Venice is a medieval city in Italy. Description and photos of attractions

Venice... Even in my distant childhood, she excited me with her kind of unearthly life, with her unusual islands located in the Adriatic Sea. The fact is that beautiful engravings with a view of this charming corner of Europe have been preserved in the house. And it was these engravings that touched my heart deeply. I really wanted to go there and see for myself that unearthly beauty, about which so much has been said and continues to be said. I could not believe that people could create this fabulous city, spread over 400 islands. And even more I could not believe that someday I myself would visit here.

Of course, when we talk about a country, we are always interested in the history of this state. The history of Venice is very interesting.

The fabulous city of Venice arose in 421, although many will argue with this, but you must admit, it’s ugly to start the chronology of one of the greatest cities in the world with the words “about” and “about”. So we, people who are not directly related to history, will also accept this sacred date for every lover of the beautiful as the year of the birth of Venice.

Historians will nevertheless say that the first information about the settlement of the marshy islands of the lagoon (Rivo Alto, Malomocco, Chioggi, etc.) that are of little use for meaningful existence dates back to 452. Well, let's take this connection of numbers to our attention.

Just at this time, the tormented Roman Empire was subjected to another attack by bloodthirsty and merciless barbarians, Huns and all other evil spirits, led by the cruel warrior Attila. So the inhabitants of Northern Italy had to flee in the lagoon on the wild islands of the Adriatic. It turned out that you can also live here and, as we will find out later, it’s very good.

The new settlers began to fish, farm, and by 466 agreed to establish the first Venetian government - a council of representatives from each of the twelve villages. And after another two centuries, the turbulent situation in the lagoon forced the inhabitants to elect their supreme ruler, in Venetian - Doge (Doge from the Latin Dux (King), in Italian Duca).

At the same time, on paper, Venice was still subordinate to the Roman Empire, only not the Western, ruined at the end of the 5th century, but the Eastern, that is, Byzantium.

Byzantine influence in Italy soon began to decrease, and when the Frankish army unsuccessfully attacked Venice in 810, the islanders morally rallied and began to actively distance themselves from Byzantium.

The administrative center of the lagoon was moved to the safest island of Rivo Alto (where the Rialto area is now located). And in 829, two Venetian merchants went to Alexandria, stole the relics of St. Mark there, brought them to the islands, and the locals gladly exchanged the Byzantine heavenly patron Theodore for the freshly stolen, but their own, Mark. In addition, they began to build the Doge's Palace and mint their own coin.

The Republic of Saint Mark built its economic prosperity on maritime trade. Geographically, the lagoon city was the meeting point of East and West, and the islanders, being talented merchants, knew how to capitalize on this. Venetian ships set sail and returned full of salable goods, and if there were problems with local corsairs that prevented normal navigation in the Adriatic, the Venetians simply paid off their obsessive attention.

When the famous Pietro II Orseolo was elected doge in 991, the inhabitants of the lagoon began to successfully use forceful methods. After nine years of his reign, on the feast of the Ascension, the great doge went to sea with the most powerful fleet that the waters of the Adriatic had ever seen, and in an instant completely cleared the sea of ​​Dalmatian pirates, capturing the cities that fell in the way. Thus began the territorial expansion of Venice. The city expanded its influence on the sea and established itself as a center of maritime trade.

Exotic goods from the East, fruits from the Caucasus were brought here, perfumes, cosmetics, carpets, gold, slaves were traded here, resourceful Venetian merchants brought treasures and relics from all over the world. Venice turned into a wonderful world: a motley crowd on the streets spoke hundreds of languages ​​and dialects,
and in the palazzos (palaces) reigned luxury. The growing city needed artists and creators. Venice gave orders to the greatest painters and architects. Churches and cathedrals were built in the city, printing was developing, and at the beginning of the 12th century, the largest shipyard of that time, the Arsenal, was built.

The flourishing republic was ruled by a limited number of oligarchs, whose names were recorded in the so-called. "Golden Book" - only members of their families had the right to sit in the Grand Council, the legislative body. The Doge was at the head of the Grand Council. Although his position was for life, all the centuries of the existence of the republic remained elective. True ... Doge Marino Falier in 1355 tried to make his power hereditary, as royal, but was beheaded by his subjects for this.

Relations with the Catholic Church in the city were cool. No matter how the popes tried to influence his policy, they did not succeed. Venice had self-respect, and always resisted the Vatican. The city was excommunicated more than once, they tried to impose a list of banned books, threatened to excommunicate the entire Venetian Senate, but each time these decisions were ignored, and the city continued to live peacefully and prosper.

All these years, the Venetian government has been playing a successful political game, capturing more and more profitable territories and benefiting from the most intractable situations and international conflicts. In the 15th century, the republic already ruled from the Alps to the Po and to Bergamo in the west. Even Cyprus fell under the rule of Venice.

