Venice
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Comune di Venezia | |
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Municipal coat of arms |
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Country | Italy |
Region | Veneto |
Province | Venice (VE) |
Mayor | Massimo Cacciari (since April 18, 2005) |
Elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
Area | 412 km² (159 sq mi) |
Population (as of January 1, 2004) | |
- Total | 271,251 |
- Density | 658/km² (1,704/sq mi) |
Time zone | CET, UTC+1 |
Coordinates | Coordinates: |
Gentilic | Veneziani |
Dialing code | 041 |
Postal code | 30100 |
Frazioni | Chirignago, Favaro Veneto, Mestre, Marghera, Murano, Burano, Giudecca, Lido, Zelarino |
Patron | St. Mark the Evangelist |
- Day | April 25 |
Website: www.comune.venezia.it |
Venice and its Lagoon* | |
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UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
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State Party | Italy |
Type | Cultural |
Criteria | i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi |
Reference | 394 |
Region† | Europe and North America |
Inscription history | |
Inscription | 1987 (11th Session) |
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. † Region as classified by UNESCO. |
Venice (Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venezsia) is a city in northern Italy, the capital of region Veneto, and has a population of 271,251 (census estimate January 1, 2004). Together with Padua, the city is included in the Padua-Venice Metropolitan Area (population 1,600,000). Venice has been known as the "Queen of the Adriatic", "City of Water", "City of Bridges", and "The City of Light".
The city stretches across 110 small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy. The saltwater lagoon stretches along the shoreline between the mouths of the Po (south) and the Piave (north) Rivers. The population estimate of 272,000 inhabitants includes the population of the whole Comune of Venezia; around 62,000 in the historic city of Venice (Centro storico); 176,000 in Terraferma (the Mainland), mostly in the large frazione of Mestre and Marghera; and 31,000 live on other islands in the lagoon.
The Venetian Republic was a major maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and a staging area for the Crusades and the Battle of Lepanto, as well as a very important center of commerce (especially silk, grain and spice trade) and art in the 13th century up to the end of the 17th century.
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[edit] History
[edit] Origins and history
While there are no historical records that deal directly with the origins of Venice, the available evidence has led several historians to agree that the original population of Venice comprised refugees from Roman cities such as Padua, Aquileia, Altino and Concordia (modern Portogruaro) who were fleeing successive waves of Germanic invasions.[1]
Starting in 166-168, the Quadi and Marcomanni destroyed the main center in the area, the current Oderzo. The Roman defenses were again overthrown in the early 5th century by the Visigoths and, some 50 years later, by the Huns led by Attila. The last and most enduring was that of the Lombards in 568. This left the Eastern Roman Empire; a small strip of coast in current Veneto, and the main administrative and religious entities, were therefore transferred to this remaining dominion. New ports were built, including those at Malamocco and Torcello in the Venetian lagoon.
The Byzantine domination of central and northern Italy was largely eliminated by the conquest of the Exarchate of Ravenna in 751 by Aistulf. During this period, the seat of the local Byzantine governor (the "duke", later "doge") was situated in Malamocco. Settlement across the islands in the lagoon probably increased in correspondence with the Lombard conquest of the Byzantine territories.
In 775-776, the bishopric seat of Olivolo (Helipolis) was created. During the reign of duke Agnello Particiaco (811-827) the ducal seat was moved from Malamocco to the highly protected Rialto (Rivoalto, "High Shore") island, the current location of Venice. The monastery of St. Zachary and the first ducal palace and basilica of St. Mark, as well as a walled defense (civitatis murus) between Olivolo and Rialto were subsequently built here.
In 828, the new city's prestige was raised by the liberation of the relics of St. Mark the Evangelist from Alexandria, which were placed in the new basilica. The patriarchal seat was also moved to Rialto. As the community continued to develop and as Byzantine power waned, it led to the growth of autonomy and eventual independence.
[edit] Expansion
From the ninth to the twelfth century Venice developed into a city state (an Italian thalassocracy or Repubblica Marinara, the other three being Genoa, Pisa, and Amalfi). Its strategic position at the head of the Adriatic made Venetian naval and commercial power almost invulnerable. The city became a flourishing trade center between Western Europe and the rest of the world (especially the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic world).
In the 12th century the foundations of Venice's power were laid: the Venetian Arsenal was under construction in 1104; Venice wrested control of the Brenner Pass from Verona in 1178, opening a lifeline to silver from Germany; the last autocratic doge, Vitale Michiele, died in 1172.
The Republic of Venice seized the eastern shores of the Adriatic before 1200, mostly for commercial reasons, because pirates based there were a menace to trade. The Doge already carried the titles of Duke of Dalmatia and Duke of Istria. Later mainland possessions, which extended across Lake Garda as far west as the Adda River, were known as "Terraferma", and were acquired partly as a buffer against belligerent neighbours, partly to guarantee Alpine trade routes, and partly to ensure the supply of mainland wheat, on which the city depended. In building its maritime commercial empire, the Republic acquired control of most of the islands in the Aegean, including Cyprus and Crete, and became a major power-broker in the Near East. By the standards of the time, Venice's stewardship of its mainland territories was relatively enlightened and the citizens of such towns as Bergamo, Brescia and Verona rallied to the defence of Venetian sovereignty when it was threatened by invaders.
