The world-famous Italian city of Venice is famous for its uniqueness. Instead of streets, there are canals, and houses grow right out of the water! Where else is there such an amazing atmosphere? In addition, the whole city resembles a huge open-air museum — architecture, ancient buildings, museums that store priceless works of art… No wonder that millions of tourists come here every year.
Let us see more interesting 25 fascinating Venice facts.
- Venice is undoubtedly one of the most romantic and unique cities in Italy and the world. Even though it is not one of the largest cities in Italy, it is one of the most visited.
First Women gondoliers :
- The first woman in the ranks of the Venetian gondoliers appeared only in 2009 — before that, this profession was purely male.
Narrowest Streets in the World :
- Calleta Varisco is one of the narrowest streets in the world and, of course, is located in Venice. Its width is only 53 centimeters! The streets of Venice are truly unique: they are usually narrow and winding, and it is easy to get lost on them.
No Cars on Venice for Transport :
- There are no cars or buses in Venice. The role of accessible public transport here is performed by water buses, like the Russian “river trams”.
One cemetery for the entire Venice :
- There is only one cemetery. Once every seven years, the remains of Venetians buried there are exhumed and transferred to a special columbarium to make room for the cemetery.
Marco Polo Born Here :
- The famous merchant and traveler Marco Polo was born here, who gave the world a lot of geographical discoveries.
Fireboats in Venice :
- Instead of fire trucks, there are fireboats. Moreover, there may be problems with fires, since, except in the most extreme cases, it is forbidden for firefighters to use seawater. The salt contained in it spoils buildings.
The Grand Canal Venice :
- The Grand Canal, the longest canal in Venice, is four kilometers long.
- Grand Canal Venice considered as the most rated waterway in Venice still hence holds the major water traffic of the city.
6 Unknown Facts about Italy Venice :
- Not everyone knows that Venice was built not on the surface of the island, but stilts.
- Under the islands are more than 100,000 wooden piles, which originally served as the foundation for the homes of the fishermen who founded Venice, and later became a favorite form of foundation for architects to build beautiful buildings, and are visible today.
- Venice was the main maritime power of the Mediterranean from the 14th to the 16th centuries.
- The most beautiful and most visited part of the city is its historical center. It is located on 118 islands, separated by approximately 170 channels and connected by four hundred bridges.
- There are more than 417 bridges in Venice, about 70 of them private. This means that you can’t walk on them. The oldest bridges do not have stairs, as people traveled on horseback until the 16th century.
- In a guide to Venice published in the early 18th century, the famous Antonio Vivaldi and his father are mentioned as the best violinists in the city.
- Bicycles are strictly prohibited here. The exception is made only for children.
- The famous Venetian church of Santa Maria Della Salute stands on about one hundred thousand wooden piles. In total, about a million wooden beams were used in its construction.
- Regular customers in local cafes almost always get good discounts. Tourists, however, do not shine, because regular customers here are considered only residents who regularly visit the same places.
6 Interesting facts about Venice Italy :
- The Venetian Bay is 15 meters deep at its deepest point.
- Venice is shaped like a fish when viewed from above.
- Gondolas in Venice are always exactly 425, no more and no less. This is the decree of the Gondoliers ‘ association. This work is not easy, but it is very profitable, so a gondolier’s license costs a lot of money.
- There are no plumbers here since they would have nothing to do here. That is why the heat from the channels often smells, and not at all tulips.
- Every year, 17-18 million people visit this city, which is ten times more than the number of Venetians themselves.
What is the Best Time to Visit Venice?
- The least preferred months to visit Venice are November and December, as the water level often rises at this time, and the city is partially flooded.
Fun Facts about Italy Venice for Kids :
- Gondolier licenses are inherited from father to son.
- Venice is the most expensive city in Italy.
- The Latin American country of Venezuela, discovered by the navigator Amerigo Vespucci, was named after Venice, as the Indian houses standing on stilts reminded the discoverers of this city.
1 Sad Fact about Venice Italy :
- In its history, Venice has been rebuilt twice, as the city slowly sinks under its weight. To reduce the rate of flooding, even special marine structures have been built to prevent the tide from rising too high. Nevertheless, scientists agree that in the coming decades, Venice will become uninhabitable, and in a little, over a hundred years it will finally disappear underwater.
