History Walks Venice

11/07/2024

Street-food in the 1700s

Engravings of people working in the alleyways of Venice in the 1700s can tell us quite a bit about what people ate.

Engravings of people working in the alleyways of Venice in the 1700s can tell us quite a bit about what people ate.

28/06/2024

Why do the residents leave Venice

A distant corner of Venice currently hosts a three-day agricultural fair. Plenty of farmers with stands promoting their produce.

You heard that right! An agricultural fair in Venice, which has no countryside.

And what does that have to do with people leaving Venice?

It has everything to do with people leaving Venice.



Read more here: https://historywalksvenice.com/venetian-story/why-do-the-residents-leave-venice/

25/06/2024

Slavery was not a large part of Venetian culture or Venetian history, but it was a part. There were slaves in Venice for the entire history of the Republic of Venice.

When people in some form of bonded servitude appear in the records — at least in the city of Venice — they were almost always domestic servants.

These are some of the testimonies about slavery in Venice I have found doing other research. In most cases, the stories come from criminal records, but not always.

Read more ...

Slavery was not a large part of Venetian culture or Venetian history, but it was a part. There were slaves in Venice for the entire history of the Republic of Venice.

20/06/2024

A catalogue of Venetian prostitutes

The "Catalogo di tutte le principal et più honorate Cortigiane di Venetia" is a list of some 212 prostitutes, where they lived, and their prices.

The "Catalogo di tutte le principal et più honorate Cortigiane di Venetia" is a list of some 212 prostitutes, where they lived, and their prices.

18/06/2024

An earl, a girl and a gondola

On March 18, 1618, the Collegio received Sir Henry Wotton (1568--1639), the ambassador of the King of Great Britain to the Republic of Venice, who had a rather odd request.

On March 18, 1618, the Collegio received Sir Henry Wotton (1568--1639), the ambassador of the King of Great Britain to the Republic of Venice, who had a rather odd request.

04/06/2024

Domenico Pizzamano never expected to end up in prison. He was not a traitor. He had done his duty.

https://historywalksvenice.com/venetian-story/domenico-pizzamano/

01/06/2024

The Fortress of Sant’Andrea — in the Venetian lagoon not far from Venice — is a unique example of Renaissance military architecture and engineering. It is also a show-piece, to put the might and wealth of the Venetian state on display for everybody to see.

The fortress was a part of the defences of Venice from a surprise naval attack, and later ongoing conflicts with the Ottoman Turks kept the fear of naval incursions into the lagoon alive.

The Fortress of Sant'Andrea, in the Venetian lagoon, is a unique example of Renaissance military architecture and engineering. It played an important part in the fall of Venice in 1797.

07/05/2024

The plague doctor with the beaked mask might not have much to do with Venice — that figure is more likely to be French.

The plague doctor with the beaked mask might not have much to do with Venice -- that figure is more likely to be French.

20/04/2024

However, we'll make another

In the late Venetian republic, when the doge died, they held the funeral for a statue.

In the late Venetian republic, when the doge died, they held a three day funeral for a statue.

11/04/2024

The population of the city of Venice has been in a steep decline for the last seventy years, and is now under 49,000 inhabitants. That is a thousand persons less than one year ago.

The population of the city of Venice has been in a steep decline for the last seventy years, and is now under 50,000 inhabitants.

10/04/2024

Antonio Moro and the Somachio

Antonio Moro came to Venice in January 1593 to work at the Lazzaretto Nuovo, where he left us a very interesting message on the wall.

Antonio Moro came to Venice in January 1593 to work at the Lazzaretto Nuovo, where he left us a very interesting message on the wall.

09/04/2024

The constitution of the Republic of Venice never really existed. The Venetian nobility just made it up as they went.

The constitution of the Republic of Venice never really existed. The Venetian nobility just made it up as they went.

06/04/2024

The “Venice Access Fee” introduced by the municipal administration will do absolutely nothing to resolve the real issues of the city.

The "Venice Access Fee" introduced by the municipal administration will do absolutely nothing to resolve the real issues of the city.

26/03/2024

Quarantine in the 1600s

Quarantine was the main method of prevention of the black plague in Venice, and the lazzaretti served that purpose.

