Did You Know?

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 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.

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.

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.

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Gallerie Dell Accademia: An Artistic Masterpiece

Situated on the higher land of Dorsoduro, less vulnerable to the regular occurrence of flooding in Venice, the Gallerie dell’Accademia’s list of exhibited pre-19th century painters would make an art critic weep. Set in the area of the Campo della Carità, the museum was originally a church and convent, converted to other use during the Napoleonic era.

The building dates back to 1343, but there are elements that exist from the previous century. Its two-storey facade is decorative, but not as fussy as so much of the other architecture in Venice. It appears almost demure. But it holds works of art that stagger the artistic imagination.

Now a state-owned museum, the Gallerie della’Accademia houses works of Bellini, Longhi, and Tintoretto, among others (the list is a who’s who of Italian art from the 1800s and prior). Here visitors will admire the famous “Virgin and Child” by Titian. Perhaps the prize piece of the gallery is Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous drawing “Vitruvian Man”, (a sketch showing the five points of a human male) now so fragile and susceptible to light that is it only on display sporadically.