Authors: Cornelia Funke
The Thief Lord (28 page)
Welcome to Venice! (Benvenuto a Venezia!)
you'd
like to have a few adventures of your own in Venice someday. If so, this guide to Venice, Italy, packed with interesting tidbits and tips, is perfect for you -- whether you're planning a trip or just want to learn more about this fascinating city!
But first, let's find out if Venice is a place you'd enjoy visiting. ...
Quiz: Would You Enjoy a Trip to Venice?
True
or
False
to the questions below.
1)
I want to visit the places where
The Thief Lord's
adventures unfold.
2)
It would be fun to take a boat ride down a canal.
3)
I love eating pizza and pasta and would like to try the smooth, creamy ice cream known as
gelato.
4)
I enjoy looking at beautiful buildings, sculptures, and paintings.
5)
I would like to learn to speak Italian.
If you answered
True
to three or more of these questions, then you would have a blast traveling to Venice!
So How Did Today's Venice Come to Be?
Legend has it that Venice was founded in 421 AD, on April 25th. The twenty-fifth of April is St. Mark's Day, and St. Mark (in Italian,
San Marco)
is the patron saint of Venice. The winged lion that represents Venice is also a symbol of St.
Mark. lit
Byzantine Empire, the Venetians officially elected their own leader -- the first
Doge
(or Duke), named Orso Ipato. After that, Venice went on to establish itself as a powerful center for trade and commerce. During the Middle Ages, the Venetian merchant Marco Polo made his famous journey from Venice to the Far East, bringing back with him, among many other things, the Chinese recipe for noodles . . . that developed into Italian pasta!
Despite enduring two ravaging plagues -- one in 1848 and the other in 1630 -- Venice continued to thrive. In 1737, Napoleon conquered the Venetian Republic, and Venice became part of the Austrian Hapsburg Empire. In 1860, the republic won its independence from the Hapsburgs, and, in 1866, Venice became part of Italy. Fortunately, Venice's buildings and sculptures survived unharmed during "World War I (1914-18) and World War II (1939-45). In 1966, a huge flood caused serious damage, since the water rose higher than the floor level of many buildings. Some of Venice's ancient buildings are still in a bit of disrepair, but are as beautiful as ever.
Venice has a varied and exciting history and will certainly continue to grow and change over time. As a very popular tourist spot, as well as a bustling urban center, the future looks bright for Venice.
The Top Five Things to Do and See in Venice
There is so much to do in Venice, you could spend weeks there and never once be bored. It's nearly impossible to narrow down Venice's many exciting options to just five picks, but the activities listed below are good basics to start with. And remember that Venice is also a great city for walking: Exploring the winding alleyways, rummaging through mask shops, and stopping by the Campo San Polo -- the city's biggest square -- for some playtime are a few of the best ways to spend your time there!
What makes Venice one of the world's most unique cities is its 177 canals. The largest canal is the majestic
Grand Canal,
which runs from
Piazzele
Roma to the
Piazza San Marco.
If you want to explore Venice by water, you've got tons of fun options. There are
gondolas,
the flat-bottomed boats that are poled by
gondoliers.
Gondola rides usually last about an hour and are most magical at night. Then there are
vaporettos,
or water buses, that go up and down the Grand Canal regularly, as well as plentiful water taxis. Keep an eye out for colorful fire-boats,
sanpiemtas,
and
bragozzas. A
ride in any of these types of boats is sure be amazing!
3) Feed the birds
As you know from
The Thief Lord,
Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square)
is the very heart of Venice. This bustling square is full of cafes, beautiful palaces, musicians playing, and, of course, lots of pigeons (remember Victor?). The pigeons in Piazza San Marco are practically famous; just buy a little bag of corn and start feeding the hungry cluckers. Soon you'll have made lots of feathery new friends!
In Piazza San Marco is the famous
Basilica San Marco,
which is a huge, ornate, ancient church. Wandering through the amazing building is a great experience. Be sure to check out
the porch of the church to see replicas of the four life-size bronze horses, brought over in the i3th century. (The original bronze horses are in the museum in the basilica.) Near the basilica is the
Tower of the Clock,
where two figures beat their hammers on a large bell to chime the hour. And you can even climb up into the tower to see how the clockworks!
4)Fit for a Doge
Also in Piazza San Marco is one of Venice's most spectacular palaces: The Doge's Palace. As noted above,
doge
means duke; this palace was the official home of the 130 doges who ruled Venice from 697 to 1797. The palace is filled with lots of different rooms for you to tour. One of the best -- if spookiest -- parts of the palace is its old prison. Be sure to make your way through the labyrinth of narrow passageways, and read the graffiti scratched onto the walls by prisoners over the centuries. Then, pay a visit to the armory, which features a fascinating collection of weapons and suits of armor from all over the world!
Mangia!
That's "eat!" in Italian, and in Venice, there is plenty of eating to be done. There is, of course, delicious pizza to be had nearly everywhere, and pasta comes in all shapes and sizes -- some in the shape of masks or gondolas! -- and with a variety of sauces, from creamy to tomato. As would be expected of a city surrounded by water, fish and seafood are staples of Venice's
And no trip to Venice would be complete without a taste -- or many -- of
gelato.
This rich, creamy ice cream is an Italian specialty, and you can enjoy an array of flavors, from chocolate to vanilla to hazelnut.
Gelatarias
can be found everywhere, so be sure to stop by one for a delicious dessert.
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