Venice Hotels

Venice is the city of channels and amazing architecture, attracting lovers from all over the world. What can be more romantic than a voyage by a gondola along the channels of Venice? More than 1000 years Venice stayed an independent city-state till the time, when it was conquered in the 18th century by Napoleon. This city is full of historical places and architectural and art monuments, but don't limit yourself with visiting only the famous sights – find time to wander along a very special Italian city and discover its unique charm. Walk, for example, along the areas, where there are almost no tourists. Every Venetian district has its own character, which is not surprising, if to keep in mind that the city is built on 117 islands, connected with each other by more than 400 bridges and about 160 channels. Don't forget that in the center of Venice driving a car is forbidden. You'd better lest your car at the parking place and get to the center by a boat.

San Marco Square creates the center of Vienna. It's also the lowest point in the city, that's why it often gets flooded, especially in winter. The square is surrounded with marvelous buildings: San Marco Basilica, the Palazzo Ducale di Venezia, the Campanile belfry and the Marciana Library. To the right from the basilica takes place the Piazetta that leads to the Grand Canal. The first San Marco Church was built in the 15th century for keeping San Marco's relics, which were from Alexandria. This church burnt down and this very place in the 11th century the basilica that we can look at now was created (by the way, they used the fundament of the first church). Besides that, the historians suppose that there they keep the relics of Alexander III of Macedon, which were lost right at the time when they found the relics of San Marco. The basilica has five cupolas and a great number of arches, towers and other architectural decorations that appeared thanks to the treasures, delivered by the Venice ships from the East. That's why nowadays in the treasury of the basilica (Tresoro) one can see the Byzantine silver, gold, crockery that were seize during the fourth Crusades in the 13th century. At the same time as a trophy they took the quadriga, which decorated the fronton of the basilica. By the way, the horses of the fronton are only a replica of the original, which since 1990 is a part of exposition.
Read further: Venice cityguide

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