A city similar to Venice. How many Venices are there in the world? Look for free admission

Venice – unique city, who drew a line unlike any other in world history.

The only city of its kind on the water with canals instead of streets. The only city of its kind, which at a certain period of history had the largest fleet in the world and the greatest political influence, despite its very small size.

And he is also very beautiful, unusual, fabulous...

The city is located in Italy, closer to the northeast. It cannot be said that the city is large, since the population is approximately 270 thousand people .

Location of the city: on an archipelago that includes 118 small islands. These islands are located between Adriatic Sea and the mainland. In the Middle Ages, refugees lived here, mainly from Padua, fleeing the barbarians.

In Venice, almost all public transport: trams, buses and, of course, metro. Usually the means of transportation are various types of boats. There is water very close to the houses. There are about 150 canals and 400 stone bridges in Venice.

Christmas and New Year

Particular splendor and beauty can be seen here under Christmas and New Year . New Year holidays, Very good time for a trip to Venice ( www.italy-spb.ru/novyi-god-2015/veneciya/ ), the atmosphere of Christmas in the city is magical, you can attend many festive events and do a lot of shopping.

The local craftsmen invent all sorts of things by hand. Murano glass works – any type of vases, dishes, decorations, they can be purchased as a souvenir or gift.

Christmas carols - this celebration takes place on the night of January 6-7. Carols and chants on this day have a special meaning, which is intended to praise the exploits of the Savior and martyr before sinful people. Behind seemingly simple poems and chants, there actually lies a deep meaning and sacred wisdom of the ancestors. This action usually takes place as if on the border between the space of the earth and the expanses of heaven.

Venice Carnival

Venice is a cultural, educational and entertainment center that often hosts major music, film and art festivals. At the end of winter, Venice traditionally hosts Venice Carnival . People put on a variety of elegant costumes, make themselves masks and go have fun.

Carnival in Venice is a holiday that will stay with you for life!

Some attractions

Venice can be described as the most romantic city. It has a great atmosphere. The streets of the city are almost always calm and quiet. Residents of Venice prefer to drink coffee in the morning, so the smell of this invigorating drink is often present in the air. It is for this reason that you can find many cafes and restaurants in the city.

The most popular and famous all over the world - cafe "Florian", opened in 1721, some notable people visited it, for example, Hemingway, Carlo Goldoni, Lord Byron, Joseph Brodsky .

Every visitor will find something to do, something to see and something to have fun with. Art lovers can visit famous museums, such as Naval, Archaeological, Peggy Guggenheim Museum and others.

There is an opportunity to get to know better the outstanding architectural styles of Venice, it is possible to do this in St. Mark's Square - This is the main city square of Venice. There you have the opportunity to see various buildings such as: Clock Tower, Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Cathedral .

At the end of the square there are two columns that serve symbol of the Gateway to Venice . On the first is statue of st. Theodora , and on the second – lion with wings . It is considered a symbolic work of the city, and its image can be seen on various brochures, publications, and magazines.

• October 21, 2016

How to see Venice inexpensively - Italy

Since time immemorial, Venice has been a city that has inspired many poets, prose writers and artists. You can remember Shakespeare, and Monet, and Lord Byron, and Hemingway. If it so happens that you had to come to the “city on the water” located in northern Italy with the budget of a “starving artist”, you will have to give up visiting interesting shopping places, as well as expensive dinners. Instead, we invite you to explore bridges and mysterious canals hidden from the eyes of tourists, which few people still know about.

Walking around Venice

The city resembles a fish, so when walking, it is best to walk from the head towards the tail. At the same time, such a walking promenade will not only not take up much of your time, but also will not empty your budget.

1.Near railway station there is the Cannaregio area which is far off the beaten path tourist routes and hides many narrow bridges and tiny streets.

2. See the Jewish ghetto with its brightly painted buildings and splashing canals.

3. The stunning Rialto Bridge.

4. The neighborhood of Santa Croce, where the smell of fresh fish at the market will lead you through stalls selling squid and shrimp, huge warehouses of salted cod, and fruit and vegetable vendors.

5. Follow the main canal and then through one or two side streets turn towards the wooden Accademia Bridge in the Dorsoduro area. Its top offers stunning views of the Grand Canal.

