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Overview
Venice is one of those towns fated
to a perpetual commercialization for
its timeworn sensuality, yet today
its once exalted beauty has come
under much revision. The canals are
no longer crystalline, and prices
have skyrocketed that even many of
its locals are moving out. But from
what remains for the world to
admire, this transition is
subscribed to with a graceful
veneration, and the city has never
entirely shrugged off its coquettish
charisma that has charmed the world
for centuries. The gondoliers in
black and white-stripe shirts who
cruise and sing along the Venetian
canals, along with the magnificent
churches and museums whose outlines
define the city's background have
altogether created an impressive
pastiche that seems to belong to a
time beyond our own. Needless to
say, Venice will continue to be the
highlight for many visitors to Italy
for ages to come.
History
The first barbarian invasions of the
5th and 6th centuries AD had brought
the first settlers to the Venetian
islands. They concentrated on the
Rivo Alto (later became Rialto), and
Venice began to evolve into a
republic. The fouth Crusade of 1202
saw Venice growing into a mighty
commercial power after assisting the
pope in conquering Constantinople.
Its dominance was challenged by the
Turks in the later half of the
1400s, and it fell under control of
the Austrians after the arrival of
Napoleon in 1797. Meanwhile there
had been a movement to unify Italy,
and Venice successfully managed to
liberate itself and joined the
nation in 1866. Venice's ties to the
nation became solidified under
Mussolini in the 20th century, and
despite recent problem of land sink
and depopulation, Venice is still
going strong as a major tourist city
of Italy.
Geography & Climate
Venice is composed of 115 islets of
the Venetian Lagoon at the northern
end of the Adriatic Sea, 4 km from
the mainland. This capital of the
Veneto region has more han 150
canals and over 400 bridges. Summer
can be very hot and humid especially
in June and August. Spring is
pleasant but the city is also most
crowded during this time. September
is the next best in terms of
weather, but October is
quieter.
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