Venice became an imperial power following the Fourth Crusade, which seized Constantinople in 1204 and established the Latin Empire; Venice herself carved out a sphere of influence known as the Duchy of the Archipelago. This seizure of Constantinople would ultimately prove as decisive a factor in ending the Byzantine Empire as the loss of the Anatolian themes after Manzikert. Though the Byzantines recovered control of the ravaged city a half century later, the Byzantine Empire was greatly weakened, and existed as a ghost of its old self until Sultan Mehmet The Conqueror took the city in 1453. Considerable Byzantine plunder was brought back to Venice, including the Winged Lion of St. Mark, symbol of Venice.
Situated on the Adriatic Sea, Venice traded with the Byzantine Empire and the Muslim world extensively. During the late thirteenth century, Venice was the most prosperous city in all of Europe. At the peak of its power and wealth, it had 36,000 sailors operating 3,300 ships, dominating Mediterranean commerce. During this time, Venice's leading families vied with each other to build the grandest palaces and support the work of the greatest and most talented artists. The city was governed by the Great Council, which was made up of members of the most influential families in Venice. The Great Council appointed all public officials and elected a Senate of 200 to 300 individuals. The Senate then chose the Council of Ten, a secretive group which held the utmost power in the administration of the city. One member of the great council was elected "doge", or duke, the ceremonial head of the city, who held the title until his death.
The Venetian governmental structure was similar in some ways to the republican system of ancient Rome, with an elected executive power (the Doge), a senate-like assembly of nobles, and a mass of citizens with limited political power, who originally had the power to grant or withhold their approval of each newly elected Doge. Church and various private properties were tied to military service, though there was no knight tenure within the city itself. The Cavalieri di San Marco was the only order of chivalry ever instituted in Venice, and no citizen could accept or join a foreign order without the government's consent. Venice remained a republic throughout its independent period and politics and the military were kept completely separate, except when on occasion the Doge personally led the military. War was regarded as a continuation of commerce by other means (hence, the city's early production of large numbers of mercenaries for service elsewhere, and later its reliance on foreign mercenaries when the ruling class was preoccupied with commerce).
The chief executive was the Doge (duke), who, theoretically, held his elective office for life. In practice, a number of Doges were forced by pressure from their oligarchical peers to resign the office and retire into monastic seclusion when they were felt to have been discredited by perceived political failure.
Though the people of Venice generally remained orthodox Roman Catholics, the state of Venice was notable for its freedom from religious fanaticism and it enacted not a single execution for religious heresy during the Counter-Reformation. This apparent lack of zeal contributed to Venice's frequent conflicts with the Papacy. Venice was threatened with the interdict on a number of occasions and twice suffered its imposition. The second, most famous, occasion was on April 27, 1509, by order of Pope Julius II (see League of Cambrai).
Venetian ambassadors sent home still-extant secret reports of the politics and rumours of European courts, providing fascinating information to modern historians.
In 1630, the plague killed a third of Venice's 150,000 citizens.[2] Venice began to lose its position as a center of international trade during the later part of the Renaissance as Portugal became Europe's principal intermediary in the trade with the East, striking at the very foundation of Venice's great wealth, while France and Spain fought for hegemony over Italy in the Italian Wars, marginalising her political influence. However, the Venetian empire was a major exporter of agricultural products and, until the mid-18th century, a significant manufacturing center.
[edit] Military and naval affairs
By 1303, crossbow practice had become compulsory in the city, with citizens training in groups. As weapons became more expensive and complex to operate, professional soldiers were assigned to help work merchant sailing ships and as rowers in galleys. The company of "Noble Bowmen" was recruited in the later 14th century from among the younger aristocracy and served aboard both war-galleys and as armed merchantmen, with the privilege of sharing the captain's cabin.
Though Venice was famous for its navy, its army was equally effective. In the 13th century, most Italian city states already were hiring mercenaries, but Venetian troops were still recruited from the lagoon, plus feudal levies from Dalmatia and Istria. In times of emergency, all males between seventeen and sixty years were registered and their weapons were surveyed, with those called to actually fight being organized into companies of twelve. The register of 1338 estimated that 30,000 Venetian men were capable of bearing arms; many of these were skilled crossbowmen. As in other Italian cities, aristocrats and other wealthy men were cavalrymen while the city's conscripts fought as infantry.
