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Venice , the Serenissima
Romantic , timeless , tremendous ... abounding attributes to celebrate Venice . Yet , the fascinating city of lovers is one of the most important tourist destinations in the world for its celebrated art and architecture , attracting about 20 million tourists each year .
“ Whoever has seen her does not believe in what is said about her and who sees her hardly believes in what he saw ." As professed by the poet Luigi Groto in his " Praise of Venice " in 1570 , Venice lovers are bewitched by the eternal city ’ s ravishing culture and architecture . The " miraculous land of water " learned to tame the lagoon ’ s wet soil and the tides , thanks to its first architects ’ ingenuity . What once was a lagoon inhabited by fishermen and refugees during antiquity , became an undisputed maritime power over the centuries . Permanent building succeeded the first precarious housings . The floors have been drained to allow the installation of piles and platforms in planks , oaks or larches . The ground strengthened and levelled , the Venetians were able to tackle the construction of houses and palaces .
A laborious technique that transforms the biggest building sites into titanic works , following the example of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute , which rests on 1 006 657 four-meter long stilts . Following several fires that ravaged the city during the 12th century , the wood used to build palaces was replaced by brick and stone from Istria , leading to major renovations . Facing a constant population increase , Venice has gradually conquered the sea . Today , it is estimated that 80 to 90 % of the city was built on water , which causes at the beginning of spring , the submersion of part of the city .
Each building or monument bears witness to a history shaped by the various artistic influences that Venice experienced . The " barbarian invasions " mingled with the Venetian aesthetics , offer us the most dazzling creations that can still be admired . The Byzantine style is very present in Venetian architecture , as attested by the renowned Saint Mark ' s Basilica ( considered today as one of the greatest architectural jewels of Byzantine art ), the Church of St . Sophia and the first Palaces built on the Grand Canal . The flowery Gothic , born of the meeting between Venetian , Tuscan and Lombard artists , characterized by its refined and abundant decorations , radiates on Venice from the 14th to the mid 15th century . The
Palace of the Doges is its most sumptuous illustration . This building , where the magistrates and the Venetian administration sat , unveils the symbiosis of the Byzantine , Gothic and Venetian styles , achieved by the 14th century best architects and decorators - such as Filippo Calendario , Pietro Baseggio , Sansovino , Veronese and Le Tintoretto . Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria della Salute churches are part of the Renaissance that emerged in Italy at the end of the 15th century . Faced with this unique architectural heritage , Venetian painting is not left behind . Venice
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