But in the XV century, the Turks began to gain a foothold in the Mediterranean ... Having conquered many lands, the Ottoman Empire began to conquer the mainland territories of Venice one after another. The republic resisted, but the bloody battles brought only ruin, and the once profitable lands successively passed to the Turks.
And then, as luck would have it, travelers became more active - in 1499, Vasco da Gama found a way to India through the Cape of Good Hope, bypassing the trade routes that traditionally formed the basis of the republic's well-being. The discovery of the Portuguese dealt a severe blow to the entire Venetian economy. Years of slow decline began ...

In 1575, and then in 1630, the plague decimated the city, a third of the population (including the great artist Titian) died, and the ongoing conflict with the Turks continued to pump out all the remaining human and financial resources. By 1720 the republic was practically bankrupt. It is characteristic that it was at this time that she experienced another period of flourishing of the arts - Tiepollo, Canaletto, Guardi lived and worked in the city, plays by Goldoni and Gozzi were staged on the stage, and the Florian cafe was opened on Piazza San Marco.

Thus the 18th century came to an end, and with it the history of Venetian independence. The bloodless city became easy prey for Napoleon. The invasion of French troops marked the end of the republic. The last doge, Ludovico Manin, took off his cap, which he wore under the crown, and said to the servant: "Take it away, I won't need it anymore."
Napoleon, on the other hand, went to San Marco, said: “But this square is the most elegant living room in Europe,” after which he plundered the city and destroyed about forty ancient palazzos. When his empire fell, Venice passed to Austria.

In 1826, Venice was declared a free harbor, and now tourists have replaced merchants in the city. After the visit of Byron, the main European tourist, sorry, romance, poetry of the Venetian decadence came into vogue. Bohemia came to the Venetian canals and bridges for inspiration, wealthy Europeans spent their summers on the fashionable beaches of the Lido. The city has become a place of pilgrimage for every self-respecting aesthete.

And the Venetians, meanwhile, were hard pressed by their dependence on Austria and, together with the rest of Italy, rebelled against the Austrian invaders, and in 1866 the city became a province of the Italian kingdom.

During World War II, Venice narrowly escaped serious damage from Allied bombs. Actor Marcello Mastroianni ended up in a German labor camp, fled and hid in Venice until the end of the war.

Now, the beautiful and poetic Venetian fairy tale has turned into something like a Disneyland for an endless stream of tourists, and the number of citizens has decreased by three times over the past half century. Every year, 1,500 people leave the city, because it is becoming increasingly difficult for young people, the owners of the city, to find a place for themselves among the countless number of guests.

The history of Venice does not end there, and will continue for some time, but pessimistic scientists severely limit the period and say that due to the rise in the water level in the lagoon, Venice can become the “Atlantis of the new millennium”.

I am grateful to Katya Degot, without whom this text would not have been possible.

The Venetian Doge (doge) was the elected head of Venice from the 8th to the 18th century (until the title was abolished). The state of the Doge of Venice lasted for about a thousand years.

The activities of the doge were subjected to strict control. The head of Venice did not have the right to receive ambassadors of foreign states alone, open correspondence and own property outside the Venetian Republic. Doge's income was strictly controlled, all gifts received became the property of the city treasury. Such a fight against the corruption of power has been present in Venice since the early Middle Ages. In addition, the Doge did not have a personal bodyguard.

The free Venetian Republic was formally part of the Byzantine Empire, but had autonomy, and united various religious denominations, national traditions and art within its city walls. The capital Venice is a progressive and tolerant (in the good sense of the word) city of the Middle Ages. Italo-Romans, Germans, Slavs lived and worked here together. In medieval democratic Venice, festive “parades of workers” were held, each type of urban craft represented its skuolo (school, workshop) at the parade.

Venice was founded in the 5th century as a Christian city, which made its medieval natives proud.

However, only noble families of the republic, who made up the Great Council, which made political decisions in the life of the city, participated in the elections of the Doge. Here the property qualification had a lot to do with it. The democracy of Venice was not as "democratic" as in Scandinavia or the German cities of the Middle Ages.

The winged lion of St. Mark with a book is a symbol of Venice, worshiped by the Doge.

Lion of Saint Mark by Vittore Carpaccio

The first Doge of Venice, Paul Lucius Anafest, was elected in 697. According to legend, the first ruler of Venice himself wished to be elected from 12 noble Venetian families as a sign of the independence of his power.

Parade suit. Doge and dogaressa (doge's wife) and a noble citizen.

According to another version, Orso Ipato became the first doge in 726, he wanted to pass on his title by inheritance, which caused discontent among other influential urban clans. Orso Ipato was killed 10 years after his reign.

