The Most Beautiful City In Europe

Venice, The Most Beautiful City In Europe
Written by Gabriel Popa on December 9th 2010
Venice is the main city of the Veneto region and north-east Italy. Venice currently has 266,181 inhabitants and it is the capital of the province with the same name. The city and the lagoon were declared patrimony of humanity by UNESCO in 1979 The Republic of Venice was and it is known under the following names: “Republic of St. Mark” (La Repubblica di San Marco), “Lion’s Republic” (La Repubblica del Leone), “Preasenina” (Serenissima) and others. There aren’t certain aspects of the origin of the city: although local legend accredits March 25, 421 as the year when the city was founded, it seems that Venice was born as a result of the flow of refugees who have left the Padan Plain under the threat of the Longobarde invasion in northern Italy in the year 568
Located at the cultural border with the Byzantine Empire, Venice has developed a strong sense of independence that led to the formation of a city state. Political leader was the Doge (Latin dux), theoretically elected for life, but in practice, especially in the first centuries of existence of the community, often forced to abandon its mandate as a result of unsatisfactory results of their own government.
In the peak of its power, Venice controlled much of the Adriatic coast, many islands in the Ionian and Aegean Sea, was the principal military power in the eastern Mediterranean and among the main forces in the Middle East trade. The highlight of the Venetian colonial empire was reached after the Fourth Crusade, in the time of the Doge Enrico Dandolo when, as a consequence of the conquest of Constantinople by Venetian and non-Venetian Crusaders in 1204 was founded the Latin Empire of Constantinople, a State dominated commercially by the Republic of Venice, and the latter came into possession of several islands in the Aegean Sea and the Friulane region.
Thus, in the second half of that century, Venetian domination stretched up the river Adda, including new towns, such as Bergamo and Brescia. In the eighteenth century, Venice was one of the finest cities in Europe, with a great influence in the arts, architecture and literature of that period. The Republic Veneto comprised Veneto, Istria, Dalmatia, Cattaro (now Kotor) and part of Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. But after 1070 years of independence, on May 12, 1797 the city was conquered by Napoleon Bonaparte. The Doge Ludovico Manin is forced by Napoleon to abdicate and to dissolve the Council of the Republic proclaimed Provisional Government of Venice Municipality.
On May 16, 1797 French troops occupied the city. In October, 1797, the “City of Venice” ceased to exist, being ceded to Austria. Veneto, Istria, Dalmatia and Cattaro formed the Austrian Empire province of Venice. Austrians entered the city on January 18, 1798. Since 1866, Venice entered in the composition of the Kingdom of Italy. Today the city of Venice is divided into six districts: Dorsoduro, Santa Croce, San Polo, San Marco, Cannaregio and Castello, comprising 118 islands, 354 bridges and 177 canals.
Piazza San Marco can be considered “the heart center” of the city, one of the most beautiful in the world. Herein lays the Basilica San Marco, Palazzo Ducal and the Basilica’s bell tower. Another symbol of the city is on the Rialto Bridge with shops. Other important monuments in Venice are: Arsenal, Santa Maria della Salute Basilica and the Basilica Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari.
The main channels of the city are the Grand Canal and the Canale della Giudecca. The first divides the city into two tracing an S and the second separates the old center of the island of Giudecca. Other points worthy of note are the islands of Murano, Burano, Torcello, Lido di Venezia and Pellestrina. Murano is perhaps the most famous island in the lagoon with an important tradition in the craft of glass processing. Burano quickly attract attention with brightly colored houses, famous for its embroidery. Torcello, considered the lowest of the lagoon islands, has a noble past, even though today has dozens of people. Lido di Venezia is a strip of land that stretches into the sea. Here you can go by car and you can sunbathe. Pellestrina delimits with Lido, Chioggia peninsula and peninsula Jesolo, by the lagoon.
Venice offers guests a very romantic atmosphere, but you should not let the city’s air to completely numb you but to take full advantage of its beauty. Venice has plenty of sights worth visiting in the gondola or simply during a walk. Venice has plenty of tourist attractions and you can see in detail below, some of them.
Basilica di San Marco is Venice’s most famous church and one of the best examples of Byzantine architecture. It is located in Piazza San Marco. Initially the church was a chapel for Venetian leaders. In 1807 Venice was the seat of the Patriarch. Thanks to its opulent shape, decorated with Byzantine mosaics and because of its status as a symbol of Venetian wealth and power it has been named the Golden Church (Chiesa d’Oro).
The outside of the church is divided into five arches separated by columns decorated with polychrome marble. Above the central door is a mosaic overlaid with gold (nineteenth century) representing the Last Judgment. At the top of the church are four statues of saints and warriors of San Marco who watches over the city. Above the central window of the façade, under the statue of San Marco is the winged lion (symbol of the church) and in the middle balcony are the Roman horses.