By 1450, more than 3,000 Venetian merchant ships were in operation, and most of these could be converted when necessary into either warships or transports. The government required each merchant ship to carry a specified number of weapons (mostly crossbows and javelins) and armor; merchant passengers were also expected to be armed and to fight when necessary. A reserve of some 25 (later 100) war-galleys was maintained in the Arsenal. Galley slaves did not exist in medieval Venice, the oarsmen coming from the city itself or from its possessions, especially Dalmatia. Those from the city were chosen by lot from each parish, their families being supported by the remainder of the parish while the rowers were away. Debtors generally worked off their obligations rowing the galleys. Rowing skills were encouraged through races and regattas.
Early in the 15th century, as new mainland territories were expanded, the first standing army was organized, consisting of condottieri on contract. In its alliance with Florence in 1426, Venice agreed to supply 8,000 cavalry and 3,000 infantry in time of war, and 3,000 and 1,000 in peacetime. Later in that century, uniforms were adopted that featured red-and-white stripes, and a system of honors and pensions developed. Throughout the 15th century, Venetian land forces were almost always on the offensive and were regarded as the most effective in Italy, largely because of the tradition of all classes carrying arms in defense of the city and official encouragement of general military training.
The command structure in the army was different from that in the fleet. By ancient law, no nobleman could command more than twenty-five men (to prevent against sedition by private armies), and while the position of Captain General was introduced in the mid-14th century, he still had to answer to a civilian panel of twenty "wise men". Not only was efficiency not degraded, this policy saved Venice from the military takeovers that other Italian city states so often experienced. A civilian commissioner (not unlike a commissar) accompanied each army to keep an eye on things, especially the mercenaries. The Venetian military tradition also was notably cautious; they were more interested in achieving success with a minimum expense of lives and money than in the pursuit of glory.
[edit] Modern Venice
After 1070 years, the Republic lost its independence when Napoleon Bonaparte on May 12, 1797, conquered Venice during the First Coalition. The French conqueror brought to an end the most fascinating century of its history: It was during the Settecento (1700s) that Venice became perhaps the most elegant and refined city in Europe, greatly influencing art, architecture, and literature. Napoleon was seen as something of a liberator by the city's Jewish population, although it can be argued they had lived with fewer restrictions in Venice. He removed the gates of the Ghetto and ended the restrictions on when and where Jews could live and travel in the city.
Venice became Austrian territory when Napoleon signed the Treaty of Campo Formio on October 12, 1797. The Austrians took control of the city on January 18, 1798. It was taken from Austria by the Treaty of Pressburg in 1805 and became part of Napoleon's Kingdom of Italy, but was returned to Austria following Napoleon's defeat in 1814, when it became part of the Austrian-held Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia. In 1848-1849 a revolt briefly reestablished the Venetian Republic under Daniel Manin. In 1866, following the Seven Weeks War, Venice, along with the rest of Venetia, became part of Italy.
After 1797, the city fell into a serious decline, with many of the old palaces and other buildings abandoned and falling into disrepair, although the Lido became a popular beach resort in the late 19th century.
[edit] Transportation
Venice is world-famous for its canals. It is built on an archipelago of 118 islands formed by about 150 canals in a shallow lagoon. The islands on which the city is built are connected by about 400 bridges. In the old center, the canals serve the function of roads, and every form of transport is on water or on foot. In the 19th century a causeway to the mainland brought a railway station to Venice, and an automobile causeway and parking lot was added in the 20th century. Beyond these land entrances at the northern edge of the city, transportation within the city remains, as it was in centuries past, entirely on water or on foot. Venice is Europe's largest urban car free area, unique in Europe in remaining a sizable functioning city in the 21st century entirely without motorcars or trucks.
The classical Venetian boat is the gondola, although it is now mostly used for tourists, or for weddings, funerals, or other ceremonies. Most Venetians now travel by motorised waterbuses (vaporetti) which ply regular routes along the major canals and between the city's islands. The city also has many private boats. The only gondolas still in common use by Venetians are the traghetti, foot passenger ferries crossing the Grand Canal at certain points without bridges.
Azienda Consorzio Trasporti Veneziano (ACTV) is the name of the public transport system in Venice. It combines both land transportation, with buses, and canal travel, with water buses (vaporetti). In total, there are 25 routes which connect the city.
Venice is served by the newly rebuilt Marco Polo International Airport, or Aeroporto di Venezia Marco Polo, named in honor of its famous citizen. The airport is on the mainland and was rebuilt away from the coast, however the water taxis or Alilaguna waterbus' to Venice are only a seven minute walk from the terminals.
Some airlines market Treviso Airport in Treviso, 20km from Venice, as a Venice gateway. Some simply advertise flights to "Venice" without naming the actual airport except in the small print.[3]
[edit] Landmarks
[edit] Sestieri
The sestieri are the primary traditional divisions of Venice. The city is divided into the six districts of Cannaregio, San Polo, Dorsoduro (including the Giudecca), Santa Croce, San Marco (including San Giorgio Maggiore), and Castello (including San Pietro di Castello and Sant'Elena). At the front of the Gondolas that work in the city there is a large piece of metal intended as a likeness of the Doge's hat. On this sit six notches pointing forwards and one pointing backwards. Each of these represent one of the Sestieri (the one which points backwards represents the Giudecca).
