Venice Facts You Didn't Know Yet

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

For a long time, Venice has inspired and continues to inspire all creative personalities from the past to the present day. Every year on March 25, starting from 421, tourists and local residents solemnly celebrate the day of the city's foundation on the water. It would seem that a lot is known about him, but we decided to collect not the most common facts that you may not have known.

Only people strong in faith and spirit, fearless before trials, survived on the island.

Let's start with the origins of Venice. According to the existing legend, the waters of the lagoon diverged, and a city of extraordinary beauties was opened to all the people. There is another legend that allegedly the inhabitants of the surrounding villages, in order to escape the constant invasions of barbarians, in search of the salvation of their people, moved to the islands of the lagoon, thus trying to hide from foreign invaders. When the barbarians arrived in the province of Venice and completely destroyed the coastal city, people rushed to the sea and began to pray fervently for salvation. Suddenly, an angel appeared to them and responded to their prayers by the fact that the water of the lagoon suddenly began to be covered with ice, despite the fact that everything happened in the spring. Enthusiastic people walked on the ice, and under the horsemen of the Huns, it broke, and the island was completely isolated. Only people strong in faith and spirit, fearless in the face of trials, survived on it.

But let's move away from history and plunge into the modern beauty and, in some ways, even the unusualness of Venice.

Lack of restrooms

There are almost no public toilets in Venice. Of course, they are found here and there, but very rarely, and the price tag for them (1.5 - 2 euros) excites and makes even the most calm traveler indignant. And there are no sewers in the city, and everything, so to speak, is washed away by simply tides of water. The same profession as a plumber, in principle, does not exist in Venice.

There is such a profession - gondolier

The main attraction of Venice is, of course, the gondoliers. Their total number is always constant and does not depend at all on whether the gondoliers have retired or newcomers arrive in their guild. By the way, the guild of gondoliers was created in 1094, there were never women among its members, this was always the exclusive prerogative of men, and foreigners were treated there with prejudice.

Read also

Fashion | 2013-29-08 The most impressive outfits from the opening of the Venice Film Festival

To drive a so-called vehicle, it is necessary to obtain a license, which is inherited only from the father. But there are, of course, exceptions to all the rules, and there is an opportunity to win the coveted "paper" at regattas, which are often arranged by local gondoliers. The future gondolier will face serious exams in gondola driving and knowledge of a foreign language and history of the city. After all, this is a whole art, to manage an uncomfortable outstretched boat and at the same time be an excellent storyteller to maintain a romantic mood, as well as a good guide. Such specialists even have their own song, which is called barcarole (from the Italian. Barque), it sounds measured and smooth, reminiscent of the rocking of a gondola on the waves.

By the way, the woman nevertheless appeared in the ranks of the gondoliers - quite recently, in 2009, she was German by birth.

Expensively rich

Who doesn't want to have their own apartment in such a romantic, vibrant, rich in history place like Venice? Even cosmic million dollar price tags do not frighten those who are eager to buy an apartment with architectural stucco molding and chiseled details of the facade of medieval buildings. But there are still interesting and attractive offers for real estate sales. So, quite recently, many agencies of the city actively advertised the sale of the smallest apartment in the world. It is located near Piazza Venezia and is sold for only 50 thousand euros, while having a completely ridiculous area - 5 sq. M. There is barely enough space for a single bed, and a tiny bathroom, and then behind a screen. As it turned out, there was an incredible demand for an apartment, most likely, some inveterate bachelor had already bought it for himself.

Ghost town

Every year Venice is sinking more and more.

Every year Venice is sinking more and more, for this reason it has been rebuilt twice already. According to scientists' calculations, unfortunately, by 2028 the city will be completely flooded. All curious tourists who did not have time to see the wonderful city or want to look at it again, but in a different role, will be able to come here early in the morning, since at this time the water is leaving and there will be an opportunity to admire the local flavor and uniqueness of medieval buildings, and then leave "Drowned man" in the evening, as he will again fill with water.

Unusual stone lions

There is another unusual fact that you probably are not aware of. If you have been to Venice, you may have noticed stone figures of lions holding a book on many ancient buildings. The unusualness of the sculptures lies in the fact that if the book of the lion is open, it means that during the construction of the building in Venice it was peacetime, and if it was closed, then the city was at war.

Pride for our mother homeland

As you know, all the buildings of Venice must be fixed on something, since they have stood for so many centuries and are not destroyed. This speaks of a quality basis, i.e. piles, on which, in fact, all medieval buildings are held. The piles themselves are made of … yes, from natural wood, more precisely from larch, and from our domestic one. The piles were cut from larch trees, which were brought from the forests of Siberia. It is a well-known fact that this type of wood does not deteriorate at all in water, but only on the contrary becomes hard, like a stone. Of course, a huge amount of forests were cut down for the sake of the city. Under the Church of Santa Maria della Salute alone, there are about a million piles.

Venetian burials

Read also

Health | 2020-28-02 Coronavirus in Italy for today

Each nation has its own ritual and method of burying dead people. The Venetian cemetery is a very unusual place. It was built on the site of the former Isola di San Michele prison. It is also called the Isle of the Dead. Due to the insufficient amount of land, local residents perform burial in dense rows on the water, on a separate island in the lagoon.

Every 7-10 years, the remains are exhumed and placed in a columbarium (storage of urns with ashes after cremation). Such outstanding personalities as Stravinsky, Diaghilev and Brodsky are buried in this cemetery. Diaghilev was buried in Venice, since the last years of his life he lived in a hotel in the city on credit, he had no money, and he could not pay for the room. The poor man died in his room, Coco Chanel paid for his funeral, they were good friends.

Cycling ban

It is forbidden to ride a bike in Venice, only children can ride this type of transport. If you are seen in his review by an Italian caretaker keeping order, then get ready for a serious fine.

"Re-education" of non-traditional orientation

The so-called Breast Bridge (Ponte delle Tette) is permeated with an unusual history. In the Middle Ages, it was the red-light district. In the 15th century, at the request of the state, prostitutes were supposed to stand on this bridge and demonstrate their charms to the inveterate homosexuals who floated by. In this way, they tried to instill a love for women.

Property of the Venetian Institute

Rumor has it that until now exactly at midnight the guy's ghost goes to the bell tower, climbs it and rings the bell exactly 10 times.

This is the story of the local bell tower. In the early 19th century, a bell ringer with disproportionately long arms worked in St. Mark's Cathedral. One institute professor who took a zealous interest in the young man's unusual physique suggested that the bell ringer bequeath his skeleton for the institutes' anatomical collection. The young man thought: "The professor is old, which means he will die before me," and agreed. Having received money from the professor, the unfortunate man visited local bars every evening. In one of them the bell ringer had a blow … So the professor achieved what he wanted. Rumor has it that until now exactly at midnight the guy's ghost goes to the bell tower, climbs it and rings the bell exactly 10 times. And then he goes out to the embankment and sticks to people - asks for alms, wants to be bought …

Venetian aristocratic young ladies

In the Middle Ages, ladies of high society on a white-stone chapel tower dried their hair. This is due to the fact that at that time, burnt out or even bleached hair, like the beautiful goddesses in Botticelli's paintings, were considered the standard of beauty. Since they did not even hear about hair dye then, they had to bleach their hair in horse urine. To prevent others from wrinkling their noses from the pungent smell, the ladies “looked after” their hair on the tower, under the rays of the sun or just in the wind.