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VENEZIA
A complex, suggestive, romantic city brandishing
evident signs of a glorious, fascinating past;
it lies suspended between a strip of land an expanse
of water: This is Venice.
The city has forever been cosmopolitan, if not
exotic. A meeting point between east and west,
where cultures and goods merged, Venice is striking
in its mix of pace and colours, that from Saint
Mark's Square and the Palazzo Ducale, extends
out to the rest of the city, reappearing in the
facades of buildings, on the bridges and in the
canals.
Everywhere, we find intense signs of history:
the epic story of the city reclaimed from the
sea which developed in the shadow of Byzantium
thanks to its shipping trade, its aristocratic
Republic famous for fostering art, politics, culture
between 1300 and 1500, to the fascinating, slow
decline of Venice when the City State officially
ceased to exist in 1797.
A complex, suggestive, romantic city brandishing
evident signs of a glorious, fascinating past;
it lies suspended between a strip of land an expanse
of water: This is Venice. The city has forever
been cosmopolitan, if not exotic.
A meeting point between east and west, where
cultures and goods merged, Venice is striking
in its mix of pace and colours, that from Saint
Mark's Square and the Palazzo Ducale, extends
out to the rest of the city, reappearing in the
facades of buildings, on the bridges and in the
canals.
Everywhere, we find intense signs of history:
the epic story of the city reclaimed from the
sea which developed in the shadow of Byzantium
thanks to its shipping trade, its aristocratic
Republic famous for fostering art, politics, culture
between 1300 and 1500, to the fascinating, slow
decline of Venice when the City State officially
ceased to exist in 1797.
Venice's architecture is unlike that of any other
city, and stems from particular historical needs.
This resulted in a special urban centre, in which
water is the protagonist. By venturing into
the narrow streets (calli) or crossing any of
its 400 bridges, one can discover squares (campi)
and small squares (campielli) home to churches,
palazzi and buildings of unmatched beauty. Only
by strolling along its shores and banks can one
grasp Venice's present and past.
The absence of cars gives the atmosphere an almost
surreal quality, so that one's attention, no longer
focused on traffic, is free to appreciate details
that would normally go unnoticed. Walking around
the various campi and campielli yields fascinating,
quaint glimpses of the architecture that is reflected
in the canals' water which bear the passing jet-black
gondolas. Off the beaten path one can find the
more real and private parts of Venice.
Venice does not cease to fascinate and surpise
those that visit it. The grand Venetian art of
Carpaccio, Bellini, Giorgione and
Tiziano, as well as of Tintoretto and Veronese,
Tiepolo and Guardi continues outside the museums
and churches to embellish the palaces and waters
of the city, the doorways and loggias, the rooftop
chimneys, or when catching a glimpse of a passing
figure across the canals or down a narrow street.
The city's development has always been vertical
due to a lack of space. Everything in Venice is
recycled, and the age-old foundations remain the
same over the centuries as new buildings are erected.
It is not easy to bring construction materials
into the city. That is why today the city remains
virtually the same as it was in the 16th Century.Currently
Venice occupies a little over 7 kilometres squared,
spread over 118 small islands, among which is
Saint George and the Giudecca.
All joined by 418 bridges and criss-crossed
by 160 canals. The city is divided into
sestieri: Cannaregio, Saint Mark's and Castello
on the left bank of the Grand Canal, while Santa
Croce, Saint Paul's and Dorsoduro take up the
right bank. The residential areas take up a large
part of the water-borne complex. Murano, Burano,
Torcello, Pellestrina, San Pietro in Volta, Alberoni,
Malamocco and the Lido; or said areas come together
on the inner banks of the lagoon, close to the
mainland, such as Malconetenta, Tessera and Dese.
The Lido is noteworthy as it was already famous
in the 1800s for the therapeutic qualities of
the sea climate and its baths. Today it is Venice's
bathing station. In the lagoons islands, especially
on Burano and Malamocco, fishing is to this day,
not only the traditional work of the inhabitants,
but also constitutes the local economy.
Main annual events in Venice
Saint Mark's on April 25The day of the Sensa
(the Ascension) in late Spring, which re-evokes
the ceremony bonding the city to the sea.
- In May, the Vogalonga, the city's boating/rowing
feast.
- The Redeemer festival (Festa del Redentore)
in the third week of July, with the traditional
night outing on boats and the fire works display
over the lagoon.
- The spectacular regatta held on the Grand
Canal on the first Sunday of September.
- The Biennale Art show at the Gardens, held
every other year.
- The Lido Film Festival..
- The Supercampiello literature prize held at,
none other than, the Palazzo Ducale.
- The Madonna of Health festival on November
21, of special meaning to Venetians proper.
- Venice's Carnival, arisen from its historical
ashes, as a spontaneous recovery of age-old
traditions, has become a commercial tourist
attraction and is so acclaimed as to inevitably
attract the curiosity of many.
In Winter the city is engulfed in a fascinating
mist, not to speak of the frequent high-water
that floods numerous areas especially in November,
December and February.
During the floods, Venetians are awaken by sirens,
and get about the city on gang-planks that enable
them to cross the more critical points.
To get to Venice
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