Venice Italy, known for its canals, bridges, gondolas, and beautiful architecture, is one of the most famous cities in Italy and one of the most unique cities in the world. Venice is situated on several small islands separated by canals and joined by a series of some 400 bridges. On this page you will find a short description of this city written in lists of interesting facts. This information includes where Venice is located, how it got its name, and why it is such a major tourist attraction. These facts are written for both kids and adults.
Venice Italy Quick Facts
Venice (Italian: Venezia) is the capital city of the Veneto region of Italy.
Venice is located in north eastern Italy on 118 small islands in the Venetian Lagoon; which is an enclosed bay on the Adriatic Sea. The canals that separate these small islands are connected by numerous bridges.
The climate of this city is classified as Mediterranean which has hot humid summers and cold winters with a significant amount of rain.
The 2017 population of Venice is estimated to be around 267,836.
Interesting Venice Italy Facts
There are no cars in Venice, cars are not allowed and besides that the roads in Venice are too narrow for cars to drive on.
Tourism is one of the city's main industries.
Major Venice tourist attractions include St. Mark's Square, St. Mark's Basilica, the Grand Canal, Rialto Bridge, Bridge of Sighs, Santa Maria della Salute, and Doge's Palace.
The iconic symbol of Venice is the gondola. These long slender boats can be seen shuttling tourist through the canals of the city.
Due to the soft sediment deposits Venice is built on and rising sea levels the city is slowly sinking; in fact, by about 9 inches over the last century. In 2003 underwater gates were installed at inlets to the Venetian Lagoon to hold back sea water during high tides.
Nicknames used for this city include City of Bridges, The Floating City, City of canals, and Queen of the Adriatic.
The famous explorer and merchant Marco Polo (1254 - 1324) was born in Venice.
Antonio Lucio Vivaldi, a famous composer, was born in Venice in 1678.
Venice History Facts
Venice gets its name from the ancient Veneti people who inhabited the region that is now Venice Italy. Over time these ancient people assimilated into Roman culture.
Venice was a sovereign state from the 8th century all the way up to the 18th century. It was prosperous and an important trading power in the Middle Ages and during the Renaissance.
In 1815 Venice was annexed by the Austrian Empire at the Congress of Vienna, which was a meeting of representatives from European states after the Napoleonic Wars.
The city became part of the Kingdom of Italy in 1866 after the Third Italian War of Independence.