Why Build Venice?

Venice is one of the most well known cities around the world, renowned for its canals and history alike. Recent floods however have caused many to wonder if it was wise to build a city in the middle of a lagoon, leaving many people, myself included, wondering why did they build a Venice?

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[dantevortex]

People have been building settlements in the most awkward of places since the dawn of time. I'm pretty sure we will keep doing so forever.

[ws]

Two interesting facts I learned when in Venice:
One major factor in Venice's sinking is that early in the 20th Century, industry around the lagoon began pumping groundwater. The fresh water aquifer extended below the sea and under Venice. Venice was supported partially by hydrostatic pressure in that aquifer.

Second: The wood pylons under the city were not only protected from rot in the anaerobic mud, but over the thousands of years have mineralized -- basically, they are turning to stone.

[FFieramonte]

As one of the few 55.000 born, raised, and living in this extraordinary place, I want to say thank you for this beautiful video! I loved it

[mathiasoddernicolajsen]

“Venice truly *WAS* an amazing city”

This man already Living in 2040

[dojokonojo]

Italians: Venice, why do you live on an island?
Venetians: The spice must flow.

[nikolajankovic]

"We"?? I didn't do nothing, leave me out of it

[dougg]

Just think, back in the day if you wanted to learn this you would have to go to the library and check out several large books and read it all to get the abridged info given here. Let the knowledge flow.

[ian-hmcx]

"The city was founded in 421 CE"
*We were on the verge of greatness. We were this close*

[ChaseABeasley]

It is a bit shocking to hear no mention of the city's relationship with the Eastern Roman Empire or "Byzantium". It was quite integral.

[obaiahmed]

My man really went to Europe and took these bomb pics

[afjer]

So you're telling me that wood pylons stuck in mud for over 1500 years haven't rotted away but are still sinking?

[danieleinternicola]

4:29 is Monteriggioni, a medieval walled town in Tuscany, pretty close to Siena and very far from Veneto region.

[cheesecakeerwin]

One other important reason for the "sinking" of Venice is the usage of groundwater from under Venice, which has also caused a lot of sinking.

[guiorgy]

"The choice was easy for most invaders"
A certain invader: "Nah, that would be too easy!"

[jackcampell]

Wait so if Venice wasn’t created, the America’s would’ve been found at a much later date most likely and would be completely different.

[vrgramajo]

Italians: you know what this lagoon needs? A friking city that's it

[IdRatherNotHaveAHandleThankYou]

How about the Dutch Polders? That could be an intresting video.


Just a suggestion.

[msherd]

I wrote my college thesis on tourism and Venice. I think a video on the phenomenon of overtourism to places like Venice would be really interesting for this channel!

[howardvernon]

This is a great gold historical nugget of history. The presentation of Venice is outstanding. It covers geology, architecture, pre and post Roman European history, tribal migrations, the motivation to build in a muddy lagoon, and the Venetian economic empire(something I did not know the extent of). All based on salt and spice. Venice had to be a naval power to protect the economic sealanes. Sound familiar? England, Netherlands, US...

[falconpaaaawnch]

"The Roman empire fell due to an influx of foreign refugees."

"The venetian people were displaced by foreign invaders and built a new city of venice on an island to protect themselves from foreign invaders in the future"

5 minutes later

"Venice is a perfect example of how giving refugees a safe place to live leads to economic prosperity for an entire region"

nice 1 m8