Everything needed to be shipped into the city so the Venetians became experts in moving merchandise, in short, traders. At that time, trade between Europe and the Orient was just taking off and the Venetians were in there from the start. Marco Polo, a Venetian trader, did much to open up trade routes to China, bringing back to Venice such exotic eastern dishes as rice and pasta, both still a staple of the Italian people. Situated on the trade route from the Orient to Europe, the Venetians became fabulously rich.

     As the city became richer, the Venetians developed their military skills and their navy became the best in the world, ruling the Mediterranean. They built huge fortifications on islands such as Corfu and Crete. There was never any need for fortifications in the city of Venice itself, however. Due to the huge navy, no attacking ship could get anywhere near to the city.

     Venice was a republic, calling itself La Serenissima - the most serene. It was ruled by a Doge (Duke) but the title was not hereditary. The Doge was elected by the residents of the city, although it was far from the one man one vote system of today - effectively, a small group of noblemen had all the votes. They ruled the city between them and passed the honor of being Doge around among themselves.

     The biggest ceremony of the year was the 'Marriage of the Sea', in which the Doge went out in a ceremonial boat and threw a ring into the lagoon, saying 'We wed you, Sea, as a symbol of our perpetual Rule'. This symbolized both the dependence of Venice on the bounty of the Sea and the rule of it.

     Venice's Golden Age was in the 13th to 15th centuries.

Decline

     The discovery of America in 1492 and the opening of the trade route around the southern tip of Africa in 1498 spelt the beginning of the end for Venice. No longer did the Venetians control all trade with the East. With the rise of the power of the Turks from 1450 onwards, Venice gradually lost control of the Eastern Mediterranean. In addition, there were other city/states in Italy, each anxious for a slice of the action. Venice was under pressure and went into decline. Despite this, it was still a great city, with a flourishing culture of art and music. Painters Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese are world famous, as are composers Monteverdi and Vivaldi. Most of the buildings standing today were built in this period. The end came when Napoleon decided to finish the Venetians once and for all and conquered the city as part of his Austrian campaign in 1797. After Napoleon's own defeat, Venice became an Austrian possession until it was passed over to the newly-founded Republic of Italy in 1866.

     During the decline of the city, a new problem became evident. Venice was sinking into the lagoon. Built on wooden piles sunk into mud, the weight of an entire city was pushing the island down into the mud. As the centuries passed, tides rose higher. By the 20th Century, the city had sunk so far that St Mark's Square was flooded every spring tide. In 1966, storms washed six-foot waves against the outside of the Basilica.

     Numerous studies examined the problem. The city is sinking at an average of five inches every twenty years. It was found that the wells in Venice were at least part of the problem. Every square in Venice has a well in the middle, which is drilled deep into the bedrock below the mud on which the city stands. But as water was drawn out of the well, seawater was percolating down to replace it, washing away the foundations of the city. The decision was made in the late 20th century to close all the wells and to pipe all water into the city from the mainland. Decades later, the city has stopped sinking, but the damage has been done.

     Elaborate plans are being discussed to lower the level of the lagoon by building movable barriers at the three 'gates' where it opens onto the sea. Pumps could then pump out the water and lower the lagoon to an acceptable level. Such a plan, as well as being ferociously expensive, is difficult, because the city needs some ebb and flow of tides to wash out the canals and keep them clean, and the wildlife of the lagoon also depends on the inflow of sea water.

   Still--Venice, or Venezia as it is known in Italian, is an architectural delight, an entire city built on an artificial island in the middle of a lagoon. With palaces, churches and ordinary houses which have not changed since the 16th century, Venice wallows in the past, remembering a time when it was the richest city in the world, bearing the title 'The Most Serene Republic of Venice'.  Another interesting statistic: the Venice Tourist Bureau reports that 50% of tourists who visit Venice will see no more of the city than St. Mark's Square. Yet tourists will feel it's worth every Euro they spend.

     Nowadays, much of the city is falling down, which enhances the charm or detracts from it, depending on your point of view. Many people hate the place, finding it dirty, smelly and crowded with tourists. (Perhaps, staying at the Venetian Hotel at Las Vegas would be more to their liking!) But for others, including myself, it is the ultimate destination.  You will be surprised to find that what you hear and read about Venice...is really true, only more so, so keep an open mind and put up with the distractions and some inconveniences.  Instead, take in the romance and history and you'll find Venice delightful and entrancing!  This may have been the reason that so many movies were made here.