The interior is based on a Greek cross with each arm divided in three parts. The church building was inspired by the Church of the Apostles in Justinian Constantinople. The surface is covered with mosaic of 8000 m2. Upper surface of the interior is covered with brilliant mosaics which contain gold, bronze and a variety of stones. If you want to visit the church you must be careful how you dress; you can not go with large luggage, photographing or videotaping, loud conversations are prohibited.
Piazza San Marco is Venice’s most famous market surrounded by great cafes and boutiques. In New York, every tourist has to go in Times Square, in London Trafalgar Square or Piccadilly Circus and in Paris the Concorde Square. Equivalent in Venice is the Piazza San Marco. It differs from its foreign counterparts in two major aspects: it is much more attractive and has not been corrupted by car traffic. Napoleon called the Piazza San Marco “the most beautiful reception in Europe.”
The square was paved at the end of the thirteenth century with bricks arranged in mosaic form. In 1723 bricks were replaced with a more complex pavement composed of volcanic rocks and crossed by dark geometric shapes made of white Istrian stone. The last paving was done in 1890 due to “degradation and fashion.” Piazza San Marco is the lowest point in Venice, and because of this it is the first to be flooded when storms in the Adriatic Sea when it rains or even more.
Although Venice is divided into islands and canals, the Grand Canal is the only really great channel. It has an “S” form in the mirror and it has approximately 3.8 km long, 30-90 wide and an average depth of 5 meters. Grand Canal is the highest rated district in Venice: the houses are older (built between the XIII – XVIII centuries), decorations are on a much larger scale and has the easiest transport boats with the largest boats in city traffic. It is normal when you believe this channel offers greater opportunities for any visitor to see the buildings that it delineates.
Until the nineteenth century to carry traffic along the channel for which there is only one bridge crossing the canal (Rialto Bridge). There have also been built two other bridges: Scalzi Bridge and the bridge of the Academy and another is under construction. Transport channel bus is either water or private water taxis (gondolas). Canal stretches from Laguna to San Marco basin. Grand Canal is truly enchanting magic contributing to one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari Basilica – the largest church in Venice is in the middle of the San Polo district. The imposing brick edifice is built in Gothic style in Italy. As there are many Venetian churches, the exterior is simple, free prints and the interior wall of the timber contains only the choir. Built originally in the thirteenth century, the Glorious Church of Santa Maria dei Frari in Venice houses many works of art such as “Madonna with child and saints” dating from 1482 and “The Virgin of the Pesaro family”, which was burned in the church.
Doge’s Palace in Venice is a superb example of Venetian Gothic architecture. It served as a Senate, administrative center, courts, public archive and prison until 1797 when the Venetian republic fell. First built in the ninth century, the Doge’s Palace was rebuilt several times since 1340, with the construction of Hall Councils, really began to take shape. Doge’s choice was private and lasted city 1000 years since 697 until 1789. In the Council Hall are 76 paintings of the first Doges.
Palace decoration is impressive. The 36 capitals of the lower colonnade include sculptures of animals, flowers and representations of the months. The sculptures also contain scenes of Judgment of Solomon, Noah, Adam and Eve with the Archangel Gabriel etc. On entering the palace is a huge courtyard. Climbing the ladder giants (Scala dei giants), you can see statues of Neptune and Mars, and then get to see the lodge on the first floor. This is the place where were crowned after a meeting that was held in the Church of San Marco. Golden Scale (Scala d’Oro) leads to a succession of rooms in the XVI century, among them the private rooms of the Doges.
Ca ‘d’Oro is the most beautiful castle on the Grand Canal. The palace was built between 1428 and 1430 for the Contarini family, who were Doges between 1043 and 1676. After the elections, each would leave their palace and move to the Doge’s Palace. Main facade on the Grand Canal was built in Venetian Gothic style, floral. In this style were built the Palace and the Palace Giustinian Barbaro.
Downstairs, the lodge allows access to a channel directly from the entrance hall. Above the colonnade is the main room balcony. Columns balcony have capitals (instead of combining with the upper poles) that support the windows above them in the form of clover. Above this balcony is another similar to the lower balcony. Describing the style of the palace you can say that it is a combination of a medieval church and a Maur temple.
San Giorgio Maggiore is one of the Venice islands lying to the south of the main island. Channel Island is surrounded by della Grazia, Canal della Giudecca, San Marco Basin, Canal di San Marco and south of Laguna. The island was probably occupied during the Roman occupation and has the name Memmi Island (after the family that owned it). Since 829 had a church dedicated to St. George (San Giorgio).
San Giorgio Monastery was founded in 982 when the Doge Tribuno Memmo donated the island to a monk. In the early nineteenth century, after the fall of the republic, the monastery was almost forbidden; the island became a public place with a port built in 1812. It became host of Venetian artillery.

from - http://www.metrolic.com/venice-the-most-beautiful-city-in-europe-151538/