Quarantine was the main method of prevention of the black plague in Venice, and the lazzaretti served that purpose.

25/03/2024

Happy fictional birthday to Venice

The Birthday of Venice of is traditionally on March 25th, 421 CE, but this is far more legend than historical truth.

19/03/2024

The first patent law ever was Venetian, issued by the Pregadi (Senate) on March 19th, 1474.

The first patent law ever was Venetian, issued by the Pregadi (Senate) on March 19th, 1474, and it is surprisingly modern.

16/03/2024

The Dizionario del Dialetto Veneziano by Giuseppe Boerio from 1829 is the essential dictionary of the late Venetian language for anybody trying to read old Venetian texts.

The Dizionario del Dialetto Veneziano is the essential dictionary of the Venetian language for anybody trying to read old Venetian texts.

10/03/2024

The Lessico Veneto -- Lexicon of the Veneto -- by Fabio Mutinelli from 1851 is another of those must-have books for anybody interested in Venetian history, which is exactly why it was written.

The Lessico Veneto -- Lexicon of the Veneto -- by Fabio Mutinelli from 1851 is another of those must-have books for anybody interested in Venetian history, which is exact why it was written.

04/03/2024

In ancient Venice prostitution was considered a necessary evil, where more harm would come from a ban than from a de facto acceptance

In ancient Venice prostitution was considered a necessary evil, where more harm would come from a ban than from a de facto acceptance

19/02/2024

The Legend of the Fisherman

The Legend of the Fisherman was part of the national narrative of the Venetian Republic, but it is now largely forgotten.

The Legend of the Fisherman was part of the national narrative of the Venetian Republic, but it is now largely forgotten.

14/02/2024

Miniatures by Rosalba Carriera

Rosalba Carriera, the most popular and famous Venetian artist of the early 1700s, painted lots of miniatures.

Rosalba Carriera, the most popular and famous Venetian artist of the early 1700s, painted lots of miniatures.

11/02/2024

Ignorance of the law is no excuse — so the Serenissima sometimes published laws on inscriptions around the city.

A Venetian law from the 1700s displayed on the wall - because Ignorance of the law is never a good excuse.

06/02/2024

Daghe adosso, Nino!

An Austrian admiral giving orders in Venetian, in a naval battle against Italy, which eventually led to Venice becoming Italian

Daghe adosso -- an Austrian admiral giving orders in Venetian, in a naval battle against Italy, which led to Venice becoming Italian

04/02/2024

Venice Access Fee — Money for nothing

The “Venice Access Fee” introduced by the municipal administration will do absolutely nothing to resolve the real issues of the city.

The "Venice Access Fee" introduced by the municipal administration will do absolutely nothing to resolve the real issues of the city.

29/01/2024

Today, on January 29th, 1593, Antonio Moro arrived from his small mountain village near Brescia, to the Lazzaretto Nuovo in the Venetian Lagoon. For over two months he was locked up with the other workers, while they cleansed the goods from a plague infected ship.

Antonio Moro came to Venice in January 1593 to work at the Lazzaretto Nuovo, where he left us a very interesting message on the wall.

25/01/2024

Oranges and straw hats

Once a year — on February 2nd — the Doge of Venice received a gift of two oranges and two straw hats from the guild of the box-makers.

Once a year -- on February 2nd -- the Doge of Venice received a gift of two oranges and two straw hats from the guild of the box-makers.

24/01/2024

Festa delle Marie

The "Festa delle Marie" celebrating the liberation of brides abducted by pirates, was an important event in medieval Venice.

The "Festa delle Marie" celebrating the liberation of brides abducted by pirates, was an important event in medieval Venice.

22/01/2024

San Francesco del Deserto, an island in the Venetian lagoon, is home to a Franciscan monastery since 1228, with only some short interruptions.

San Francesco del Deserto, in the Venetian lagoon, is home to a Franciscan monastery since 1228, with only some short interruptions.

20/01/2024

It is not easy to visit the many abandoned islands in the Venetian Lagoon, but it is possible. I've been to almost all of them.

It is not easy to visit the many abandoned islands in the Venetian Lagoon, but it is possible. I've been to almost all of them.