6. A walk to St. Mark's Square won't cost you anything and you'll be glad you witnessed the sun set on the Adriatic.

Take a ride on a shuttle boat

Vaporetto– is an inexpensive way in Venice to enjoy a cruise around the city and even some of the outlying islands.

Tip: Buy a 12-hour ticket, which will be slightly more expensive than a ticket one way. This will allow you to move from one vaporetto to another so you can quickly get from one attraction to another.

There are more stops on the first line, fewer on the second. Thanks to the ship you can get to the island located right in front of Venice. Giudecca. The cost of traveling by vaporetti is much lower than by private water taxi or gondola.

Eat like a local (delicious and inexpensive food in Venice)

If you decide not to spend a lot on tourism in Venice, stay away from expensive cafes in Piazza San Marco and restaurants with a variety of treats. Local residents somehow manage without them during the day, so this is what you should do.

1.Go to a wine bar where you can drink something local and tasty for just a couple of euros. For example, a Venetian appetizer called cichetti, which consists of croutons, cheese, meat and olives at reasonable prices.

2. Also grab a slice of pizza or a couple of thick panini sandwiches so as not to whet your appetite with food from the windows of bars and cafes that can be found along almost every street.

Look for free admission

Museums such as the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, the Doge's Palace and the Galleria dell'Accademia require an entrance fee, but there are also many other art and architectural monuments that do not. Most likely, you have already come across various churches in Venice while wandering around the city. For example, in St. Mark's Basilica, a rich religious building, no one will take money from you for entry.

You can see original paintings by Titian and Tintoretto in the temples of Madonna dell'Orto and Santa Maria della Salute. If you listen carefully, you will hear orchestral music coming from the squares; just follow the advertisements for free concerts and exhibitions.

Conclusion

You don't have to have a lot of money to watch one of the most beautiful cities Italy. Be smart and use our recommendations. Below we recommend watching a video about the most interesting “water city”.

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If you look at a map of Northern Italy, Venice appears to be an ordinary coastal locality. In fact, it is an island. More precisely, a group of islands in the Adriatic Sea, located close to the mainland of the country. There are canals instead of streets, so the main transport in Venice is water buses and slightly more expensive river taxis. Gondola services will cost even more. This type of transport has been preserved since ancient times and is still in demand. It is used mainly by tourists who want to get in touch with the history of the city, get acquainted with its sights, numerous museums, and see the life of Venetians today.

Most Serene “Queen of the Adriatic”

Venice is one of ancient cities on our planet. It owes its name to the Veneti tribe, which inhabited this area even before our era, during the existence of the Roman Empire. It was the Romans who enslaved the Veneti in the 3rd century BC, founding here the colony of Aquileia, which later became the center of the province of Venetia and Istria. Actually, Venice was founded in 421 AD by the inhabitants of the region, who sought salvation from the warlike Goths and found refuge here on the Rialto Islands. So says the legend, which also names the exact date: March 25, the day of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. A document has been preserved confirming the veracity of the legend: according to it, the settlement was officially founded by three consuls - natives of Padua.

In 452, Venetia and Istria were invaded by warlike tribes of the Huns under the leadership of Attila. Main city– Aquileia – was destroyed. Some residents, seeking salvation, also fled to the islands. The harsh conditions taught the settlers a lot, and above all the art of survival. They built houses on stilts, fished, and farmed. There were twelve village settlements in total, and in order not to live in disunity, they decided to form a common local government - the Venetian government (the agreement on this came into force in 466). But, despite the actual independence, the settlements were formally subordinate to the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium). In 539-551, the Venetians openly supported the Byzantine emperor Justinian in the war with the Ostrogothic kingdom, providing him with their fleet, the most powerful at that time in the Adriatic. The Eastern Roman Empire did not remain in debt and provided Venice with many privileges in trade.

At the end of the 7th century, the Most Serene Republic of Venice, or the Republic of St. Mark, was formed - a state with its capital in Venice, located in the northeast modern Italy and had colonies in a number of Adriatic countries and the basins of three seas - the Aegean, Marmara and Black. Since 697, Venice began to elect the highest official - the Doge (king), who was endowed with broad powers. Its heyday occurred during the period of the Crusades (XI-XV centuries). The state had extensive trade relations, essentially controlling trade between East and West. Meanwhile, the internal political struggle did not subside within the state. Disputes, in particular, revolved around the idea of ​​​​transforming the republic into a de facto monarchy, so that the doges who ruled for life would not be elected, but would receive power by inheritance. There were even uprisings. During one of them, one of the Doges, Vitaly II, died. After this, in 1172, elections of deputies to the Great Council (something like a parliament) were announced. It became the highest representative and deliberative body, whose powers significantly reduced the power of the doges.