[edit] Piazzas and campi
[edit] Palaces and palazzi
- Doge's Palace
- Palazzo Grassi
- Ca' d'Oro
- Ca' Rezzonico
- Peggy Guggenheim Collection
- Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo
- Fondaco dei Turchi
- Palazzo Labia
- Scuola Grande di San Marco
- Palazzo Malipiero
[edit] Churches
[edit] Other buildings
[edit] Bridges and canals
[edit] Surroundings
- The Venetian Lagoon
- Islands:
- Giudecca
[edit] Venetian Villas
The villas of the Veneto, rural residences for nobles during the Republic, are one of the most interesting aspects of Venetian countryside. They are surrounded by elegant gardens, suitable for fashionable parties of high society. Most of these villas were designed by Palladio, and are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to the architects, water around the villas was a very important architectural element because it added more brilliance to the façade.
[edit] Sinking of Venice
The buildings of Venice are constructed on closely spaced wood piles, which were imported from Russia, (under water, in the absence of oxygen, wood does not decay) which penetrate alternating layers of clay and sand. Wood for piles was cut in the most western part of today's Slovenia, resulting in the barren land in a region today called Kras, and in two regions of Croatia, Lika and Gorski kotar (resulting in the barren slopes of Velebit). Most of these piles are still intact after centuries of submersion. The foundations rest on the piles, and buildings of brick or stone sit above these footings. The buildings are often threatened by flood tides pushing in from the Adriatic between autumn and early spring.
Six hundred years ago, Venetians protected themselves from land-based attacks by diverting all the major rivers flowing into the lagoon and thus preventing sediment from filling the area around the city. This created an ever-deeper lagoon environment.
During the 20th century, when many artesian wells were sunk into the periphery of the lagoon to draw water for local industry, Venice began to subside. It was realized that extraction of the aquifer was the cause. This sinking process has slowed markedly since artesian wells were banned in the 1960s. However, the city is still threatened by more frequent low-level floods (so-called Acqua alta, "high water") that creep to a height of several centimeters over its quays, regularly following certain tides. In many old houses the former staircases used by people to unload goods are now flooded, rendering the former ground floor uninhabitable. Many Venetians have resorted to moving up to the upper floors and continuing with their lives.
Some recent studies have suggested that the city is no longer sinking,[4][5] but this is not yet certain; therefore, a state of alert has not been revoked. In May 2003 the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi inaugurated the MOSE project (Modulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico), an experimental model for evaluating the performance of inflatable gates; the idea is to lay a series of 79 inflatable pontoons across the sea bed at the three entrances to the lagoon. When tides are predicted to rise above 110 centimetres, the pontoons will be filled with air and block the incoming water from the Adriatic sea. This engineering work is due to be completed by 2011.
Some experts say that the best way to protect Venice is to physically lift the City to a greater height above sea level, by pumping water into the soil underneath the city.[6] This way, some hope, it could rise above sea levels, protecting it for hundreds of years, and eventually the MOSE project may not be necessary (it will, controversially, alter the tidal patterns in the lagoon, damaging some wildlife). A further point about the "lifting" system would be that it would be permanent; the MOSE Project is, by its very nature, a temporary system: it is expected to protect Venice for only 100 years.
In 1604, to defray the cost of flood relief Venice introduced what could be considered the first example of what became elsewhere a 'stamp tax'. When the revenue fell short of expectations in 1608 Venice introduced paper with the superscription 'AQ' and imprinted instructions which was to be used for 'letters to officials'. Initially this was to be a temporary tax but in fact remained in effect to the fall of the Republic in 1797. Shortly after the introduction of the tax Spain produced similar paper for more general taxation purposes and the practice spread to other countries.
[edit] Culture
In the 14th century, many young Venetian men began wearing tight-fitting multicoloured hose, the designs on which indicated the Compagnie della Calza ("Trouser Club") to which they belonged. The Senate passed sumptuary laws, but these merely resulted in changes in fashion in order to circumvent the law. Dull garments were worn over colourful ones, which then were cut to show the hidden colours — which resulted in the wide spread of men's "slashed" fashions in the 15th century.
During the 16th century, Venice became one of the most important musical centers of Europe, marked by a characteristic style of composition (the Venetian school) and the development of the Venetian polychoral style under composers such as Adrian Willaert, who worked at San Marco. Venice was the early center of music printing; Ottaviano Petrucci began publishing music almost as soon as this technology was available, and his publishing enterprise helped to attract composers from all over Europe, especially from France and Flanders. By the end of the century, Venice was famous for the splendor of its music, as exemplified in the "colossal style" of Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli, which used multiple choruses and instrumental groups.
