L'Venice history is long and fascinating, and a short summary is never unwelcome.
Today, I'm going to tell you all about Venice through the ages.
History of Venice: article summary
- History of Venice in brief: how old is Venice in Italy?
- What are the origins of Venice?
- History of Venice in brief: Has Venice always been part of Italy?
- Independent, foreign and Italian governments in Venice
- History of Venice in brief: when was Venice built?
- Are there any modern buildings in Venice?
- How was Venice built?
- What was Venice like in the past?
History of Venice in brief: how old is Venice in Italy?
Legend has it that Venice was founded in 421 A.D., and more precisely to March 25, 421.
The city's growth, however, didn't begin until 812 CE, after Carloman's failed attempt to conquer the Venetian lagoon.
In other words, Venice is over 1,200 years old!
What are the origins of Venice?
The Venetian lagoon is a natural formation dating back to around 4,000 BC. Since its origins, the lagoon has been home to fish and birds, attracting fishermen and hunters alike.
The first major settlements in this region were Altino, Torcello and Metamauco.
Since 697, the Venetian lagoon region has been an independent duchy of the Byzantine Empire, or Eastern Roman Empire: a duke, appointed by Byzantium, was responsible for administering the Venetian lagoon.
After escaping an assault by Charlemagne in 810, the Venetians moved the center of their political power to Rivus Altus, today's Rialtowhich quickly became the heart of a new city: Venice!
History of Venice in brief: Has Venice always been part of Italy?
Venice only became part of Italy very recently, in 1966.
Venice had been a free and independent Republic for over 1,000 years. This makes the Republic of Venice the world's most sustainable form of government.
Venetian independence came to an end in May 1797, when the Venetian Republic surrendered to the French army.
Several rulers took control of Venice in the 70 years following the end of the Venetian Republic, until Venice became part of the new Italian state.
Independent, foreign and Italian governments in Venice
Over the course of 13 centuries, the city of Venice, Italy, has had few governments. However, each one was very different.
Among the most notable governments are :
- From 697 to 1204: Venice and its domains were independent, but under the protection (or surveillance) of the Byzantine Empire.
- May 1797 to January 1798: In May 1797, Napoleon overthrew the Venetian government. Venice became a French possession.
- March 1805 to April 1814: In March 1805, Venice was returned to France. Venice once again became a French possession.
- April 1814 to March 1848: After Napoleon's death, Venice was returned to the Austrian Empire. Venice becomes an Austrian possession.
- March 1848 to August 1849: the Venetians rebelled against Austrian rule and seized their city. The Venetians create the Republic of San Marco.
- August 1849 to October 1866: In August 1849, the Austrian Empire defeated Venetian resistance. Venice is once again an Austrian possession.
History of Venice in brief: when was Venice built?
The first settlements in what became Venice began in 812. From then until the end of the Venetian Republic in 1797, the Venetians built most of what can be seen in Venice today.
The foreign rulers who took control of Venice after its fall in 1797 built two main bridges across the river. Grand Canal and a few buildings... everything destroying many others, especially churches.
Are there any modern buildings in Venice?
Venice is a fully urbanized city built on small islands, and there's no space left for new buildings.
This is also why, in order to keep up with the latest trends and fashions of their time, wealthy residents renovated and refurbished their homes. were constantly changing the facades of their palaces on the Grand Canal!
As a result, many of Venice's prestigious palaces are relatively modern in style, dating back "only" 2 or 3 centuries.
There are, however, a few areas that have been built in the second half of the 20th century, long after the end of the Serenissima.
Giudecca and Sacca Fisola, two islands forming part of Venice, are also home to a number of 20th-century buildings.
How was Venice built?
Despite what you may have heard before, Venice wasn't built on water.
The Venetians didn't build Venice on water, nor did they build their city on an island.
In fact, the Venetians built their city on 116 small islands!
Coincidentally, these islands were located in the middle of the Venetian lagoon, very close to one another.
The Venetians, however, had to come up with an idea to be able to build their homes on such soft, sandy, muddy soil.
How were Venice's buildings constructed?
To erect a new building on sandy Venetian soil, the Venetians would hammer two rows of piles around its perimeter. Afterwards, they filled the space between these rows with mud.
The next step was to remove the water and mud. between the two rows of piles and let them partially dry.
The piles had to be long enough to reach the firmer ground several metres below the surface.
Once the stakes had been planted, the Venetians cut off the length protruding from the ground. This is how they did it, the houses were all on the same level.
Finally, the Venetians placed large wooden slabs on the heads of the piles, creating the first floor on which the rest of the building was constructed.
What was Venice like in the past?
Unsurprisingly, the city's overall appearance has changed over time.
In the past, Venetians built streets and squares without floors. In addition, the inhabitants often used the squares as animal and vegetable gardens. Today, Venetian squares are still called "campi", which means "fields" in Italian, while other cities call their squares "piazze".
For many centuries, Venetians had to use their boats to get around the city. It was not until the following centuries that the inhabitants built hundreds of bridges to link the 118 islands that make up Venice.
Another change concerns the number of channels. In the past, there were several other canals. Over time, some canals have been filled in to make pedestrian areas more prominent and to increase walkability.
You can see what Venice looked like, Venezia in Italian, thanks to Canaletto's paintings.
The history of Venice is fascinating. If you want to immerse yourself in it, you can visit the city's various monuments. These include true witnesses to the past!