A Dive Into the Architecture of Venice: Before We Actually Have to Dive.

One of the greatest architectural wonders of the world still stands today, nearly 2000 years after construction began upon ancient marsh and waterlogged islands: Venice, Italy. Venice is an astonishing place, one that as studied in more depth becomes harder to believe. The vibrant, globally astonishing, maritime city still stands upon its original foundation, serving as a wondrous time capsule of historical architecture. However, the city faces the threat of time as rising sea levels continue to put Venice’s longevity in question. There is no better time than now to learn about the incredible feat of architecture that is Venice, Italy, and if possible, to see it for yourself too!

This image, taken from the top of the Campanille di San Marco visitor area, shows an above ground view of just one side of the city of Venice. Many elements of architecture that will be covered throughout this article can be seen here, such as arches, uniform coloring and the city structure.

The Early Foundations of Venice

Before Venice was inhabited as a major city, it was a collection of marshy lagoon islands where fishermen lived and Italian refugees eventually fled to seek protection from barbarian Lombard conquerors on the mainland. This island area alone was not a fit foundation for a city to be built upon naturally. So, the early settlers dug canals and created foundations out of wood pilings, with wood poles being buried deep in the mud underwater. Atop of these poles, wooden piles were created, mixed with mud and subsequently created a rather sturdy foundation. The city was then built on this early, partially manmade island, and shockingly, some of those original buildings are still standing today.

Wooden Foundations

The architectural technique the early Venetians used when building the city with wooden piles and poles on waterlogged land was an act of what some may consider madness but simultaneously genius. A common question is how the wood foundations of the city have not rotted in interaction with water. However, for wood to rot, both air and water must be present. In the water underneath the buildings, there was very little oxygen as well as lots of sediment from construction. With this combination, the wood petrified into a stone-like substance quickly.

City Layout

The city of Venice as it stands today can be very difficult to navigate due to its organic layout. In its early days, the city was structured by various neighborhoods surrounding the grand canal. Today, the city keeps its charm as it is still made up of these neighborhoods, but when wandering aimlessly as a tourist, it can feel a bit confusing.

Each neighborhood is home to various squares, or piazzas, original buildings and churches. For example, the central square of the city is the Piazza di San Marco. This area is made of two connecting squares, in which the historic St. Mark’s Basilica and the Bell Tower of St. Mark, as well as a connecting piazetta that leads to the sea. In urban terms, this space is known as an interlocking space.

Each of these images were taken from the Piazza di San Marco.

Image 1 (left): Pictured here is the Bell Tower of St. Mark, also known as the Campanille di San Marco. This is not the original bell tower, that one tragically collapsed on July 14, 1902. It is now the tallest building in Venice.

Image 2: This image shows a close up view of one corner of the St. Mark's Basilica. This building shows exemplary detail of the Byzantine style of architecture. Arches, pointed pillars and marble detailing are found throughout, as well as detailed mosaic art.

Image 3: At the top of the Campanille di San Marco is a lion with wings. This is the Lion of St. Mark, a symbol of the city of Venice, which can be found throughout the city.

Venetian Gothic Architecture

The city of Venice as it is known today is a melting pot of many architectural styles, but by far the most dominant architectural design is known as Venetian Gothic. A major characteristic of Venetian Gothic architecture is arches. Arches are found everywhere throughout Venice in the form of walkways, windows, door frames and long, skinny arches on the tops of buildings. Much of this influence comes specifically from the Byzantines, which the Venetians mirrored in their architecture all the way back from the years 900-1300.

Arches on arches on arches! Arches are found in every direction around the city of Venice. From along entrance ways to homes as pictured along the canals, to all over historical buildings, to windows on regular buildings. This is a major symbol of gothic architecture.

Another key characteristic of Venetian Gothic design that can be found throughout the city is the specific color palette. Colors such as dark reds, warm yellows and light blues were used on buildings throughout the city.

This image shows an example of traditional buildings found along the streets of Venice, using the gothic colors of dusty reds, yellows, greens and blues. Another staple of Venetian architecture that can be observed here is the dark green doors and window panels that are found throughout the city.