In the same century, Venice was the European capital of printing, being the first city to build a press after Germany, in 1500 having 417 printers. The most important printing office was the Aldine Press of Aldus Manutius, which in the 1499 printed the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, considered the most beautiful book of Renaissance, and established the modern punctuation, page format and italic type, and he first printed the work of Aristotle.
Canvases (the common painting surface) originated in Venice during the early renaissance. These early canvases were generally rough.
[edit] Festivals
The Venice Art Biennale is one of the most important events in the arts calendar. During 1893 headed by the mayor of Venice, Riccardo Selvatico, the Venetian City Council passed a resolution on 19 April to set up an Esposizione biennale artistica nazionale (biennial exhibition of Italian art), to be inaugurated on 22 April 1894.[7] Following the outbreak of hostilities during the Second World War, the activities of the Biennale were interrupted in September 1942, but resumed in 1948.[8]
[edit] Famous Venetians
For persons from Venice, see People from Venice. Others closely associated with the city include:
- Enrico Dandolo (c. 1107, 1205), Doge of Venice from 1192 to his death. He played a direct role in the sack of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade.
- Titian (c. 1488-90 – August 27, 1576), was the leader of the 16th century Venetian school of the Italian Renaissance (he was born in Pieve di Cadore).
- Pietro Bembo (May 20, 1470 - 18 January 1547), cardinal and scholar.
- Marco Antonio Bragadin (d.1571) general flayed alive by the Turks after a fierce resistance during the siege of Famagusta
- Lorenzo Lotto (c.1480 - Loreto, 1556) was a painter draughtsman and illustrator, traditionally placed in the Venetian school.
- Veronica Franco (1546-1591), poet and courtesan during the Renaissance
- Antonio Vivaldi (March 4, 1678 July 28 (or 27), 1741, Vienna), famous composer and violinist of the Baroque Era
- Giacomo Casanova (1725 - 1798), in Dux, Bohemia, (now Duchcov, Czech Republic) was a famous Venetian adventurer, writer and womanizer.
- Rosalba Carriera (October 7, 1675 – April 15, 1757), She became known for her pastel works.
- Emilio Vedova (August 9, 1919), one of the most important modern painters of Italy
- Tintoretto (1518 - May 31, 1594), probably the last great painter of Italian Renaissance.
- Giovanni Bellini (c. 1430-1516), he was a Renaissance painter, probably the best known of the Bellini family of painters.
- Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia (June 5, 1646 - July 26, 1684), she was the first woman in the world to receive a doctorate degree.
- Bruno Maderna (April 21, 1920 - November 13, 1973), he was an Italian-German orchestra director and 20th century music composer.
- Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (March 5, 1696 - March 27, 1770), he was the last "Grand Manner" fresco painter from the Venetian Republic.
- Baldassare Longhena (1598 - February 18, 1682), he was one of the greatest exponents of Baroque architecture.
- Carlo Goldoni (February 25, 1707 - February 6, 1793), Along with Pirandello, Goldoni is probably the most famous name in Italian theatre, in his country and abroad.
- Carlo Gozzi (13 December 1720 – April 4, 1806), he was an excellent dramatist of 18th century.
- Aldus Manutius (1449-1515), he has been the most important printer of history.
- Luigi Nono (29 January 1924 - 8 May 1990), He became a leading composer of instrumental and electronic music.
- Carlo Scarpa (June 2, 1906 - 1978, Sendai, Japan), was an architect with a profound understanding of materials.
- Sebastian Cabot (c. 1484 – 1557, or soon after), was an explorer.
- Marco Polo (September 15 - 1254 January 8, 1324) was a trader and explorer one of the first Westerners to travel the Silk Road to China. While a prisoner in Genoa, he dictated in French the tale of his travels known as "Le Livres des Merveilles" - in Italian: Il Milione (The Travels of Marco Polo).
- Tomaso Albinoni (June 8, 1671 - January 17, 1751) was a baroque composer
- Canaletto (October 28, 1697 - April 19, 1768), was a famous artist for his landscapes or vedute of Venice, but not only.
- Sebastiano Venier, (c. 1496 - March 3, 1578) was Doge of Venice from June 11, 1577 to 1578.
