Thread: Odds n' Ends about Venice

A thread for posting interesting
little facts and other tidbits about
Venice, Italy

I'll start off with some tidbits about Venice's most well-known features, its canals and gondolas:

ABOUT THE CANALS AND GONDOLAS

• Venice is built on an archipelago of 118 islands formed by about 150 canals in a shallow lagoon.
• The islands on which the city is built are connected by about 400 bridges.
• In the old center, the canals serve the function of roads, and every form of transport is on water or on foot.
• The classical Venetian boat is the gondola, although it is now mostly used for tourists, or for weddings, funerals, or other ceremonies. Most Venetians now travel by motorised waterbuses ("vaporetti") which ply regular routes along the major canals and between the city's islands

Venice has an extremely large population of feral cats.
Many of them live in colonies... and the feral cat colonies are protected by law.
A few years ago, one of the small islands between Venice and the Lido was designated as a shelter for homeless cats and kittens.

Most everyone there, apparently, puts out food for them at night.

They are considered essential . . . probably for keeping down the warf-rat population.






Picture from Venice Cats - Venice for Visitors

"The Venetians are tolerant of cats. In fact, the cats of Venice are cherished, fed, and watched over by people who appreciate the serenity and self-sufficiency of cats. ... In the watery world of gondolas and bridges, cats and people live together comfortably."

- - Shin Otani, in his book
The Cats of Venice

(Available on Amazon, if you're interested. . . around $12.00, hardcover)

Generally Venice only has high water in Autumn and Winter and even then it is not every day that the streets are flooded. However when a higher than usual tide is expected in the city, sirens blare to warn the population so that they can prepar themselves. Maps as posted at the boat stops showing alternative pedestian routes around the city that are equipped with special footbridges to avoid the high water and to reach the main parts of Venice

- FROM VeNETia - The Web Site of Venice Italy Guide - Venise - Venedig

Some tidbits about the arts:

THE ARTS

• Antonio Vivaldi, violinist and composer of "The Four Seasons" was a Venitian
• Canvases (the common painting surface) originated in Venice during the early renaissance. These early canvases were generally rough
• Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" and Othello" were set in Venice
• Venetian glass is a type of glass object,which originated there in the13th century primarily on the island of Murano. It is world-renowned for being colorful, elaborate, and skilfully made

Venezuela actually means "Little Venice"

Marco Polo was from Venice

St Mark is the Patron Saint of Venice. On St Mark's day (April 25th), the men of Venice give their Mothers, wives, and girlfriends a red rose, then go race gondolas in the lagoon.

Here's a website offering boat and minivan tours of Venice:

tours of Venice,tours of Veneto and tours of Italy

An absolutely beautiful photo of a Venice Canal, taken by one of our CLF members:






Want to see more? Here's a link to pictures of Venice in our CLF Cruise Gallery:
http://www.cruiselinefans.com/gallery/showgallery.php?si=Venice&limit=

I had no idea Venice had so many cats. I look forward to being there and seeing them. It will be hard for me not to pick them up.

I am with ya there, houch.

IMO, some of the best people in the world are cats.