a third part of moderated alcoholic liqueur (sweet or bitter). The origin of the name of this alcoholic drink comes from the age of Austrian dominion in Venice, the verb in German language "spritzen" means "to sprinkle".

Carnival in Venice

Hemingway "He was going in by a very narrow street and he was going to not keep track of the number of streets that he crossed, nor count the bridges and then try and orient himself so he would come out at the market without getting up any dead ends. It was a game you play, as some people used to play any solitary card games. But it had the advantage that you look at the houses, the minor vistas, the shops and the trattorias and at old palaces of the city of Venice while you are walking. If you loved the city of Venice it was an excellent game." E. Hemingway, "Across the river and into the trees"