[edit] Written works referencing Venice
[edit] Fiction
Poetry and Short Stories
- T. S. Eliot - "Burbank with a Baedeker: Bleistein with a Cigar" (1920)
- Edgar Allan Poe - "The Assignation"
- Joseph Brodsky - Watermark
Novels and Literature
- 1634: The Galileo Affair - Eric Flint and Andrew Dennis
- Across the River and Into the Trees - Ernest Hemingway
- Candide - Voltaire
- Carnevale - Michelle Lovric
- Cry to Heaven - Anne Rice
- Daughter of Venice - Donna Jo Napoli
- Der Geisterseher (The Ghost-Seer) - Friedrich Schiller
- Der Tod in Venedig (Death in Venice) (1912) - Thomas Mann
- An Equal Music - Vikram Seth
- Guido Brunetti crime series - Donna Leon
- House of Niccolo series - Dorothy Dunnett
- In the Company of the Courtesan (2006) - Sarah Dunant
- Invisible Cities - Italo Calvino
- Lionboy - Zizou Corder
- Little Dorrit - Charles Dickens
- Miss Garnet's Angel - Sally Vicker
- Mystery of Venice series - Edward Sklepowich
- Othello (1603-04) - William Shakespeare
- Scorpia - Anthony Horowitz
- Servant of Two Masters - Carlo Goldoni
- Shylock's Daughter (1997) - Erica Jong
- Stravaganza: City of Masks - Mary Hoffman
- Territorial Rights - Muriel Spark
- The Aspern Papers (1888) - Henry James
- The Bravo of Venice - M.G. Lewis
- The Comfort of Strangers - Ian McEwan
- The Desire and Pursuit of the Whole - Frederick Rolfe
- The Family - Mario Puzo
- The Floating Book - Michelle Lovric
- The Haunted Hotel (1878) - Wilkie Collins
- The Merchant of Venice (1594-97) - William Shakespeare
- The Passion (1987) - Jeanette Winterson
- The Remedy - Michelle Lovric
- The Rossetti Letter (2007) - Christi Phillips
- The Shadow of the Lion - Mercedes Lackey, Eric Flint and Dave Freer
- The Silent Gondoliers - William Goldman under the name of S. Morgenstern
- The Talented Mr. Ripley (1955) - Patricia Highsmith
- The Thief Lord (2002) - Cornelia Funke
- The Thief of Venice - Jane Langton
- The Vampire Armand - Anne Rice
- The Venice Adriana - Ethan Mordden
- The Water Mirror (2005) - Kai Meyer
- The Wings of the Dove - Henry James
- Those Who Walk Away (1967) - Patricia Highsmith
- Venise en hiver (Venice in the Winter) - Emmanuel Roblès
- Vivaldi's Virgins (2007) - Barbara Quick
- Volpone (1606 / 1607) - Ben Jonson
- Watteau in Venice (1994) - Philippe Sollers
[edit] Non-Fiction
- Casanova - History of My Life
- E.V. Lucas, A Wanderer in Venice
- Francesco da Mosto - Francesco's Venice
- Francesco da Mosto - Francesco's Italy
- Jane Turner Rylands - Venetian Stories
- Jane Turner Rylands - Across the Bridge of Sighs: More Venetian Stories
- John Berendt - The City of Falling Angels
- John Ruskin - The Stones of Venice
[edit] Visual works referencing Venice
[edit] Film
- A Little Romance (1979), directed by George Roy Hill
- Blame It On The Bellboy (1992), directed by Mark Herman
- Casanova (2005), directed by Lasse Hallström, starring Heath Ledger and Sienna Miller
- Casino Royale (2006), directed by Martin Campbell, starring Daniel Craig, Eva Green and Judi Dench
- Chasing Liberty (2004), directed by Andy Cadiff, starring Mandy Moore and Stark Sands
- Children of the Century (1999) directed by D. Kurys, starring Juliette Binoche, Benoit Maginel, Stefano Dionisi
- Dangerous Beauty (1998), directed by Marshall Herskovitz, based on The Honest Courtesan by Margaret Rosenthal
- Death in Venice (1971), directed by Luchino Visconti, base on the Thomas Mann novella
- Don't Look Now (1973), directed by Nicolas Roeg, based on story by Daphne du Maurier, starring Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie
- Everyone Says I Love You (1996), directed by Woody Allen
- Fellini's Casanova (1976), directed by Federico Fellini)
- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), directed by Steven Spielberg
- James Bond films
- Casino Royale (2006), directed by Martin Campbell
- From Russia with Love (1963), directed by Terence Young
- Moonraker (1979), directed by Lewis Gilbert, (the first time principal photography for the series took place in the city)
- Just Married (2003), directed by Shawn Levy
- Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), directed by Simon West, based on the Tomb Raider videogame series.
- Nikita (1990), also known as La Femme Nikita, directed by Luc Besson
- Only You (1994), directed by Norman Jewison
- Othello (1952), directed by Orson Welles, starring Orson Welles and Suzanne Cloutier
- Pokémon Heroes (2003), directed by Jim Malone and Kunihiko Yuyama
- Senso (1954), directed by Luchino Visconti, starring Alida Valli and Farley Granger
- Solamente Nero (1978), also known as The Bloodstained Shadow, directed by Antonio Bido
- Summertime (1955), directed by David Lean, starring Katharine Hepburn - Interiors shot in Pensione Accademia Villa Maravegie
- The Comfort of Strangers (1990), directed by Paul Schrader
- The Great Gambler (1979), directed by Shakti Samanta, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Neetu Singh, Zeenat Aman, Prem Chopra
- The Honey Pot (1967), directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, (based on Ben Jonson's Volpone), starring Rex Harrison, Capucine, Maggie Smith
- The Italian Job (2003), directed by F. Gary Gray
- The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003), directed by Stephen Norrington
- The Merchant of Venice (2004), directed by Michael Radford
- The Story of Us (1999), directed by Rob Reiner, starring Bruce Willis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Tim Matheson
- The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), directed by Anthony Minghella
- The Thief Lord (2006), directed by Richard Claus, starring Aaron Johnson, Rollo Weeks
- The Wings of the Dove (1997), directed by Iain Softley, based on novel by Henry James
- Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978), directed by Ted Kotcheff, based upon the novel by Nan and Ivan Lyons
- In addition, the audio Doctor Who adventure The Stones of Venice is set in a future where one last great Carnival is being held before the city sinks forever
[edit] Television
- The 1980s Jem episode "In Stitches" takes place in this city.
