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#VeniceFloatingCity The entire area rests on wooden logs that were driven into the mud and did not rot out because of the lack of oxygen in those depths The History Refugees escaping the barbarian invasions began settling on these marshy islands around 421AD They hammered millions of sharpened alder, oak and pine timber deep into the soft bottom until it hit a dense compressed layer of clay The posts slowly mineralized and hardened into a stone like structure over the centuries |
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No Cars Allowed Venice has no roads so i took advantage of the water taxis and if your looking for a civic address the city does not work this way So use the professionals if trying to locate a building, as the area is numbered by districts so generally you go by landmarks and not a digit Ban on Any Wheels Because of the narrow and crowded streets even pushing a bicycle is not allowed, skateboards plus rollerblades are also a no no |
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| St Marks Square It sits just above sea level, so during some high tides its always the first neighborhood to flood Old History Before it was paved into its elegant stone we see today, in the 9th century it was just a marshy vegetable patch Speaking of food; to preserve the historic integrity of the area the city enforces strict rules about consuming your own food and beverages here It could cost you hundreds of Euros in fines, so there is your KeyTip for saving money today |
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Black Gondolas In the 1500s it was a law enacted to stop the wealthy citizens from showing off with their flashy colored decorations and also to reduce the class rivalry between the private and public boats Smart Asymmetrical Design They are purposely built lopsided (left side is about 25 cms or 10 inches wider than the right) as this unequal shape counteracts the push of the single oar, which then allows the gondolier to glide into a straight line without switching sides Woodwork It takes more then 280 individual pieces of oak, cherry, walnut, larch and mahogany to build a single vessel Then it is all crafted by hand and takes hundreds of hours to complete School There are only 400 active gondola licenses that requires hundreds of hours of training in history, foreign languages and rowing |
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| The Aquatic Roads There are speed limits for the boat traffic here at 5 knots, with the exception being the emergency vessels A) Polizia; they take a nautical training course over three months and also are required to memorize the layout of the city. Also needed is to study how the fluctuating low and high tides effect the bridge clearances plus the canals accessibility during reduced water levels B) Firemen; they have specialized watercrafts packed with retractable ladders, breathing apparatuses, heavy-duty hoses and centrifugal pumps While they could pump the water directly from the canals in extreme emergencies, they have a hydrant network built throughout the city As the saltwater from the channels is highly corrosive and would damage the historic architecture here, so they avoid that option C) Deliveries; packages arrive near a local transit hub near the lagoon, then they are loaded onto boats that navigate the canals and the final part of this journey is by foot That person is wheeling his/her handcarts over the pedestrian bridges and through the narrow streets |
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Over Tourism I have been here three times and have seen the effects of this and it has reached a critical tipping point Roughly 30 million visitors overwhelm this fragile city that has less than 50,000 full-time residents Access Fee Venice became the first city in the world to charge an entry for for the day, its 5 Euro for booking ahead and 10 for last minute Personally i think its great as the impact on the infrastructure and environment does not have a price as we need to protect both from decay Add in the economic fall out; as the independent shops, bakeries and other services are being replaced by souvenir stalls plus fast food eateries all to cater to the daytrippers This in the end result, leaves the citizens here with fewer neighborhood resources Population Collapse With skyrocketing property values driven up by the short term holiday rentals, some locals are forced to move to the mainland In 1971 the historic center numbers were at 109,000 and recently has dipped below 48,000 |
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| 400 Bridges It helps connect the area and its 118 small islands, but there are only four that cross the famous Grand Canal With the Rialto as the only pedestrian span that was in use for three centuries, before the others were built |
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Marco Polo He was born here to a wealthy merchant family, then at age 17 spent much of his life traveling (24 years) abroad After he was captured by the arch rivals of the time The Genoa Republic, it was then once imprisoned he wrote "The Travels" KeyTip You can actually tour past his old home but your not allowed to go inside |
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Ancient Empire It was an independent maritime superpower that lasted for over 1000 years (697-1797) Cool Culture A) Clao; the global greeting came form the Venetian phrase "s ciavo" meaning at your service B) Mask Rules; during the 17th century wearing a Carnival mask was only allowed to specific holidays, as people used them to hide their identities from the local government or to commit crimes |
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My Mask While Here Something to be said that in those times, it allowed rich and poor (who all wore the same face covering) to mingle without judgment or consequence |
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Quarantine The word started here in the 1300s, as ships had to wait 40 days offshore (quarantena) before being allowed to dock with people or cargo It was a preventative measure for the ongoing Black Death pandemic during these scary times, as an estimated 25 to 50 million people died in Europe from this disease So with good reason to be cautious and prudent |
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