Did You Know?

Did you know that Venice is home to the world's oldest operating casino? The Casino di Venezia, located in the Palazzo Vendramin-Calergi, opened in 1638 and continues to welcome visitors to try their luck at various games of chance in a historic setting.

Did you know that Venice experiences an annual phenomenon called "Acqua Alta"? During certain times of the year, particularly in winter, high tides cause flooding in some parts of the city. Wooden walkways, known as "pontoon" bridges, are temporarily set up to allow pedestrians to navigate through the flooded areas.

Did you know that Venice is known as the "Floating City" or "City of Water"? This nickname is due to the absence of roads and cars within the historic center of Venice. Instead, transportation is primarily conducted by boats and water taxis, making it a truly distinctive and charming city to explore.

Venice, Italy is built on more than 100 small islands and has over 400 bridges connecting them all together. The city has no roads, only canals and footpaths.

Did you know that Venice has over 400 footbridges? These bridges play a crucial role in connecting different parts of the city, spanning the canals and allowing pedestrians to move around. The most famous and iconic bridge in Venice is the Rialto Bridge, which dates back to the late 16th century.

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Experience Breathtaking Art At The Church Of San Polo

With so many grand Roman Catholic churches and basilicas in Venice, the Church of San Polo (which should arguably be, and is more often called, San Paolo, after the apostle Paul) is modest by comparison. It is still an important landmark, rich with artworks, and worth a visit.

It would be easy to stumble past this church without realizing its context among the great ecclesiastical buildings of Venice. While San Paolo was built in the 15th century, a church has stood on these grounds since the 800s. In fact, the original 9th century doorway is included as the entryway to the current building. But its red brick facade is not lavish and its interior isn’t gilded or dripping with elaborate details; this is a Gothic design, and it was the Byzantine bling that made so many other Venetian churches rich with accoutrements and minute fussiness.

Nonetheless, San Paolo, like the others, is its own art gallery, mostly featuring the works of Giandomenico Tiepolo. Its two great pieces by Tintoretto are: “The Last Supper” and “The Assumption of the Virgin with Saints”. Not too shabby for a smaller venue with an unpretentious presence.