The Republic of Venice reached the peak of its power under Doge Enrico Dandolo (13th century). Relying on the French crusaders, she conquered Constantinople in 1204, and ruled this city for a short time. When the Byzantine lands were divided, three-eighths of this territory, including the island of Crete, went to the “Queen of the Adriatic”. In 1256, Venice began to fight with the Genoese Republic. The fighting was prolonged and gave an advantage to one side or the other. In 1381, Genoa was defeated and the territory of Venice began to gradually grow with new possessions. In the second half of the 15th century, the Ionian Islands were conquered, and already in 1489 the island of Cyprus was annexed to the republic.

The end of the 15th century was remarkable for the Serene “Queen of the Adriatic” in many ways. The state was very rich. It was strong from within and commanded respect on the international stage. Venice's enemies were openly afraid of her. Ordinary people also lived very prosperously, since trade and industrial production flourished, and taxation was not burdensome. By modern standards, governance was generally democratic. True, political crimes were still punished.

Difficult times began for the Republic of St. Mark starting in the 16th century. Moreover, due to objective circumstances. Just before this, the Portuguese navigator Vasco de Gama discovered sea ​​route to the East Indies (1498), which gradually deprived Venice of its monopoly on this trade direction. Then the warlike Ottomans captured Constantinople, and step by step began to take away their previous territorial acquisitions from the Venetians. In 1571, Venice had to cede Cyprus to the Turks, and in 1669, Crete. The republic’s relations with the Catholic Church also developed coolly. Pope Paul V at that time founded the League, which encroached on the independence of the maritime republic. Defending her right to exist, she survived this struggle and brushed aside all claims.

However, the Venetian Republic still lost its independence. Napoleon Bonaparte, then still the commander of the Italian army, entered the territory of Styria in 1797. After the invasion, Terraferma (the so-called mainland possessions of Venice) remained in the rear of his troops, whose population rebelled against the invaders. In reply future emperor France declared war on the republic, whose government tried in every possible way to maneuver, but in vain. On May 12, 1797, Doge Ludovico Manin, together with the Great Council, signed an act of abdication. And already on May 16, the victorious troops entered Venice, which they occupied without resistance. On October 17 of the same year, a peace treaty was concluded in Campo Formio, according to which part of the territory former republic went to Austria, part - to the Cisalpine Republic, which later became the Kingdom of Italy. France acquired the Ionian Islands.

Famous people and Venice

The life and fate of many famous people, world-famous personalities - artists, composers, writers, travelers, scientists - were associated with Venice. Some of them were born in this wonderful city, others developed their creativity here, and others lived their last years in it. Let us briefly introduce you to some of these famous personalities.

Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni. Born on June 8, 1671 in Venice, where he died on January 17, 1751. Famous composer and violinist, contemporary of the Baroque era. He gained fame by writing about fifty operas. In his hometown between 1723 and 1740, 28 of them were delivered. Today, the instrumental music he wrote is popular and is regularly performed in many halls.

Giacomo Girolamo Casanova. Born April 2, 1725 in Venice, died June 4, 1798 in Bohemia. He went down in history with his numerous adventures in the love field, which he himself described in his autobiographical book “The Story of My Life.” He is also known as a traveler and adventurer. His piquant memoirs made his name a household name and now every female seducer is called “Casanova”.

Clement XIII(in the world - Carlo della Tore Rezzonico). Pope from 1758 to 1769 (for life). Born March 7, 1693 in Venice. During his pontificate, persecution of the Jesuits began, as the growth of their influence in the royal courts of Europe caused alarm among the Catholic clergy. But the head of the church himself took a wait-and-see attitude. He went down in history as an opponent of the Enlightenment.

Marco Polo. Famous Italian traveler, merchant. Born on September 15, 1254 in Venice, died there on January 8, 1324. The author of the famous work “The Book of the Diversity of the World,” which he wrote after his trip to Asia. To this day, it serves as an invaluable source of information on the history and geography of countries such as China, Mongolia, Iran, India, Armenia, and Indonesia during the Middle Ages.

