Known as La Serenissima – “The Most Serene” – Venice has fascinated the world for centuries with its shimmering canals, majestic palaces, and rich history. This city built on water, against all odds and natural laws, stands on over a hundred islands, constantly challenged by the environment since its very inception.

The Origins of Venice – Name and Founding Myths

The history of Venice dates back to the 5th century, when residents of northern Italy fled invading barbarian tribes and sought refuge on the lagoon’s islands. The marshy terrain and shallow Adriatic waters offered natural protection – the swamps served as a formidable barrier, discouraging attacks from land. According to legend, the official founding of Venice took place on March 25, 421 AD, on the island of Rialto, where the first church was erected. The name “Venice” itself is derived from the ancient Veneti people who once inhabited the region.

The Venetians were fond of embellishing their city’s past with glorious myths. In the Middle Ages, it was said that Venice was “born by the will of God, free from the beginning”, never subject to a feudal lord. One fact, however, is undeniable: from the very beginning, Venice grew in defiance of nature, rising from the unstable mudflats of the lagoon – a struggle that shaped its uniquely resilient and independent character.

Saint Mark and the Winged Lion – Venice’s Patron

The first patron saint of Venice was Saint Theodore, but the ambitious Venetians longed for a more prestigious protector – one less Byzantine and worthy of rivaling Rome itself. So, in 828 AD, they performed a daring act: two Venetian merchants stole the relics of Saint Mark the Evangelist from Alexandria and smuggled them to Venice. To evade inspection by Muslim guards, the relics were hidden beneath layers of pork – considered impure in Islam. Upon arrival, the sacred remains were ceremoniously enshrined in the newly built basilica on St. Mark’s Square, and Saint Mark was proclaimed the city’s new patron.

Interestingly, the Venetians justified this act with an ancient legend. According to the tale, Saint Mark once sailed the Adriatic and sought refuge in the lagoon during a storm. There, an angel appeared to him, saying: “Pax tibi, Marce, evangelista meus” – “Peace be with you, Mark, my evangelist,” foretelling that he would one day rest there. The prophecy was fulfilled through the merchants’ cunning, and the winged lion of Saint Mark – bearing a halo and the Gospel – became the enduring symbol of the Venetian Republic.

To the Venetians, Saint Mark’s lion was a sign of divine favor and prosperity. His image adorned the flags, seals, and coats of arms of La Serenissima. The Republic declared itself a state born by the will of the saint – a claim that legitimized its sovereignty. With a divine protector by its side, Venice confidently looked to the sea, the source of its wealth and pride.

Mistress of the Sea – Venice’s Marriage to the Adriatic

For centuries, Venice was known as La Serenissima – “The Most Serene” – and claimed the title of Queen of the Seas. Its power was built on maritime trade and naval dominance in the region. To symbolically seal its bond with the sea, the Venetians created a unique religious and political ritual: the Sposalizio del Mare, or “Marriage to the Sea.” The ceremony began around the year 1000, after victorious campaigns in Dalmatia led by Doge Pietro II Orseolo, and from 1173 it was held annually on Ascension Day.

In this grand event, the Doge would sail aboard the ornate state barge, the Bucentaur, and cast a golden ring into the water – symbolically wedding Venice to the Adriatic and affirming her dominion over the sea. The Adriatic became, in a sense, Venice’s bride.

This ritual continued for over six centuries, until the fall of the Republic in 1797. The sea was their lifeblood – a source of wealth and glory, but also a dangerous and unpredictable partner. The ceremony thus had a mystical dimension as well – a plea for the favor of the waves and winds, ensuring harmony between the seafaring city and the mighty force that sustained it.

A City on Water – The Climate and Environment of the Lagoon

Venice owes its very existence and unique character to the Venetian Lagoon – an expansive ecosystem covering around 550 km², separating the city from the open Adriatic Sea. This environment has shaped both the architecture and way of life in Venice since its earliest days. Building a city on marshland meant Venetians had to contend with unstable ground, salty water, and a fluctuating climate.

The city’s foundations rest on millions of wooden piles, mainly oak and larch, driven deep into the lagoon’s muddy bed. This ingenious building method has sustained Venice for centuries. Preserved in the oxygen-poor silt, the wood hardened over time, almost like stone – and still supports medieval churches and palaces today. Thanks to this unique technology, the city has managed to “float” on water for more than 1,500 years.

