The beautiful canals, the maze of small streets and gondolas are the things that make Venice. This island has been, for a long time, one of the main tourist attractions in Italy as travellers come to enjoy the beautiful place. The city is full of mysteries, fascinating stories and history. If you are ready to learn more about this island, brace yourself because we will give you seven fascinating things about Venice that you might not know.
The beautiful canals, the maze of small streets and gondolas are the things that make Venice. This island has been, for a long time, one of the main tourist attractions in Italy as travellers come to enjoy the beautiful place. The city is full of mysteries, fascinating stories and history. If you are ready to learn more about this island, brace yourself because we will give you seven fascinating things about Venice that you might not know.
Venice has Narrow Streets
One thing you are guaranteed in Venice is a good view. In fact, the city has the narrowest streets in the world. For instance, the Calletta Varisco is only 53 cm across. So, it is not a street you will stroll when holding hands with the love of your life. However, what is more amazing than manoeuvring the narrow streets and sometimes getting lost in the labyrinth?
Venice Might Be Sinking
Venice is in a precarious position, and it continues to get worse. According to studies, around 1-2 mm of the city sinks yearly, and the situation has worsened due to aqua alta or high water vents. So, Venice may be sinking slowly. The city may become extinct due to climate change, causing a reduction of water and the Adriatic plates that continue to shift.
The City Has its Unique Language
Another unique thing you may learn about Venice is its dialect or Venexian. According to some linguists, Venexian is a different dialect from Italian. However, there is a prediction that Venexian may be disappearing. The mixture of other languages like Greek, Latin and Arabic may influence this.
Venetians Could Be Disappearing
The population in Venice may disappear by 2023. This may be because of the massive population shift to other parts of Italy. Thirty years ago, the city had a population of more than 120,000 inhabitants. Now, the city holds less than 60,000 people.
Venice Has Over 400 Bridges
Another fascinating thing is that Venice is a combination of 118 islands knit together with more than 400 bridges. However, some bridges, like Torcello, Murano and Burano, are a bit further and accessible by water taxi or boat. Out of these bridges, only four of them cross the Grand Canal. The Grand Canal is the holy grail of the city aquatic with four bridges- the Ponte dell’Accademia, the Ponte degli Scalzi, the Ponte di Calatrava a Venezia and the Gran Rialto Bridge that features in Shakespeare.
Venice is in the Shape of a Fish
You may already know about this fact if you have viewed the city from above. If not, take an aerial view of Venice, and you will notice it is shaped like a fish, something many people are fascinated about.
There are More than 150 Canals
Venice has more than 150 canals that separate the regions. The islands are accessible through bridges. Even though it is hard to tell how deep the water goes, it is mostly around 2 meters deep. However, the Grand Canal may go deeper than 5 meters. The Canale della Giudecca is also deep, going up to 17 meters.
Summary
If you are visiting Venice, these are seven things you now know about the city. It is beautiful and carries a lot of history.
