Venise

Venise, known as Venezia in Italian, is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on more than 100 small islands in the Venetian Lagoon, connected by hundreds of bridges and traversed by canals. The Grand Canal functions as the city’s main waterway.

Historically, Venise developed from a marshland settlement and grew into the Maritime Republic of Venice, a major commercial and naval power from the Middle Ages into the early modern era. It maintained independence for centuries and played a central role in Mediterranean trade between Europe, Byzantium, and the Islamic world.

Key landmarks include Saint Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale), Saint Mark’s Square, and the Campanile, as well as the Rialto Bridge. The nearby islands of Murano and Burano are renowned for glassmaking and lace respectively.

In contemporary times, tourism is the dominant part of the economy. Venice is also known for its cultural institutions, such as the Venice Biennale and the Venice Film Festival on the Lido, as well as historic crafts like Murano glassmaking and Burano lace.

The city is largely car-free, with mobility provided by boats. The public water-bus network (vaporetto) and private water taxis serve residents and visitors, while trains and roads connect Venice to the mainland.

Venice is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (designated in 1987). It faces challenges including acqua alta floods, rising sea levels, and the effects of overtourism, requiring ongoing preservation and adaptation measures.

The municipality of Venice has around 260,000 inhabitants, with the historic center housing a smaller portion of that population. It remains a major cultural and tourist destination recognized worldwide.