Additionally, marble was a major material used in the construction and design of Venice. Marble added texture to the buildings’ design and is also strongly water resistant compared to other materials. The recognizable marble found throughout Venice, coating bridges and acting as an original foundation throughout the city is white Istrian marble. Due to the Istrian marble’s great capacity to withstand erosion and water damage, it can still be seen in many major fixtures throughout the city today, such as on bridges and cathedrals.

The bridge pictured here is the Ponte della Paglia which is coated in white Istrian marble. To the left is Doge's palace, a major landmark in Venice that is considered a Venetian Gothic masterpiece. This palace is also coated with white Istrian marble.

Canals

One of the most major characteristics of Venice as a whole and the entire basis of the city structure is canals. Venice does not have roads for vehicular transportation, only for walking. Instead of driving, transportation is done via the canals that weave throughout the city streets and buildings. There are over 150 canals running through Venice today. The most significant waterway is the Grand Canal, which resembles a backwards S from a bird’s eye view, and it follows a natural channel that crosses through the entirety of the city. The city itself was built up surrounding this canal, and other smaller canals were built throughout, sectioned off by wooden stakes.

Paolo, pictured here, has been a gondolier in Venice for over 20 years! Gondoliers are the pilots of gondola rides throughout Venice, a major attraction. This is considered one of the most well-respected jobs in the city and requires rigorous training.

Along with the canals comes bridges. Bridges are a staple of Venetian architecture. “There are 423 bridges in Venice today,” said Paolo, a Venetian gondolier. When asked to reflect on how the city has changed over time he said, “It has changed a lot, yes. But it is still perfect.”

Bridges are essential to connect the city of Venice and to cross over differing sizes of canals. Bridges can be found made of iron, wood, brick and marble. The most famous and oldest bridge is the Rialto Bridge which spans a 24 foot arch and crosses over the Grand Canal.

Pictured here is one of the typical, inner city, small bridges that cross over Venice's canals. This bridge is made of brick, cement and iron, an element that is found all throughout the city, especially along the water.

Building Characteristics

When observing the typical houses and buildings throughout Venice, aside from the major cathedrals and historic hotspots, there are several shared characteristics. For instance, most buildings in Venice are rectangular buildings standing three to four stories tall. Additionally, most buildings are painted the traditional Venetian colors of soft shades of red, yellow, orange and blue. Most paint on the exterior of buildings was finished with marble dust to add texture and help withstand erosion. However, throughout Venice it is visibly clear that sea water has taken a toll on the building’s exteriors, often exposing brick and decay under layers of peeled paint.

This building shows the typical weathering that exists on Venetian buildings today due to excessive exposure to salt water and other airborne agents. As pictured, the top paint, yellow, has been weathered over time to expose base layers of paint and even the bottom layer of brick.

Venice and Rising Tides

Though Venice remarkably still stands in some ways like centuries ago, water and time has had clear effects on the city and its architecture. No matter the absolute cause, it is fact that sea levels are rising and flooding is a constant threat to the existence of Venice.

Acqua Alta is the term for the persistent event of rising waters in Venice. Though Venice persists above sea level, the effects that sea water and rising tides have had on the city are simple to see with the naked eye.

Water taxis are another popular mode of transportation in Venice. They tend to be nicer, more motorized boats, but are also fairly expensive. Pasini, pictured here, shared that he drives a hybrid boat.

“Rising tides are a constant threat to our city,” said Pietro Pasini, a water taxi driver.

“When the tide rises boats like mine cannot fit under the bridges, putting a halt in transportation and our economy.”

The effects of weathering from sea water and contaminated air can be observed by the deteriorating of building exteriors. Along the canals, many entrances to buildings have become submerged underwater, partially destroyed and some reconstructed to continue to function at a higher level. Italian governments have plans to keep Venice afloat, by the implementation of manmade barriers. However, challenges persist as Venice itself is also found to be sinking over time. The architecture of Venice is built to adapt and react to ocean water, however, as tides continue to rise it becomes a question of how long Venice will be able to go on.

Rising tides and weathering have major effects on buildings in Venice, especially those along the canal. As pictured here, many building entrances have been weathered away, with wood doors rotting and covered in algae.

Venice is truly a wonder of architectural design and a city that is worth visiting while it is still alive if given the chance. This city also serves as a direct representation of how changing climates have real effects. Will Venice be underwater in our lifetime? Only time will tell, but while it still sits upon the Adriatic Sea, it serves as a shining example of human grit and design.