City guide · Venezia
Venice
A maritime republic built on a lagoon: St Mark's, the Doge's Palace and Carnival
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
Los orígenes de la ciudad
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.
- 697By tradition, the first doge was elected
- 828The relics of St Mark arrived in Venice from Alexandria
- 1204The Fourth Crusade took Constantinople and Venice became an imperial power
- 1340Work began on today's Gothic Doge's Palace
- 1482Became the printing capital of the world
- 1797Napoleon conquered Venice, ending the Republic
- 1987'Venice and its Lagoon' became a World Heritage Site
Stories
Historias de la ciudad
Historia · 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.
Historia · 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.
Leyenda · 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
Personajes vinculados a Venice
Must see
Lugares imprescindibles
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Festivals
Fiestas y celebraciones
Before you go
Normas que debe conocer en Venice
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.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: Italy travel advice
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.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: Italy travel advice
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.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: Italy travel advice
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.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: Italy travel advice
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.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: ANSA: Rome bans sitting on the Spanish Steps (2019)