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Water moves more quickly in the lagoon as a result, causing more tidal extremes that bring high water at one end of the spectrum and the exposing of wooden building foundations, causing them to rot, at the other. The increasing frequency with which the acqua alta occurs is thought to be a consequence of the management of the lagoon – in particular land reclamation and the deepening of underwater channels to accommodate tankers. This fact of Venetian life may be alarming to the uninitiated, but it’s not an immediate cause for panic and it’s not why people say ‘visit Venice before it’s too late’. As a visitor, your trip may not coincide with this phenomenon, but if it does, you’ll find St Mark’s Square temporarily turned into a lake and raised boards provided for you to walk on. If you’re familiar with Venice you’ll probably already be aware of the ‘acqua alta’, or ‘high water’, which affects the city numerous times a year at higher tides. Be sure to consider Murano glass as a souvenir.Is Venice sinking? When will it happen? Venice’s waterways are what makes it such a unique and romantic place, but does a watery fate lie in store for this enchanting city? And if so, when will Venice sink? Acqua alta They have been sequestered onto a single island for fear of fire, which wreaked havoc on Venice many a time. Impressed, they created a lace wedding veil out of the sea foam to take home to his fiance. This man had a fiance waiting for his return and his loyalty was so steadfast he was unmoved by the call of the mermaids. Mermaids were known for their ability to lure men into the deadly sea and thus, their demise. Legend says that a ship ran into a nest of mermaids.
#Venice the sinking city windows
Many of the the windows also held birdcages with a singing parakeet or something similar perched inside. Buranoīurano is a quaint island off the mainland of Venice known for vividly colored homes and lace. Though clearly very old, there is little to no information concerning the crypt. With no light but this candle, I explored the crypts of people I wish I could name, however the church attendant spoke little English and nothing was labeled like many of your typical monuments. For a euro to aid in upkeep of the church, I was given a lit candle and “a destra poi a sinstra” (a right then a left) to go down into the crypt.Īs it is disrespectful to take photos in many parts of churches here, I documented none of what lies beneath the floor. With some time to kill I walked into a San Simeone Piccolo as churches often have the most stunning interior.
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Venice is a well known Carnivale hub and holds the annual festivities in Piazza San Marco, or Saint Mark’s Square.įound entirely by chance, this could be the most unique experience I had in Venice. Carnivale is the celebration that takes place before Lent involving parades, elaborate costumes, and masks. My first visit was accompanied by my father and stepmother during February, which just so happens to be the month that the Carnivale is celebrated. Homemade squid ink pasta was born here in Venice, so naturally I had to try it Carnivale Transportation is strictly by boat or foot. Also, as the water level rises the city compensates by building floor upon floor to rise above it. What used to be the ground floor is now a flooded basement. Walking down the streets, you can easily see where the lagoon is reclaiming its territory. And so the legend goes that the Venetians stole Saint Mark’s body from Egypt and hid it under a heaping pile of pork meat, as Egypt was a Muslim nation and the Islamic religion forbids contact with pork. At the time the way to make a name for yourself was to be divinely blessed by a supreme relic of a saint, preferably said saint’s body. Venice yearned to be its own independent being. So they sunk petrified wood into the lagoon to serve as a stable foundation.įast forward. How often do you see cathedrals sitting atop the swamps in Florida? Exactly. As the city grew, the people needed stronger, heavier buildings. Venice began as a lagoon inhabited by Italians escaping the barbarians. Venice was formerly a powerful sort of empire, built on trade and petrified wood.
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#Venice the sinking city full
There’s something about being surrounded by water and gondolas that hits a more pleasant chord than bustling streets full of Vespas. After two incredible visits to Venice, I can confirm it is as charming as they say it is.