Palace facade

Until the 11th century, the doge's struggle for power could hardly be called a democracy, it was murders and intrigues in the style of the "Game of Thrones". For example, in the 7th-10th centuries, out of twenty-six doges: six were killed, three were blinded, four were sent into exile, two ended their days in captivity.

Popular elections were held in 1071 after the expulsion of Doge Pietro Barbolano. People took to the city streets and started shouting "Domenicum Silvium volumes et laudamus" - We wish Domenico Selvo. Noble citizens carried the future Doge in their arms to the Cathedral of San Marco, where Domenico Selvo, barefoot in a simple undershirt, prostrated himself before the people and dressed in the ceremonial clothes of the Doge.

Canals of Venice

In the 12th century, the Grand Council developed a complex procedure for choosing doges, who were elected for life.

The choice of members of the Grand Council, who were to take part in the vote and elect the Doge, resembled a lottery.

According to legend, initially special balls (balote) were made for the elections, which were taken from the urn. Metal balls, indistinguishable to the touch, contained the names of the voters and were counted with wooden pens to prevent substitution. From the name of this Venetian ball came the current word "run".

Palace in the rain

Then the balls were replaced with pieces of paper. With the help of a lottery, the Council determined eleven electors, who then voted for the doge. The rules for selecting persons to vote were partially changed at each election to exclude possible bribery.

John Norwich's History of the Venetian Republic describes the complex process of the Venetian elections.

“On the day appointed for the elections, the youngest member of the signoria was supposed to pray in the Cathedral of San Marco. After leaving the basilica, he stopped the first boy he met and took him with him to the Doge's Palace, to a meeting of the Grand Council, where all its members met, with the exception of those who were under thirty years old.

The boy, he was called ballotino, took out pieces of paper from the urn and drew lots. After the first such lot, the council chose thirty of its members. The second draw was to reduce that number to nine, and the nine were to vote for forty candidates, each of the forty would receive at least seven votes. A group of forty people was, again by lot, reduced to twelve.

This dozen chose twenty-five people, and they in turn were again reduced to nine. The nine voted for forty-five candidates, each of whom had to receive at least seven votes, and from these forty-five ballots the ballotino took out sheets of paper with the names of eleven applicants. Eleven voted for forty-one - each had to collect at least nine votes in his favor. So these forty eventually elected the Doge.

At first they attended mass, and each individually took an oath that he would behave honestly and justly, for the good of the republic. Then they were locked in a secret room of the palace, cut off from all contact with the world. A special detachment of sailors guarded them around the clock until the work was completed.

That's all about the preparations, then the elections themselves began. Each elector wrote the name of his candidate on a piece of paper and threw it into the ballot box. After the leaflets were taken out, the names of the candidates were announced without taking into account the votes cast for them. In another urn, sheets of paper were dropped, each bearing a single name.

If a candidate was present in the hall, he left with any other voter bearing the same name, and the rest discussed his candidacy. The candidate was then invited to come in and answer questions or defend himself against the accusations against him. There was a vote, and if a candidate received the required twenty-five votes, he became doge. Otherwise, another piece of paper was taken out of the urn, and so on...

With such an excruciatingly complex system, it seems strange that anyone was chosen at all.”

A difficult election could take more than two weeks, the people were looking forward to the results of this lottery.
After the election, the doge was introduced to the people with the words “This is your doge, if it suits you,” and the head of Venice solemnly took the oath before the citizens. The coronation of the Doge was a special ritual.

The Doge received the camauro (white cap) from the youngest member of the Council and the Zogia (ceremonial crown) from the oldest. “Receive the crown of the Venetian duchy,” they said to the Doge. At the coronation, the townspeople made it clear to the Doge that here he was a "servant of the people", and not a king.

Doge Leonardo Loredano in a white cap

Doge Andrea Gritti in ceremonial crown

“People surrounded the new Doge and “teared the clothes off his back” – it seems that tradition allowed them to do this. Thus, the doge was given to understand that he was "a person of subordination and mercy." The doge walked barefoot to the altar, swore an oath, and the banner of St. Mark was handed to him. Then they put on a new dress, put him on a pozzetto and solemnly carried him around the square. The doge scattered coins, after which he entered the Doge's Palace and addressed his subjects. Meanwhile, the delegation hurried to his house - to inform his wife about this news ... Then they led her to a new home, ”writes John Norwich about the doge's coronation.

The day of the long-awaited election of the Doge became a national holiday.

