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City guide · Venezia

Venice

A maritime republic built on a lagoon: St Mark's, the Doge's Palace and Carnival

Photo: Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0

Venice has no cars — only canals, little bridges and stone lanes. Around St Mark's Square stand the Republic's thousand years of power and faith: the Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica; and every winter, Carnival puts the whole city back behind masks.

History

How the city came to be

The first Venetians are generally believed to have been people from Roman cities such as Padua and Aquileia who fled to the lagoon to escape invading Germanic tribes and Huns. By tradition, the first doge was elected in 697. Around 828 merchants brought back from Alexandria what were said to be the relics of St Mark, raising Venice's standing; from the 9th to the 12th century Venice grew into a powerful maritime republic. When the Fourth Crusade took Constantinople in 1204 Venice brought home vast plunder, and by the late 13th century it was the richest city in Europe. In 1482 Venice became the printing capital of the world. It then declined with the rise of the Ottoman Empire and Portugal's opening of the sea route to the East; on 12 May 1797 it was conquered by Napoleon, ending the Republic. 'Venice and its Lagoon' became a World Heritage Site in 1987.

  1. 697By tradition, the first doge was elected
  2. 828The relics of St Mark arrived in Venice from Alexandria
  3. 1204The Fourth Crusade took Constantinople and Venice became an imperial power
  4. 1340Work began on today's Gothic Doge's Palace
  5. 1482Became the printing capital of the world
  6. 1797Napoleon conquered Venice, ending the Republic
  7. 1987'Venice and its Lagoon' became a World Heritage Site

Stories

Stories of the city

History · St Mark's Basilica

Bronze horses brought from Constantinople

The Fourth Crusade strayed from its intended course and in 1204 captured and sacked Constantinople, with the aged, blind Doge of Venice, Enrico Dandolo, playing a decisive role. Great quantities of Byzantine spoils were shipped back to Venice, including four gilded bronze horses that had stood in Constantinople's Hippodrome; they were installed above the main entrance of St Mark's Basilica. Since 1974 the originals have been kept indoors, replaced by copies on the balcony.

History · St Mark's Basilica

A saint shipped from Alexandria

Several medieval chronicles record that in 828–829 two Venetian merchants carried the body of St Mark (without the head) from Alexandria in Egypt to Venice. The relics were first placed in a corner tower of the Doge's Palace, then moved into the first St Mark's church when it was completed before 836. St Mark's symbol — the winged lion — has spread across Venice ever since. In 1968 some of the relics were returned to the Coptic Church in Alexandria to be reunited with the head.

Legend · St Mark's Basilica

The angel's prophecy

The basilica's mosaics tell a story of 'predestination': an angel once foretold to St Mark that one day he would be buried in Venice. This legend gave Venice's possession of the saint's relics a 'divine mandate'. The basilica also has a pillar where, it is said, the relics were miraculously found again in 1094, a scene depicted in the mosaic opposite.

People

People connected with Venice

Enrico Dandolo

Middle Ages · c. 1107–1205

Enrico Dandolo

Doge of Venice

1 related places

Must see

Places you shouldn’t miss

The Doge's Palace facing the lagoon

Classic landmarkVenice, Italy (Piazzetta San Marco)

Doge's Palace

The seat of power of the Venetian Republic: the doge's residence, council chambers, courts and prisons were all in this Gothic palace.

The façade of St Mark's Basilica

Classic landmarkVenice (St Mark's Square), Italy

St Mark's Basilica

The Venetian Republic's 'state chapel': golden mosaic domes and four bronze horses brought back from Constantinople.

Festivals

Festivals & celebrations

Before you go

Rules to know in Venice

All etiquette & taboos →

Red lineDrivingItaly

Italy: don't drive into historic-centre limited traffic zones (ZTL)

  • Park outside restricted zones and walk into town
  • Driving into a ZTL zone without a permit

You will be fined.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Italy travel advice

Red linePublic transportItaly

Italy: validate your ticket before boarding

  • Validate your ticket in the machine before using public transport
  • Travelling with an unvalidated ticket

Inspectors will fine you on the spot.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Italy travel advice

Red lineEveryday mannersItaly

Italy: don't buy from unlicensed street vendors

  • Shop at proper stores
  • Buying from unlicensed street vendors

It is illegal, and local police may stop and fine you.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Italy travel advice

Red lineEveryday mannersItaly

Italy: rules around monuments and fountains

  • Keep the area around monuments clean and quiet
  • Going into or splashing in public fountains (Florence, Rome and elsewhere)
  • Swimming in Venice's canals
  • Eating and drinking next to major churches, monuments and public buildings
  • Sitting on monument steps, littering, or scratching or writing on monuments

All are local offences; urinating in public can bring a fine of up to €10,000.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Italy travel advice

Red lineEveryday mannersItaly

Rome's Spanish Steps: no sitting, eating or drinking

  • Walk up the steps and keep moving after your photo
  • Sitting, resting, eating or drinking on the steps

Banned by Rome's urban police regulations since 2019; media report fines of €250, rising to €400 for dirtying or damaging the steps.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: ANSA: Rome bans sitting on the Spanish Steps (2019)

Sources