But life in the lagoon is a constant battle against nature – especially acqua alta, the periodic high tides that flood low-lying parts of the city. As early as the Middle Ages, Venetians sought to tame the water by redirecting rivers to prevent silting and constructing embankments to protect against waves. In the 18th century, the Republic built the monumental Murazzi – sea walls made of white Istrian stone along the islands of Lido and Pellestrina – to shield the lagoon from storms. Despite these efforts, in November 1966 Venice was struck by a record-breaking flood that reached 194 cm, causing extensive damage. This disaster awakened public awareness and ultimately led to the development of the MOSE system – a series of mobile flood barriers completed in 2020 to protect the city from rising sea levels.

A Maze of Canals and Unique Urban Planning

Venice is unlike any other city – a mosaic of 118 islands stitched together by canals and bridges. There are no cars, scooters, or bikes here. Within the historic center, around 170 canals flow beneath nearly 400 bridges. The iconic Grand Canal winds its way through the heart of the city like a majestic water boulevard.

Getting around this labyrinth once relied entirely on boats or walking. Narrow alleyways (calli) and hidden lanes are linked by bridges over canals, leading to charming little squares (campi). Even the city’s address system is unique – buildings aren’t numbered by street but by one of the six historic districts (sestieri). An address might read “Cannaregio 5501,” which can be as confusing as the street layout itself for newcomers.

The Bells of La Serenissima – When Time Rang from the Towers

In past centuries, life in Venice moved to the rhythm of bells. Before modern clocks, it was the chimes from numerous campanili – slender bell towers – that marked the hours of the day. The most famous, the bell tower of St. Mark’s, served as the city’s public timekeeper and the herald of the Republic since the Middle Ages. The five main bells of St. Mark’s Basilica each had a specific function, and Venetians knew their names and tones:

• Marangona – the largest bell, its deep tone marked the beginning and end of the workday for Venetian craftsmen.

• Nona – struck at noon (nona meaning the ninth hour from sunrise).

• Trottiera – summoned noble patricians to Council meetings; its name likely derives from trotto (trot), urging senators on horseback to hurry.

• Pregadi – the Senate bell (from pregadi, meaning “invited ones” – the senators). It also announced important religious occasions.

• Renghiera (also called Maleficio or the Executioner’s Bell) – the smallest, with a piercing tone, it announced executions and public punishments.

Thanks to the bells, Venice had a shared sense of time that echoed across the entire city. Time in La Serenissima was governed by the Doges and the Church, ringing from the heights of its bell towers. It’s no wonder that when the old St. Mark’s Campanile unexpectedly collapsed in July 1902, Venetians made every effort to rebuild it “dov’era e com’era” – “where it was and how it was” – with its bells and its symbolic voice of the city restored.

Gondolas – The Black Swans of the Canals

One of Venice’s most iconic symbols is the gondola – a sleek, black boat with an elegantly curved prow, gliding through the canals with the grace of a swan. For centuries, gondolas were the city’s main form of transport and evolved into a vessel rich with symbolism. First mentioned in the 11th century, their modern, minimalist black design stems from a 1630 law that banned excessive decoration. Gondolas are asymmetrical – the left side is slightly longer than the right, allowing them to move straight while being rowed from one side. The bow is adorned with a metal ferro, a stylized six-toothed ornament symbolizing Venice’s six historic districts. The curved top is said to resemble either the Doge’s hat or the shape of the Rialto Bridge, while a small backward-facing element represents the island of Giudecca.

Gondoliers are the elite of Venetian boatmen, passing down their skills across generations. The profession was traditionally inherited, and even today, obtaining a gondolier’s license requires passing a demanding exam in navigation and city knowledge.

Only a few hundred gondolas remain today, primarily for tourists, but they are still handcrafted using traditional methods. Each gondola is made from eight types of wood and about 280 components, assembled with masterful precision.

Murano – Island of Glass and Secrets

A few kilometers north of Venice lies Murano, a small island world-renowned for its glassmaking. In the 13th century, all Venetian glass furnaces were relocated there for fire safety reasons.

Murano became a kind of “glass republic” – part museum, part luxury production hub. Master glassmakers, however, were virtually prisoners: revealing their craft’s secrets was punishable by death, and they were forbidden from marrying foreigners. In return, they enjoyed high social status – they could carry swords like nobility, and marriages between glassmakers’ daughters and Venetian patricians were not seen as misalliances. Their techniques were a closely guarded state secret.

This strategy paid off. For centuries, Venetian glass was unrivaled, gracing courts across Europe and the East. Murano exported mirrors, oil lamps, beads, goblets, and even glass cups so delicate they were said to shatter if filled with poison.

Today, Murano still hosts many workshops where visitors can watch glassmasters at work – a mesmerizing experience that reflects the artistic and technological mastery that helped build Venice’s legacy.