The French chronicler Martineau describes the solemn jousting in Piazza San Marco, "la place soit en tot li monde", which took place on election day:

“Pavilions covered with silk were erected on the square, and the square itself was also magnificently decorated. Beautiful ladies and girls entered the pavilions, and other ladies approached the windows of the palaces. Monsignor Doge proceeded on foot from the Cathedral of San Marco, and after him all the patricians of Venice. People surrounded the square... This procession was followed by riders on fine horses and with expensive weapons. Then the tournament began, which was watched by the ladies. Ah, gentlemen, if you were there, you would have seen the beautiful blows of swords ... "

In a democratic city, a parade of artisans was held, who united in skuols according to the types of craft.
As John Norwich describes the workers' parade:

“The parade was led by blacksmiths with garlands on their heads, then furriers in rich clothes of weasel and ermine marched, which was clearly not for the weather at the end of July.

Medieval blacksmiths. The lady is also a drummer of labor

Tailors walked by, all in white, with crimson stars. As they walked, they sang to the accompaniment of their own orchestra.
Weavers and quilters, makers of sandals and gold brocade, silk merchants and glassblowers followed. The birds were released from the cages.

But the first prize for fantasy went to the hairdressers, who were led by two horsemen in full knightly attire and four "very strangely dressed ladies."

Dismounting before the doge, they introduced themselves: “Sire, we are two knights-errant. Traveled all over the world in search of luck. Having experienced many dangers and adventures, they won four beautiful ladies. If there is a knight in your court who is willing to risk his head and take these strange ladies from us, we are ready to fight for them. But the doge replied that he would give the ladies a warm welcome, and if they themselves wanted to be conquered, then with God's help, let it come true. At his court, they will be given all the honors, and not a single man will dare to contradict them.

The head of Venice changed the traditional Doge's Cap (Corno Ducale) every year during the solemn Easter procession, which ended at the convent of San Zaccaria. The abbess met the doge and solemnly handed him a new hat, embroidered by the nuns. The hat was made of brocade and decorated with gold embroidery.

Venice was a maritime power and the doges often participated in church ceremonies dedicated to the protection of seafarers.
In the 9th century, in honor of the naval victory of Doge Pietro II Orseolo, a solemn procession on boats approached the island, where the temple of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors, was located. The priest with a prayer of thanksgiving sprinkled the doge and his retinue with holy water, after which the remnants of the water were solemnly poured into the sea.

"Betrothal of the Doge to the Sea" by Canaletto

Later in the 10th century, the tradition of "Betrothal to the Sea" appeared, which was brought by Pope Alexander III, who arrived in Venice on a grateful visit, the Venetian army helped him defend against Frederick Barbarossa. During the solemn sea procession, the Pope of Rome read a thanksgiving prayer service and threw a ring into the sea with the words "as a sign of true and eternal dominion." Since then, this rite was performed by the Venetian doges.

Venice is a fairy tale city that will not leave anyone indifferent. I was a little unlucky with the weather: at first it was sunny, and then ... as usual, "guests from swampy Petersburg always spoil the weather everywhere."

So what is Venice? How does this miracle – the city – manage to stay on the water for centuries? How deep are the Venetian canals? How were the Venetian palaces built? It was these questions that arose among many who read the article about. Also, the same questions are asked by everyone who visited this city on the water.

I found a very entertaining youtube video that answers these and many other similar questions. The only downside to this video is the fact that it is in Italian and by the way is used in the Italian language proficiency tests.

The basis of the construction of Venetian structures are wooden piles, the number of which for the construction of Venice took more than a million. For the Rialto bridge alone, over 30,000 piles were put into operation.

Rialto Venice

What kind of wood piles in Venice

For Venetian piles, only a special tree was required, namely, oak and larch. Because only these tree species have the necessary margin of safety and resistance to adverse effects. These trees were floated to Venice along the way, since they did not grow in the nearest district.

The depth of the canals in Venice

In order to see how deep the canals are in Venice, it is enough to wait for their shallowing period, which has been used for several years both to clean the bottom of the canals and to restore the old medieval Venetian palazzos (palazzo).

As we see in the film, channels are not very deep..She reaches 2.5, maximum 3 meters. Only one Grand Canal (Canale Grande) in some places reaches a depth of 6 meters.

Grand Canal in Venice

In the film, you can see how fountains gush from the walls of houses (which are usually under water). This is the water that the building draws in when it is under water.

In the last part of the film, we find ourselves in the excavations of one of the Venetian suburbs in order to discover the most important secret of the construction of Venice, and also to understand why piles (even from high-strength wood species) are not amenable to destruction and decay.

Here are the piles that were installed here at the time when Christopher Columbus went to discover America. As you can see, they are quite alive and not very destroyed.

So what is the main secret?

Piles of Venice

And the secret lies in the type Venetian mud with which the local soil is rich. It is these muds that fit the pile so tightly that blocking the access of oxygen to it, and accordingly prevent the penetration of animals and insects, corrosion from water and natural destruction.

Thanks to these muds, which stuck around the pile 7-8 meters deep, it remains intact and unharmed, and can serve for centuries. As we see in the film, only the upper part of the pile that goes out into the open subject to aging.

