History And Geography

History

The Ligurians are considered to be the first to settle in Venice. It is believed that they came to Venice through sea and land routes and established themselves on the Euganei hills. Apart from the Ligurians, the Trojans escaping from their town and the Venetians coming from the Slavonic countries also settled down in Venice. As such, the city was formed as an influx of refugees coming from various regions. The period extending from the ninth century through the twelfth century witnessed the rapid development of Venice. The Venetian naval and commercial power was extremely strong and invulnerable owing to its strategic position at head of the Adriatic. It flourished as an important trading center between Western Europe and the rest of the world (especially the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic world).

With an increase and development of trade routes, inhabitants of Venice stopped relying on the traditional breeding of fish and started full-fledged trade with the East. Rialto was the first harbor to be constructed in Venice. The barrels, boxes, spices, wine and oil perfumes obtained from trade were unloaded on the banks of the Grand Canal and were housed in the warehouses called ‘fondaci'.

Napoleon Bonaparte conquered Venice on 12th May 1797 as a result of which the Republic lost its independence after a period of 1070 years. It is believed that the French conqueror brought to an end the most fascinating century of Venice history. During the Settecento (1700s) Venice became the most stylish and refined city in Europe, providing a great deal of influence on art, architecture, and literature. The Jewish population in Venice considered Napoleon as some sort of a liberator. He abolished the gates of the Ghetto and brought an end to the restrictions on when and where Jews could live and travel in the city.

On October 12, 1797 Napoleon signed the Treaty of Campo Formio as a result of which the city of Venice was handed over to the Austrian-held Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia. In the period that followed, the ownership of Venice was transferred a number of times between Napoleon and the Austrian kingdom. The Venetian Republic was re-established in 1848 following brief spells of revolt. Finally, in 1866 the city of Venice along with the rest of Venetia became a part of Italy. History claims that the city of Venice was not bombed in the World War II as both sides respected the beauty of the most gorgeous city in the world.

Geography

Venice, the queen of the Adriatic Sea, is the capital of the province and is situated on an archipelago of 118 small islands, joined by 160 channels at the center of the lagoon. The lagoon is about 31miels long and 9.3 miles wide and is located in the Gulf of Venice (Adriatic Sea). The average depth of the lagoon is approximately 1 or 2 meters. The city comprises of more than a hundred tiny islets that are separated by narrow canals. Venice rests in a lagoon, sheltered from the Adriatic Sea by the longer islands of Lido and Pellestrina. A number of other large islands also border the northern part of the lagoon including Murano, Burano and Torcello. History states that Venice's strategic positioning on the Adriatic Sea made it one of the most enduring mercantile sea powers in the entire world.