Venice is a city on the water. The history of this area is amazing. But before you go on vacation, it must be carefully planned. Study in advance the historical sights of the place where you are going to rest. This article is intended for those who have decided to go on a trip to the most romantic corner of Europe.
Historical background
The history of Venice has more than one hundred years. This Italian city is located on the Adriatic Sea. It so happened historically that most of the city "stands on the water." Beautiful Venice. The history of the city is interesting and full of amazing events.
The city got its name in honor of the Veneti tribe who inhabited this territory. After many centuries, the Veneti assimilated, but even today you can meet their descendants in a place like Venice. The history of the city goes back centuries. And the best time to visit the city on the water is May and June!
History of Venice. Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute
It so happened that Venice is a city of romance andlove. There are also amazing cathedrals and churches, including the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute. The history of Venice informs curious tourists that this basilica is the largest domed temple. It is located opposite the Doge's Palace, which will be discussed later.
The construction of the Basilica in honor of the Virgin Mary was completed in 1682. The church is the pearl of a city like Venice. The history of the basilica is amazing. In 1630, plague raged across Europe. The townspeople offered up prayers to the Holy Virgin. Unable to fight the bubonic plague, people died on the streets of the city. The city authorities turned with a prayer to the Most Pure. If she stops the epidemic, then a unique cathedral will be erected in her honor in Venice. The Holy Virgin took pity, the plague receded from the city, and the authorities immediately began the promised construction.
The architect of the basilica was a young and talented B althazar Longen. The history of the creation of Venice confirms that the cathedral was built for almost 50 years. Unfortunately, the architect did not live to see the completion of the construction of the basilica. Every year on November 21, the Venetians celebrate the victory over the plague and praise the Virgin Mary in a festive mass. Externally, the basilica looks grandiose. It is decorated with pilasters, tympanums and sculptures. The interior of the church is in no way inferior to the exterior. When visiting places of worship, clothing must be appropriate. Nothing bright and open should be on you.
Saint Mark's Square
The history of Venice is closely connected with this square. The first information in the historical annals about thisThe squares date back to the 9th century. Three centuries later, it was expanded. It was named after the cathedral opposite which it is located. For many years, the main attraction of Piazza San Marco was the feeding of tame pigeons. San Marco is also famous for the fact that a huge number of films were shot there!
The square itself consists of two so-called parts:
- Piazzetta - the distance from the Grand Canal to Campannila.
- Piazza - the square itself in front of the entrance to the Cathedral of San Marco.
Stepping on the piazzetta, you will immediately see two white grandiose columns. There used to be three. The columns of Saints Theodore and Mark were presented to the Venetians as a trophy in honor of the victory over the Constantinopolitan king Tyre. Retrieving such a unique and huge exhibit from a ship is a serious matter. Unfortunately, the third column fell off and fell to the bottom of the lagoon. There was no way to get her. A few centuries later, the column was covered with a dense layer of lagoon silt.
Basilica San Marco
Walking around St. Mark's Square, be sure to visit the cathedral of the same name. This is a Catholic church, which differs from all other religious buildings with unique elements of Byzantine architecture. The basilica was built back in 832! But in 976 there was a fire. The basilica was rebuilt. The Byzantine style remained dominant, but elements of the Gothic, Romanesque and Oriental styles were added. The walls inside the cathedral are decorated with unique old mosaic paintings. Also in the cathedral there is a shrine with the relics of St. Mark. For visitingCathedral tickets are not needed, admission is free. It is forbidden to wear open clothes in such places, as well as to shoot.
The most grandiose channel
The Grand Canal is S-shaped and runs through the main Venetian city. The large canal originates from the St. Mark's basin. Its 4 km path extends to Santa Lucia train station. The width of the channel varies from 30 to 90 meters. Its depth is about five meters.
After going on a gondola ride, you will see 4 beautiful famous bridges:
- new constitution bridge;
- Ri alto Bridge;
- Scalzi Bridge;
- Academy Bridge.
In the 10th century, the area with the Grand Canal was the center of Venice. There were a huge number of markets and points of trade. This is easily explained by the fact that sea merchants sailed through the canal on ships and concluded large trade deals.
Five centuries later, the Venetians built up the Grand Canal with buildings in the Gothic style. And already in the following centuries, it was "marked" by the styles of baroque and classicism.
The grand construction was completed by the 18th century. And even now no one is building buildings there anymore.
Doge's Palace
This palace is a must visit place for tourists. His history is long. The very first building was erected in the XIV century, when the Venetian state was powerful and rich. At that time, the Turkish threat did not yet exist, since the Turks did not have a serious fleet. The Doge's Palace was intended for the first personsstates. It held meetings of the Great Council and the Council of Ten. The Doge's Palace was rebuilt many times. It burned several times, during the period of the republic's power it did not correspond to its greatness, which caused another restructuring, etc. That is why the palace does not have a single style. Its façade looks like an inverted ship, and features Gothic and Byzantine architecture.
The courtyard is decorated with many statues. Through it one could get to the second tier, where the coronation ceremony of the Doge took place. On the same floor are the private chambers of statesmen of past centuries.
The Doge's Palace has many rooms and halls. The first hall you will enter as tourists is the Purple Hall. The doge of the prosecutor's office, wearing a purple robe, went out into it. The ceiling of the hall is decorated with plafonds, they are separated by stucco molding in gold. You will get acquainted with the rest of the halls on the tour.
Ri alto Bridge
We continue the tour and again return to the Grand Canal, to the Ri alto Bridge. Let's talk about him. This is the very first bridge over the Grand Canal. It is the symbol of Venice. The Ri alto Bridge opens the top ten popular places in Venice. It has 24 stalls selling souvenirs. William Shakespeare wrote about this crossing in his play The Merchant of Venice. The history of this bridge is impressive. It burned several times, as it was built of wood. It so happened that the crossing could not withstand the load and collapsed. But in 1551 the authorities held a competition for the best stone crossing. Among the worksparticipants was the project of Michelangelo himself. But the winner was the unknown architect Antonio de Ponte. Envious people whispered that the bridge would not withstand and collapse. However, they were wrong. The bridge is already seven hundred years old, and it still stands. True, the Venice authorities are carrying out a large-scale reconstruction until December 2016.
The Ri alto Bridge is small:
- Maximum height at center is 7.5 meters;
- the length of the bridge is 48 meters.
Tourists are amazed by the bridge supports. Each of them has 6,000 piles driven into the bottom of the Grand Canal.
Grand di San Rocco School
The school, built more than 6 centuries ago at the expense of the townspeople, stands and delights tourists even today. Today, the building houses a charitable organization. And the school began its educational activities in 1515. They named her after Saint Rocco. The Venetians believed that it was this saint who protected the city from the raging plague. Today for tourists in this building exhibited canvases that are already five hundred years old! All of them are perfectly preserved. The main virtues of the San Rocco school are the canvases "The Adoration of the Shepherds", as well as the "Temptation of Christ".
A final word about the fabulous Italian city…
The history of the construction of Venice is closely connected with the heyday of the Venetian Republic. Fabulous Italy awaits tourists. It is worth remembering that life in Venice revolves around the canals, including the Grand Canal. Transport moves along them. Must buy as a keepsakecarnival mask, this is the symbol of Venice.
In 2017, the Venice Carnival will be held from 11 to 28 February. Two fabulous weeks are waiting for you. But always remember that visiting is good, but home is still better!