Venice also played a central role in the rise of printing in Europe. In the 15th and 16th centuries, it was the continent’s publishing capital, led by Aldus Manutius – a brilliant humanist and entrepreneur. His innovations revolutionized books: he introduced italic type and popularized smaller, portable formats that were more affordable and easier to distribute.

Venetian printers were known for their quality and business acumen. Here, the first printed newsletters (avvisi) were sold for a coin (gazetta, the origin of the word “gazette”). Venice also pioneered printed nautical charts and sheet music. At its peak, the city boasted as many as 200 printing houses, which had produced around 2 million books by 1500.

Fierce competition between publishing houses fueled progress. Besides Aldus, families like the De’ Gregorii and Giolito ran famed presses. Venice even had one of Europe’s first female printers – Rosalina Ferrara, who took over her husband’s business in the 16th century. Books bearing the Venetian colophon spread to universities, courts, and libraries from Spain to Poland. Even Nicolaus Copernicus, in his 1543 work On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres, dedicated it to the Venetian bishop and scholar Tiedemann Giese.

The World’s First Ghetto – Jewish Life in Venice

Venice also created the world’s first Jewish ghetto. Under religious and political pressure, the Senate enacted a radical measure: on March 29, 1516, it established a closed Jewish quarter. The word “ghetto” likely comes from geto (a foundry), as the designated site in Cannaregio had previously housed metalworks.

All Jews were ordered to live within this enclosed area – later known as Ghetto Nuovo (New Ghetto) – which was surrounded by canals and locked at night. As the community grew, adjacent zones were added, ironically named Ghetto Vecchio (Old Ghetto, though created later) and Ghetto Novissimo (Newest Ghetto, added in the 17th century).

Living conditions were cramped, leading to vertical expansion: buildings with 6–7 stories still tower over this part of Venice. Yet Jewish life flourished – a Hebrew printing press (led by Daniel Bomberg, publisher of the Talmud), theaters, and klezmer orchestras thrived. Despite the segregation, Jews were vital to the Venetian economy, often financing trade and military ventures.

The ghetto was formally abolished in 1797 with Napoleon’s conquest. Still, its legacy left a mark: the term “ghetto” spread globally as the label for enclosed minority districts. Venice’s ghetto became an infamous model for later Jewish quarters across Europe.

Carnival and Masks – A Time When All Were Equal

Perhaps Venice’s most colorful tradition is its carnival, celebrated since the 13th century. Leading up to Lent, it lasted for weeks – later officially beginning on December 26 (St. Stephen’s Day) and ending on Shrove Tuesday. It was a season of festivity and, above all, anonymity granted by masks.

Masks allowed Venetians to transcend social barriers and enjoy freedoms unavailable in daily life.

The bauta, a full-face mask with eye holes, was most common. The enigmatic moretta – a small black oval mask held in place by the wearer’s teeth – was favored by women and symbolized mystery and silence. Streets filled with figures in half-masks and lavish costumes: plague doctors with long beaks, harlequins, Pulcinellas, or the grotesque gnaga (a man dressed as a catlike woman).

For a few weeks, Venice became a grand theatrical stage where anyone could play any role. Norms were gleefully broken – masked nobles mingled in taverns, and gondoliers danced at palace balls. Carnival encouraged flirting, gambling, and an inversion of order. Though the Republic allowed this escape from strict rules, abuses led to growing restrictions – masks were eventually banned in churches and outside carnival season. During the 18th century, in the era of Casanova, carnival reached its decadent peak, turning Venice into the world capital of celebration.

After the fall of the Republic, the Austrians banned carnival as subversive. The tradition lay dormant until 1979, when Venice revived it as a major cultural event.

Today, carnival again draws crowds from around the globe. Though now more of a historical fashion show than a spontaneous festival, it once served a deep social function – for a brief time, all Venetians were equal behind a mask in a city built on hierarchy and intrigue.

Venice – A Living City of Paradoxes and Wonders

Venice is more than postcard-perfect views or tourists feeding pigeons in St. Mark’s Square. It is a living organism with a history full of paradoxes and marvels. Bells that once ordered daily life, gondolas crafted like art, Murano glass traded for gold, books that changed the Renaissance, or a ghetto that coined a global term – all are threads in the unique identity of this city.

Venice has always balanced between land and sea, freedom and restriction, tradition and innovation. Its story reveals the power of human ingenuity and the will to thrive, even on a swamp. Here, time seems frozen, yet every stone and wooden piling tells a tale of resilience and brilliance.

Venice reminds us that it’s possible to build a civilization even on shifting ground – if one has enough courage, cunning, and perhaps a little blessing from a saint. One can only hope that this “city of miracles” will endure for centuries to come, continuing to inspire and astonish future generations.