Richard Wagner. Born May 22, 1813 in Leipzig, died February 13, 1883 in Venice. Famous German composer and outstanding art theorist. He is also known for his reformations in the field of opera. With his creativity he had a significant influence not only on German, but also on musical culture Old World. He was also known for his anti-Semitic views.

Titian(Titian Vecellio). Born around 1488-1490 in Pieve di Cadore, Republic of Venice. Died in Venice on August 27, 1576. Famous Italian painter, personification of the Renaissance. Author of paintings on biblical and mythological themes. He also gained fame as a portrait painter, whose clients were kings, popes and other august persons.

Christian Doppler. Austrian scientist, physicist. Born in Salzburg on November 29, 1803, died in Venice on March 17, 1853. He established and substantiated such a phenomenon as the dependence of the frequency of wave oscillations perceived by an observer on the speed and direction of their source and observer in relation to each other, called the “Doppler effect.” Now used in ultrasound diagnostics.

Venice today

Venice today is one of the largest tourist, cultural and industrial centers in Italy. The population of the city, which is administrative center the Veneto region and the Venice region, according to the 2009 census, is 270.4 thousand people. As before, it occupies the territory of 118 islands in the Adriatic. They are connected to each other by canal “streets” branching off from the Canal Grande (Grand Canal). It is considered the main “street” here and one of the main attractions. It is impressive with its “dimensions”: length 3.8 km, width - from 0.3 to 0.7 m, depth about 5 m. It seems to divide Venice into two parts, but not equal in size. On both sides of it there are picturesque palace buildings and houses, which creates a unique panorama.

Group Venetian Islands fenced off from the bay of the same name by islands-spits, long and narrow (Lido, Alberoni, Malamocco, etc.). They are connected to the Italian mainland by two- and four-kilometer bridges. Highways run parallel to each other along them and railways, breaking off at the city borders. In Venice itself there are no buses, no trolleybuses, no trams, no taxis, no metro, and this circumstance makes it one of a kind and inimitable.

Modern Venice is a museum under open air. Let's name just a few of the attractions of this ancient city. This central square San Marco , cathedral of the same name, Golden House , Doge's Palace , city Museum Corner, Bridge of Sighs, Campanile (Bell tower), Rialto Bridge, Clock Tower, church Santa Maria della Salute , gothic church Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (second in importance after the Cathedral of San Marco), Naval Museum and others.

Every year the famous Venice Carnival takes place here - a costume festival that precedes the forty-day fast before Catholic Easter. The first mention of the carnival dates back to 1094. The Venice International Film Festival is also held here, which is the oldest in the world: it was founded back in 1932 by the Italian Duce Benito Mussolini.

Another interesting fact about Venice. The city is located Cathedral St. George the Victorious. It is he who is the repository of the right hand of St. Basil the Great. This Orthodox shrine was acquired in Constantinople in 1528 by Father Gabriel, who later became the first Metropolitan of Venice.

Cities similar to Venice

Spanish Venice - Epmuriabava

Epmuryabawa- small resort town Mediterranean coast Costa Brava.

Thanks to a dense network of canals, more than 25 kilometers long, which form a shipping system, this place is very popular for yacht lovers. The number of berths reaches five thousand. Unlike Venice local residents can use not only water, but also land transport to get home.

Portuguese Venice - Iveru

Walking on water can also be done in Portugal, in a town called Iver. The main water channel is the gateway to the city. The most famous boats are the Moliceiros boats, which used to be popular with seaweed collectors. Another highlight is the Convento de Jesus, which became famous thanks to one of the princesses who rejected court life.

American Venice - Fort - Lordale

There is also a place in the USA where people move on water. It is located in resort town Fort Lauderdale, in Florida. A modern network of water channels allows even small vessels such as yachts to move smoothly. This type of boat is very popular, and one of the attractions is the Christmas Yacht Parade, which is held every year on December 14th.

Chinese Venice - Zhounzhuang

Zhounzhuang one of the most scenic spots in China. The town is surrounded on all sides by many rivers and lakes, which feed the water canals. The city itself is so ancient that the history of its foundation goes back nine centuries. The bridges of this city are famous among tourists. And also the beautiful architecture will not leave anyone indifferent.