Venice is a picturesque town with a fascinating history that tourists from all over the world are trying to get a glimpse of. Out on the water, time seems to stand still, but a fresh breeze and a dozen glassworks still holds life in the hearth.
Italy can be described as a young country, with the current state first became a united country from 1860. This was largely thanks to the long-standing effort by the bold and determined freedom fighter Giuseppe Garibaldi and his brave soldiers who fought from Sicily north through one region after another to rid areas of foreign dominions, so Italy could only belong to the Italians.
The region ofVeneto, located south of the Dolomites in the Po plain, ranging from the southeastern part of Lake Garda towns of Verona, Vicenza, Padua to Venice. When Italy was formed in 1860, Veneto at the time was of the Austrian Empire. Only in 1866 was Veneto transferred to Italy, now a kingdom whose supreme power exercised by King Vittorio Emanuele. The capital was in the early years of Turin, then Florence, and in 1870 was elected by Rome, the Eternal City, as the seat of government of the Kingdom of Italy.
In 1866, Venice could therefore take a sigh of relief when the city had been exposed to both vandalism and unwelcome influence, first under Napoleon Bonaparte's triumphal progress in 1796, where the mighty sørepublik, Venice suffered its worst defeat in history, and later in Austria's dominion from 1815 to 1866. Napoleon managed to revolutionize the beautiful area in his manners, for instance by removing half of all the churches and countless statues of winged lions which was Venice's symbol of strength. At the end of St. Mark's Square he left a church demolished and built a new building, so the space was completely closed - the new mansion would serve as a ballroom when Napoleon held gatherings.
If you walk today along the picturesque canals and onto the sunlit squares in an attempt to imbibe this unique towns atmosphere, you sense how self-focused, creative, peculiar and patient Venetians are and can imagine what a challenge it has been for these hardy Republicans to live under French and later the Austrian domination.
Venice was founded between the 4th and 5th century, more out of necessity than of pleasure, because people who lived on the mainland were forced further and further out into the water, to avoid attacks and looting by various barbarian migrations from northern Europe.
Torcello was the first island that was inhabited, but gradually increased population, and thus began to build villages on the surrounding islands. It became the foundation of the unique and splendid city of Venice for a total of 118 islands. All buildings are based on hundreds of wooden stakes that were driven into the seabed. This work required undoubtedly many hours and a lot of elbow grease, but even greater admiration one feels at seeing the magnificent palaces in the city, when one is aware that there is nothing - nothing! All material in the area, every post, every stone, every piece of wood was transported laboriously from elsewhere, even from the very Byzantium, by boat to the islands and gradually transformed into the impressive architectural showpieces, today we can enjoy the sight of.
This should be mentioned that Venice repeatedly exposed to fire and plague epidemics that every time reduced the population. The tradition of thanking the heavenly powers for good health is held every year and still maintains the third weekend in July with a large pontoon procession across the water to the Savior Church on the island of Giudecca where all Venetians participate.
It is believed that glassmaking in Murano originated in 8th century Rome. This was one fire, which forced the towns glassblowers to and their business to the islands of Murano and Burano out into the water, but there was also another reason: the fear of industrial espionage, which we today would call it. Since glassblowers in Venice's heyday was well renowned abroad for their art and was a major source of income in the rich independent republic, it was important to protect the profession and its art treasures from being copied. Therefore glassblowers organized their workshops on the islands where strangers had no access. A further step was taken in order to keep trade secrets was the manufacture of glass which remained between the "insiders" in the craft. Glass-blowers taught their sons the proud profession, and it was illegal for male glassblowers to move from the islands - only glassblower daughters were allowed.
Today there are a dozen of glasshouses which back onto Murano and Burano and it is certainly worth a visit to the two islands, as they each have their charm and character. On a sweltering summer day, it is so refreshing to take a trip to the islands across the water and put a little distance from the massive tourist crowds in other parts of the town and finally you can relax on a bench or cafe in the shade and feel transported to ancient times, when Venice had five times as many inhabitants as of today, and constantly cultivated a lively trade with the Orient.
Venice is still a lively city whose livelihood is tourism, and the day will be left as a colorful inferno of tongues and tourist groups of all kinds. On a summer's day, the city see's up to 50,000 tourists from all corners of the world coming to the city by train, bus, car or on huge polluting cruise ships. In the carnival period in February and March, some weekends, tourist numbers can rise up to 80,000 visitors a day!
If you really want to enjoy the splendid palaces, the beautiful squares, churches, romantic gondolas and the fairytale atmosphere of this unique city on the sea, one should plan one or more nights in the center, go around in the narrow streets and along the canals.
When the sun goes down, 57,000 tenacious and proud people of the city, peace settles over the water, so that they can recover and recharge for the next day's invasion of tourists.
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