It is quite an amazing experience to be in a city where most of the "highways" are canals'. But unlike most cities, Venice's highways, the canals, were there before the city was built!
Venice is built on a group of mud banks that formed over 100 small islands at head of the Adriatic Sea. All buildings are erected on pilings driven into this mud. In between the mud banks are strips of the sea, and these are the famous canals of Venice!
In this city, transportation is either by boat or on foot. There are no cars or carts allowed inside the old town. There are numerous narrow alleys and little bridges which span the canals. And everywhere one sees that small boat known as "the gondola". The gondolier, the driver of the boat, stands on a platform in the rear of the boat and propels it with a long pole.
Venice is a very old city. Long before the Huns swept down through Italy in about the middle of the fifth century, there were people already living on the little islands of the lagoon. After a while, 12 lagoon town ships were formed. This was the beginning of the state of Venice, within which developed gradually the city now known as Venice.
In 1450, Venice was the head of a huge colonial empire and was the " chief sea power in the world. Beginning with the sixteenth century, ne1 trade routes were discovered and the trade of Venice began to decline.
In the following years, Venice was involved in many wars, lost its empire, and was practically destroyed by its enemies. In 1866, Venice voted to become part of the kingdom of Italy.Today, Venice is one of the great artistic centres of Europe and beginning to regain its position as a great port
Venice is built on a group of mud banks that formed over 100 small islands at head of the Adriatic Sea. All buildings are erected on pilings driven into this mud. In between the mud banks are strips of the sea, and these are the famous canals of Venice!
In this city, transportation is either by boat or on foot. There are no cars or carts allowed inside the old town. There are numerous narrow alleys and little bridges which span the canals. And everywhere one sees that small boat known as "the gondola". The gondolier, the driver of the boat, stands on a platform in the rear of the boat and propels it with a long pole.
Venice is a very old city. Long before the Huns swept down through Italy in about the middle of the fifth century, there were people already living on the little islands of the lagoon. After a while, 12 lagoon town ships were formed. This was the beginning of the state of Venice, within which developed gradually the city now known as Venice.
In 1450, Venice was the head of a huge colonial empire and was the " chief sea power in the world. Beginning with the sixteenth century, ne1 trade routes were discovered and the trade of Venice began to decline.
In the following years, Venice was involved in many wars, lost its empire, and was practically destroyed by its enemies. In 1866, Venice voted to become part of the kingdom of Italy.Today, Venice is one of the great artistic centres of Europe and beginning to regain its position as a great port