How buildings were built in Venice

For construction Venetian buildings, piles were buried 7-8 meters deep into the mud until it reached its solid ground, into which it was driven to a certain depth. Then logs were laid on top of the wooden piles in an intersecting manner.

This method gave maximum stability and allowed to evenly distribute the mass of the building around the entire perimeter. On top of the wooden logs, either brickwork was made or marble slabs were laid.

The objects found at these excavations allow scientists to assert that in Venice since the time of Marco Polo there was separate waste collection and. That in our countries has just begun to be introduced.

Eh ... we still lag behind Europe - mother ... 🙁

Also, the excavations gave scientists a lot samples of glass, clay products, as well as Chinese ceramics that were found here. It is believed that the samples of Chinese ceramics found here are the oldest in Europe.

Venice is fraught with many more secrets and mysteries. that will be discovered by generations of our descendants.

I can't help but recommend extraordinarily interesting excursions in Venice from local residents. All excursions are in RUSSIAN! I have specially selected for this article the most thematic excursions that will help you not only see everything you read in practice, but also tell and show Venice from completely unexpected angles.

Why did the Venetians surround their city with numerous canals? What does the lion symbolize on their banners? What forced them to hide the relics of the saint under pieces of pork? How did the "funny lights" save the Republic? The history of Venice is wars, exciting intrigues, conspiracies, hidden from strangers by the shadow of centuries.

Since 997, when the military squadrons of Venice brought Trieste, Kapodistria, Ragusa and a number of other cities and lands of Dalmatia under her hand, the Venetians began to call the Adriatic Sea the Gulf of Venice, and the doge took the title "ruler of Venice and Dalmatia." And during the first crusade, Venice secured a promise that throughout the kingdom of Jerusalem, her merchants would be exempt from taxes and taxes and would be able to trade without hindrance.

From 998, in the reign of the twenty-sixth Doge, Pietra Orseolo, the parade galley of Bucintoro was appointed for the marriage of the Doge to the Adriatic Sea on Ascension Day.

Each newly appointed doge on this day threw a golden wedding ring into the water, saying: "O sea, I am engaged to you, as a sign of my unchanging and eternal dominion over you."

One hundred and fifteen golden rings lie on the seabed. The remains of the last doge have long since crumbled to dust. And the sea is indifferent, like a thousand years ago, splashing like a wave, and a person has no power over it.

From Corinth to Azov

The capture of Ptomelaida, ancient Tire and Sidon, Jaffa, the capture of Jerusalem by the combined forces of the allied forces during the crusades opened up new opportunities for the republic. Asian trophies poured into Venice.

While Europe was ruined by equipping the crusades, the city of the lagoon was strengthening its power. He was saved by the same thing that later killed him - practicality. Venetian galleys, brigantines, frigates, merchant ships went further and further into the sea. Peloponnese and Corinth, Chios, Lemnos, Abydos became the trading posts of Venice. Venetian ships also went by the Black Sea - to the Crimea, Azov - to Tana, today's Azov, here they took away not only bread grown in southern Russia, but also furs, leather, slaves, Indian goods delivered through Central Asia. Venetian merchants felt quite at ease in Candia, Rhodes, Cyprus, Accra, Haifa, Beirut, Alexandria, Aden, Damascus, Baghdad. In the 11th century, Venice was able to afford to start building the magnificent Basilica of St. Mark, intending to create a church of unprecedented beauty. The Cathedral of St. Mark is decorated with riches obtained in the East, in Byzantium, from the Turks and Saracens. In the decoration of the building there are whole pieces of Greek and Roman temples, fitted to the size and shape of the cathedral. Convinced that the artistic value of the building would increase from the diversity of its details, the builders did not spare the antique ruins. Venice itself was originally built from Roman brick, which was transported by boat from cities destroyed by invasions. They were taken out of Tire and installed on the square of St. There are two powerful columns near the shore (having drowned one more on the way), made of red and gray granite. One of the columns is crowned with a statue of St. Theodore, the ancient patron of the Venetians, the other - a lion, the symbol of St. Brand. The bronze image of a winged lion is a Sasanian sculpture of the 4th century, and a white marble St. Fedor riding a crocodile is composed of the torso of a Roman commander of the 2nd century and the head of Mithridates of Pontus.

From 1117, noble patricians began to be appointed to reside in all notable ports with the title of local councilors (consuls). In 1157, the first bank in Europe was opened in Venice.

"Nowhere in the world is there such a huge concentration of masterpieces," they said about the city on the water.

Conspiracy against the Republic

In 1618, the Spanish ambassador to Venice, Marquis Bedemar, seeing the wealth of the city on the water, conceived a plan to capture it. According to him, a thousand armed Spanish soldiers would be enough for this. The garrison of the city was poorly trained Zemstvo militia, and the troops of the Venetian Republic were busy with the war, both on land and at sea.