- The manga and anime series ARIA take place in the town of Neo-Venezia, based on Venice.
- In the manga and anime One Piece the island of Water 7 is based on Venice.
- The Thief Lord(2006)
[edit] Video games
- The Merchant Prince series are based on the trading and politics of Venice during the Renaissance era. The player plays one of the competing Venetian merchants trying to gain wealth and power through trades, power plays, and Machiavellian skullduggery.
- The catacombs and the church of San Barnaba are visited in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure.
- Venice appeared in Core Design's Tomb Raider 2.
- Venice was a multiplayer level in Free Radical Design's Timesplitters: Future Perfect.
- A fighting arena based around Venice can be found in Soul Calibur II. The fight takes place upon a stone platform isolated in Venice's water-filled streets. Typical residential Venice buildings are portrayed in the background of the level, although the fight does not take place in any of them.
- Venice appears as a fighting arena in the first Tekken game released on the PlayStation.
- Venice appears as a map in Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory, in which the Allied agents need to steal an artifact and escape the city on a boat through its canals.
- Venice is the second playable level in Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves.
- The Republic Of Venice is available as an initial playable faction in the game Medieval 2: Total War
- The canals of Venice are the site of a race in the arcade game Hydro Thunder.
- The first-person shooter Painkiller features a level inspired by Venice.
- The latest Sonic the Hedgehog series game, Sonic the Hedgehog, has a city in it based on Venice, Italy.
- In the Super Nintendo game, Tales of Phantasia, the city of Venezia is modeled after Venice.
- Gears of War features a map that resembles Venice (Canals)
- The La Razza Canal course from the Gamecube game, Wave Race: Blue Storm was likely modeled after Venice.
- You are able to take photographs of your tuned-up car in Gran Turismo 4 released on the PlayStation 2, in two locations in Venice, St. Marks Square, and also on a barge going under the Rialto Bridge.
- Voyage Century Online features Venice as one of the Port Cites that can be used for commerce and exploration.
- Venice (Video Game) is a casual game for the Windows platform, developed by Retro 64 and distributed by Reflexive Arcade.
- In the SNK game Fatal Fury 2, Andy Bogard's stage features Venice (with some inaccuracies, such as having the Leaning Tower of Pisa in the background) as you fight in a gondola down a canal. This is revisited in King of Fighters '96, where the Boss Team's Stage is set in Venice. Also in the online game City of Heroes, a town "Founders falls" looks very similar to the town of Venice.
- The popular arcade racing game Hydro Thunder has a Hard-level tracked (Venice Canals) modeled after the city.
[edit] Music
- Andrea Gabrieli (c.1510–1586), Italian composer and organist at San Marco di Venezia
- Giovanni Gabrieli (between 1554 and 1557–1612), composer and organist at San Marco di Venezia
- Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) composer and director of music at San Marco
- Antonio Vivaldi (March 4, 1678 – July 28, 1741)
- Matteo Gofriller active in Venice 1689-1740, died 1742. Luthier, exceptional maker of string instruments.
- Pietro Guarneri (April 14, 1695 - April 7, 1762) left Cremona in 1718, settled in Venice. "Peter of Venice" from the family of great luthiers.
- The noted Venetian composer Baldassarre Galuppi (1706-1785) was especially celebrated for his operas.
- Much of the music of Rondò Veneziano has centred on Venetian themes.
- The great Italian composer Luigi Nono (1924-1990) was born and lived in Venice.
- In 1960, French singer Charles Aznavour recorded Que C'est Triste Venise (How Sad Venice Is). Today it is one of his most famous bilingual pieces, sung in both Italian (titled Com'è Triste Venezia) and French.
- In 1984, Madonna's music video for her song Like a Virgin, directed by Mary Lambert, was shot in Venice, Italy. It featured Madonna dancing on a gondola and in a wedding dress.
- Russian singer Dima Bilan's music video for the song 'На берегу неба' (Na Beregu Neba- On the shore of the sky) takes place in Venice.
- On July 15, 1989, Pink Floyd played live on a floating barge in the middle of The Grand Canal during their A Momentary Lapse of Reason tour.
