Venice, Italy is a city in Italy’s northeast region, built on a group of islands connected by bridges. Venice is the capital of Italy’s Veneto region. The city was not built directly on the land of the islands but on wooden stilts. The wooden stilts were originally used to build the foundations of fisherman’s houses but this method of architecture grew to be used to support the entire city as it expanded into the Venice that exists today. Venice is a tourist destination most well-known for its canals and gondolas used to transport people around the city (as there aren’t streets and cars like in other cities around the world). I would love to visit Venice, and have a ride in a gondola.
Interesting Venice Italy Facts:
There are estimated to be 350 gondolas on Venice’s waterways, which include 177 canals.
Gondolas are approximately 600 kilos in weight and 11 meters in length.
Venice is made up of 118 islands. The city itself is believed to be sinking at a rate of 1 to 2 millimeters each year.
Venice was built approximately 1500 years ago
One of the narrowest streets in the world is located in Venice. It is only 53cm wide and called Calletta.
Venice has 417 bridges. 72 of these bridges are private. Most of the bridges don’t have steps as they were built when horses were used for transportation.
Venice’s biggest canal is the Grand Canal, which divides Venice into two regions. The Grand Canal is lined with 170 buildings.
Venice is home to the famous San Marco bell tower, which was built in the 1100s and rebuilt in the 1900s after it collapsed. Many people believe the best view of Venice can be had from the tower.
In the last 50 years the population of Venice has dropped from 120,000 to 60,000.
Because the cost of maintaining homes in Venice is so high, many people are choosing to leave. The fact that Venice is sinking is also another reason for the de-population of the city.