The ominous buildings of the Admiralty confused the gaze of the treacherous Spaniard. He imagined it destroyed, the fleet of Venice - burned. The Spanish troops occupied the city, and the banners with the lion of St. Mark bowed before the flag of Castile.

"No government enjoys such unlimited power as the Senate of the Venetian Republic," the Marquis wrote in his diary. The Venetians were invincible united, but now the nobles were squabbling among themselves, and in the quarters of the poor they were ready to raise an uprising. Bedemar spent a considerable sum to bribe the leaders of this future rebellion. The Spanish army was in Lombardy and could, if successful, reach Venice fairly soon. The marquis did not let the king know of his intention, but gave a hint to one of the ministers and received tacit approval in return.

Using his diplomatic immunity, the Marquis Bedemar bought weapons in bags, which would be enough for a couple of battalions. One by one, disguised and unarmed soldiers began to enter Venice: the Spaniards and the Dutch. A squadron was expected from the sea. A certain defector, a captain who had previously served with the Duke of Ossum, was also sent to the Venetians. Having assured the Senate that he had fled from the oppression of the Spanish duke, the captain led the Venetian fleet and won several victories over the sea robbers - "uskoks". He was given the rank of admiral. He slowly recruited his people onto the ships.

"As soon as night falls, those of the thousand soldiers who come without weapons will go to the ambassador for it. Five hundred ... will arrive in St. Mark's Square, most of the other 500 in the vicinity of the Arsenal, the rest will take possession of all the ships on the Rialto Bridge, - wrote the Marquis Bedemar.

Having captured the Arsenal, it was necessary to kill all its chiefs, take the Doge's Palace by storm, destroy the armory, burn the Admiralty. In order to divert the attention of residents from the ongoing events, the city was planned to be set on fire in forty places. The arsonists were already recruited in the poorer neighborhoods.

The death of the old and the election of a new doge somewhat shifted the plans of the marquis. It was decided to carry out the operation on Ascension Day, when the new Doge would solemnly betrothed to the Adriatic Sea, throwing a golden ring into its waters. Finally, everything was ready. The admiral of the Venetian fleet gathered supporters and explained in detail how to destroy the ships under his command and kill the crews of the ships. One of the admiral's men, Jafier, blushed and turned pale during the meeting. "Jaffier was frightened," they said to the admiral. "Something must be done with him immediately before he does something stupid."

"Jaffier is my friend," the admiral waved him off. "He will do everything that is supposed to."

Jafier was a Venetian by blood. He represented fires, the screams of people who would be killed in the streets, and enemy soldiers occupying the city. This is on the one hand. On the other hand, friends. Friends who are executed if the plot fails. The secretary of the Council of Ten, Bartholomew Comino, could not understand for a long time what this exhausted and pale young man needed from him. But when he asked for life for 22 participants in the conspiracy and revealed the whole plan, the matter turned out to be terrible. So terrible that no one believed the scammer.

How will the ships be destroyed? asked a dumbfounded Comino.

Funny lights. They are stuffed with a combustible mixture, which is almost impossible to put out. The ships will burn down, and the flagship, on which the admiral is located, will be captured by people loyal to the admiral. Now they are preparing or have already made these funny lights in the Arsenal.

Realizing that there was almost no time left until the deadline indicated by Jafier, Bartholomew Comino rushed to the Procuration. The sentries were sedated with sleeping pills mixed with wine, and those who kept on their feet were hopelessly drunk. In the Arsenale, where Comino then broke into, he did not find any of the conspirators until he broke down an inconspicuous door in one of the buildings. The bribed officials were finishing packing the last "funny" fire and, seeing the enraged secretary of the Council of Ten in front of them, got frightened to the point of hiccups and began to mumble something unintelligible in their defense.

You are under arrest in the name of the republic,” Bartholomew Comino announced. The Council of Ten alerted everyone they could find. Together with the guards, Comino broke into the Spanish ambassador. Under the cries and curses of the Marquis, the guards carried armfuls of weapons from the house.

A small ship, raising all the sails, rushed to the Venetian squadron. The admiral was called on deck, allegedly to deliver an important letter, stabbed to death and thrown into the sea. The same was done with all his supporters. The Republic's ships were saved.

The Council of Ten, without thinking twice, put to death the rest of the conspirators. Forty officials, bribed by the marquis, were drowned, the masterminds of the failed uprising were strangled and hanged by the leg for all to see as traitors. Another three hundred people were strangled in the dungeon secretly. The Spanish soldiers partly fled, partly were captured.