[edit] Foreign words of Venetian origin
- arsenal, ciao, ghetto, gondola, lazaret, lagoon, lido, quarantine, Montenegro, regatta.
- "Venezuela" means "little Venice".
[edit] Twinnings
- Suzhou, China (1980)
- Tallinn, Estonia
- Istanbul, Turkey (1993)
- Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (1994)
- Nürnberg, Germany (1999)
- Kedke, Greece (2000)
- Qingdao, China (2001)
- Thessaloniki, Greece (2003)
- Saint Petersburg, Russia (2006)
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States (2007)
[edit] Cooperation agreements
Venice has cooperation agreements with the Greek city of Thessaloniki, the German city of Nuremberg, signed on September 25, 1999, and a the Turkish city of Istanbul, signed on March 4, 1993, within the framework of the 1991 Istanbul Declaration. It is also a Science and Technology Partnership City with Qingdao, China.
The City of Venice and the Central Association of Cities and Communities of Greece (KEDKE) established, in January 2000, in pursuance of the EC Regulations n. 2137/85, the European Economic Interest Grouping (E.E.I.G.) Marco Polo System to promote and realise European projects within transnational cultural and tourist field, particularly referred to the artistic and architectural heritage preservation and safeguard.
[edit] See also
- Venice Film Festival
- Venice Biennale
- List of painters and architects of Venice
- List of architecture monuments of Venice
- Veneti and Venetic language (the ancient spoken language of the region)
- Venetian language (the modern spoken vernacular of the region)
- Venetian glass
- Su e zo per i ponti
- Venezia Mestre Rugby FC - rugby team
[edit] References
- ^ Bosio, Le origini di Venezia
- ^ Santa Maria della Salute Church
- ^ Home Page", Wizz Air
- ^ "Technology: Venetians put barrage to the test against the Adriatic" (1989-04-15) (1660). New Scientist magazine. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
- ^ Venice's 1,500-year battle with the waves. BBC News (2003-07-17). Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
- ^ Keeping Venice from Sinking into the Sea
- ^ The Venice Biennale: History of the Venice Biennale
- ^ The Venice Biennale: History From the beginnings until the Second World War (1893-1945)
[edit] Scholarship
- Bosio, Luciano. Le origini di Venezia. Novara: Istituto Geografico De Agostini.
- Chambers, D.S. (1970). The Imperial Age of Venice, 1380-1580. London: Thames & Hudson. The best brief introduction in English, still completely reliable.
- Contarini, Gasparo (1599). The Commonwealth and Gouernment of Venice. Lewes Lewkenor, trsl. London: "Imprinted by I. Windet for E. Mattes." The most important contemporary account of Venice's governance during the time of its blossoming. Also available in various reprint editions.
- Drechsler, Wolfgang (2002). "Venice Misappropriated." Trames 6(2), pp. 192-201. A scathing review of Martin & Romano 2000; also a good summary on the most recent economic and political thought on Venice.
- Garrett, Martin, "Venice: a Cultural History" (2006). Revised edition of "Venice: a Cultural and Literary Companion" (2001).
- Grubb, James S. (1986). "When Myths Lose Power: Four Decades of Venetian Historiography." Journal of Modern History 58, pp. 43-94. The classic "muckraking" essay on the myths of Venice.
- Lane, Frederic Chapin. Venice: Maritime Republic (1973) (ISBN 0801814456) standard scholarly history; emphasis on economic, political and diplomatic history
- Laven, Mary, "Virgins of Venice: Enclosed Lives and Broken Vows in the Renaissance Convent (2002). The most important study of the life of Renaissance nuns, with much on aristocratic family networks and the life of women more generally.
- Martin, John Jeffries and Dennis Romano (eds). Venice Reconsidered. The History and Civilization of an Italian City-State, 1297-1797. (2002) Johns Hopkins UP. The most recent collection on essays, many by prominent scholars, on Venice.
- Muir, Edward (1981). Civic Ritual in Renaissance Venice. Princeton UP. The classic of Venetian cultural studies, highly sophisticated.
- Rösch, Gerhard (2000). Venedig. Geschichte einer Seerepublik. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer. In German, but the most recent top-level brief history of Venice.
[edit] Other
- Morris, Jan (1993), Venice. 3rd revised edition. Faber & Faber, ISBN 0-571-16897-3. A subjective and passionate written introduction to the city and some of its history. Not illustrated.
- Ruskin, John (1853). The Stones of Venice. Abridged edition Links, JG (Ed), Penguin 2001. ISBN 0-14-139065-4. Seminal work on architecture and society
- di Robilant, Andrea (2004). A Venetian Affair. Harper Collins. ISBN 1-84115-542-X Biography of Venetian nobleman and lover, from correspondence in the 1750s.
[edit] External links
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- Venice travel guide from Wikitravel
- Official Site of the City of Venice
- Saint Mark Church
- Satellite image from Google Maps
- Venice marathon
- Guggenheim museum
- Cini foundation museum
- Venice in Old Postcards
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