According to acronymmonster.com, Venice stands on 118 small islands between the mainland and the Adriatic Sea. The city is pierced by 160 canals, over which more than 400 bridges are thrown. It seems that the city has grown right out of the water.

The first settlement on the site of present-day Venice appeared in the 5th century BC. The heyday of this city fell on the period from the 9th to the 16th centuries, when it became a major center of intermediary trade between Western Europe and the East. In the Middle Ages, Venice was a republic headed by a doge, and later the city came under the rule of Italy.

The central transport artery of the city is the Grand Canal, which is surrounded by buildings of the 13th-18th centuries. Its length is 3800 m, its width varies from 30 to 70 m. The Grand Canal divides the city into 3 districts, which are connected by 3 bridges. You can ride through the canals on old gondolas, which are controlled by a single oar by a gondolier, but the pleasure is not cheap. Gondolas, like the art of driving them, are passed down from generation to generation. The best place to

start your tour of Venice is St. Mark’s Square, where the majestic St. Mark’s Basilica stands.. The cathedral was built in the 11th century, the floor is lined with marble, and the walls are with golden mosaics. St. Mark’s Cathedral houses a real masterpiece of jewelry art – a golden altarpiece studded with precious stones. It was made by the Venetian master Giampaolo Bonisegna in 1345.

On three sides, the square is surrounded by galleries, in which the most famous cafes are located, among them the oldest cafe in Europe “Florian.” The square has access to the lagoon, which is why this is the first place where all tourists come to Venice by boat. When floods occur in Venice, and this happens most often in autumn and winter, the area is flooded and then wooden flooring is installed here.

The Doge’s Palace is also located in St. Mark’s Square. In past centuries it was the official residence of the rulers of Venice. Here is the largest room in the world, the ceiling of which is not supported by pillars – the Hall del Magjor Consiglio. The palace is connected to the prison by the Bridge of Sighs; it got its name from the fact that in past centuries prisoners were escorted along it.

Another symbol of Venice is the Rialto Bridge. Previously, it was wooden, and the last version of the bridge in stone was built in the 16th century. The bridge is located in the commercial center of Venice with the same name. Now in this area it is interesting to visit the noisy market, as well as the oldest church in Venice – Chiesa di San Giacomo di Rialto, which was founded in 421, at the same time as the formation of the city.

Many palaces in Venice now house museums, such as the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (the largest collection of modern art in Italy), the Museum of Venice, the Naval Museum, the Accademia Gallery and the Correr City Museum.

The whole world knows one of the islands of Venice – Murano – the birthplace of the famous Murano glass. It is located 1.5 km from Venice. The island has a museum, workshops and exhibitions of Venetian glass. Glassblowers have long been considered in Italy the top of society. The ancient Romans back in 50 BC. came up with a method of glass blowing, and to this day, Venetian glass is considered one of the most beautiful in the world, and also has an extraordinary hardness.

Every year at the end of winter, Venice hosts a colorful carnival. Initially, the inhabitants of the city held mass festivities in honor of the god Saturn during the winter solstice. The main attributes of any carnival were costumes and masks, designed to hide social differences and equalize everyone for the duration of the holiday. Now thousands of tourists come to the Venetian Carnival. Performances are held on St. Mark’s Square, carnival processions, concerts, fireworks are arranged, masquerade balls are given in the ancient palaces of the city, and on the streets of Venice the townspeople come out in the costumes of Harlequin, Pierrot, Pantaloon and Columbine.