The Lagoon
and its islands
The Venetian lagoon has its own very special environment in which the people and their jobs are in direct contact with the laws of nature; a landscape that in a few hours as the tide turns completely changes its appearance, an environment where the flora and fauna are extremely fascinating. And from the quiet water of the lagoon rise the fascinating islands of Murano, Burano, Torcello, St. Francesco del Deserto, St. Lazzaro degli Armeni, Pellestrina,
Chioggia
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The monuments
Venice is in itself a work of art, an authentic
box of art treasures coming from all around the
world. Travelling along the Canal Grande on a
boat will be an unforgettable experience that
will allow you to admire the refined palaces and
the wonderful churches. Then there's the heart
of Venice, St. Mark's square, one of the most
beautiful places in the world with the
marvellous Basilica, the Campanile and the Ducal
Palace…
The works of art that are kept in the churches
and museums, but also the less well known places
that you may come across as you walk between
bridges and squares, are incredibly fascinating
and full of charm.
The history
When in the fifth century a.C. the barbarians
invaded the Po Valley, the people took refuge on
the islands of the lagoon. After this episode,
about 421 a.C., Venice was founded. The city
developed around one of the oldest centres,
Rialto, and quickly became a rich merchant
harbour, an important link between the west and
east markets. At the end of the thirteenth
century Marco Polo started to trade with China,
though the Serenissima Republic with its
institutional system based on the "dogato" was
already spreading towards the mainland thus
starting centuries of prosperity and of shrewd
government.
The decline arrived in the sixteenth century
when the trade routes to America were moved and
begun to favour the Atlantic harbours. In 1797
Napoleon conquered the city and gave it over to
Austria; Venice stayed under the Hapsburg rule
up to 1866 when it became part of the Italian
kingdom.
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