The Spanish ambassador kept complaining and threatening. In response, the Venetian Doge said that he was ready to apologize to the Marquis if the Marquis would explain how he got so many weapons in his house. Bedemar waved his hand and decided to go to the feast of the doge's betrothal to the sea. The unfortunate Jafier rushed about, unsuccessfully trying to save his former friends. The Republic has always liked to take, but has never been in a hurry to pay bills. He came to threats and curses.

He was forced to take money - four thousand sequins. Within three days, Jafier was ordered to leave the Venetian possessions. The return was punishable by death.

The unfortunate man now wanted only one thing - revenge. According to Bedemar's plan, the uprising was planned to be raised not only in Venice, but also in one of the nearby cities - Bressay. The enterprise could still succeed, and Jafier rushed there. But it was not for nothing that the Council of Ten kept a large staff of shoulder masters. Confessions were extracted under torture, and there were no more secrets. Surrounded by superior forces, Jafier fought to the death, commanding the remnants of the defeated Spanish detachment, but the Venetians managed to capture him. The Supreme Court of the Republic gave Jafie the last award for saving his capital. The verdict was: death by drowning. The Marquis of Bedemar soon received a decree on his resignation. “First of all, scold me and my actions,” he taught the person who came to replace him. “First, you need to gain confidence in them.” To start...

Thirty years later, in 1648, the government of Venice received humiliating terms of peace from the Turkish Sultan for discussion. Patrician Pesaro, instead of answering, donated 6,000 ducats to the fatherland. His example was followed by the entire Senate, which was an eloquent answer to the Sultan. The Republic was still strong, leaning on the shoulders of strong-willed people who were ready to sacrifice property and life itself for its salvation and prosperity.

Age of the mask

At the beginning of the 18th century, Venice was pushed back to the Adriatic Sea and deprived of all its possessions outside of it. Once upon a time, the British, Germans, Swedes studied shipbuilding, navigation and cartography from the republic. Now the Russian Tsar Peter I was able to take only galley art from the Venetians, otherwise numerous students had already surpassed their decrepit teacher. The Peace of Passarovitsa with the Turks in 1718 put an end to numerous wars, and Venice began to live peacefully, not conquering anyone, not trading with anyone in particular, and burning through the remnants of its past.

She was full of charm. It was called the second, after Paris, the capital of Europe. All celebrities of the scene, people of art, travelers and adventurers, rich people, inventors, charlatans and just curious people filled the city, creating an amazing atmosphere. The 18th century was the century of music, and none of the cities of Europe and even Italy could then compare with Venice in terms of musicality. Life in Venice, opulent and idle, was an eternal feast. “Venice,” writes Monnier, “has accumulated too much history, she marked too many dates and shed too much blood. She sent her terrible galleys too long and too far, she dreamed too much about grandiose destinations and realized too many of them. .. After a hard week, Sunday finally came, and the holiday began. Its population is a festive and idle crowd: poets and hookers, hairdressers and moneylenders, singers, merry women, dancers, actresses, pimps and bankers - everything that lives in pleasure or creates them..."

The 18th century is considered to be the age of the mask. Venice, from the very beginning of its existence, put on a mask, not revealing its plans to anyone, intriguing, spreading absurd rumors to itself and carefully keeping secrets. But there are no secrets left, intrigues are a thing of the past, and the mask has become tangible. And the life of the republic was suddenly replaced by just a game of life. From the first Sunday in October until Christmas, from January 6 until the first day of Lent, on the day of St. Mark, on the Feast of the Ascension, on the day of the election of the doge and other officials, each of the Venetians was allowed to wear a mask. This is a carnival that lasted six months. Many masks appeared and disappeared, many people dressed up, each playing his own role. The jealous Venetian merchant Pantalone has survived to our time in his strange, half-medieval guise - long red stockings, a short camisole, a protruding beard and a cloak with a hood, the Venetian maid Colombina, the Venetian jesters Harlequin and Brighella. The comedy of masks swept Venice like an epidemic. The city on the water saw the last magnificent flash of the ancient Commedia dell "Arte.

Last minutes of independence

Bonaparte dealt the final blow to the Venetian Republic. On May 1, 1797, he declared war on Venice. As early as 1796, a descendant of the famous patrician Pesaro tried to establish armed neutrality, but in vain.

On May 12, 1797, the last Doge of the Republic, having resigned his power, established a provisional administration, which voluntarily passed into the hands of the French. After 14 centuries of aristocratic rule, Venice fell. And in the last minutes of its existence, the republic had three million subjects, many fortifications, a fleet, an army, 26,000,000 francs of annual income. The capital of the republic was impregnable both from the sea and from land. But no one wanted to protect her.

Having passed the formidable fortresses, which did not fire a single shot, on May 16, Napoleon's troops entered the city. But already on October 17, in peace in Campo Formia, the emperor gave the Habsburgs, in exchange for other lands, the territory of the former republic of St. Mark is like a pawn in a chess game.

On January 18, 1798, Austrian troops solemnly entered Venice. In 1805 it was again captured by the French. And in 1814 - again the Austrians.

Between the first withdrawal of the French and the first entry of the Austrians there were nine days of inter-power. Nine days in which the mob went out into the streets to burn and plunder their own city. The parade galley of Bucintoro, in which the Doji went out to be engaged to the sea, covered with gold and jewels, was plundered, broken up and thrown aground. The Austrians quickly put things in order, put out the fires, transplanted especially zealous lovers of profit and began to rule at their own discretion. And it was like that for half a century.

And suddenly Venice remembered its ancient greatness. In 1848 the Austrian garrison was captured. The head of the Admiralty, the ship's captain Marinovich, tried to hide, but the crowd caught up with him and tore him to pieces. Venice declared itself independent. But the past could not be returned. She held out for seventeen months. But blocked from the sea and from land, she was forced to surrender. Venice "or other places.

Today's Venice is only a ghost of a former life.

Sixty-six percent of the buildings in "old Venice" are in need of major repairs, forty percent of the dwellings are either uninhabitable or overcrowded. The sea in the Venetian Lagoon is now rising by about 1 centimeter every 10 years. At the same time, the process of soil subsidence is going on in Venice, accelerating: an average of three centimeters in ten years.

Tidal currents "wash out" the channels, undermine the foundations of buildings.

In 1501, Doge Agostino Barbarigo signed a decision of the Council of Ten, which stated that anyone who tried "in one way or another to damage a public dam, lay a pipe underground to divert water, also deepen or widen the channels ... will cut off his right hand, pluck out his left eye and confiscate all his property..."

Now pipes, in connection with industrial production, have been laid in the lagoon visibly-invisibly. They expanded the old canals, dug out a lot of new ones, pumped out water and gas from the subsoil layers. Isn't it because of all this, taken together, that Venice began to sink faster and faster into the waters of the lagoon? More and more often and more thoroughly sea waves overwhelm the streets and squares of the city.

Venice is beautiful by day and full of charm by night. Silhouettes of palaces rise right out of the water, and a palisade of poles rises at the main entrances - moorings for boats and gondolas. Palaces stretch one after another - four-story, yellowish-brown, greenish-gray, pinkish-yellow. Now there are museums in many palaces, and therefore the Grand Canal is called the artistic salon of Venice. Wandering through the labyrinth of streets, you notice white stripes on the walls - traces of floods, and looking carefully into the water, which is no longer clean, you see that the jagged foundations of buildings are bearded with blue-green algae.

The past is preserved in stone and in the names of canals, streets and buildings. Two bronze Moors ring the bell on the Clock Tower. Since the end of the 15th century, hands made by masters from Parma have been moving, showing the seasons of the year, the phases of the moon, the movement of the Sun from constellation to constellation and, of course, time. They say that even the time here is different - saturated with dampness and the salty smell of the sea, the time of high and low tides, hiding in a white haze near the horizon, where the galleys, frigates and merchant ships of the Venetian Republic have gone forever.

Dmitry Belichenko. The Whole World #14 1998.

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.

History reference

The history of Venice has more than one hundred years. This one 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 and love. 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 a little 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 set about the promised construction.

The architect of the basilica was the young and talented Balthazar 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.

St. Mark's Square

The history of Venice is closely connected with this square. The first information in historical chronicles about this square dates 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 on it!

The area itself consists of two so-called parts:

• Piazzetta - the distance from the Grand Canal to Campannilla.
• Piazza - the square itself in front of the entrance to the Cathedral of San Marco.

Stepping on the piazzetta, you will immediately see two grandiose white 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 silt from the lagoon.

Basilica San Marco

Walking along 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. remained dominant, however, 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. No tickets are needed to visit the cathedral, admission is free. You can not wear open clothes in such places, as well as shoot.

The greatest 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 sailing on gondolas, you will see 4 beautiful famous bridges:

• the new bridge of the Constitution;
• Rialto 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 traders sailed along the canal on ships and entered into 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 erects 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 persons of the state. 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 elements of Gothic and Byzantine architecture.

The courtyard is decorated with a large number of 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 quarters of statesmen of past centuries.

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.

Rialto Bridge

We continue the tour and again return to the Grand Canal, to the Rialto Bridge. Let's talk about him. This is the very first bridge over the Grand Canal. It is the symbol of Venice. 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 works of the participants 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 Rialto Bridge is small:

• the maximum height in the center is 7.5 meters;
• the length of the bridge is 48 meters.

Bridge supports amaze tourists. Each of them has 6,000 piles driven into the bottom of the Grand Canal.

School Grand di San Rocco

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".

Finally, 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. Be sure to buy a carnival mask as a souvenir, this is a symbol of Venice.

In 2017 it 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!