Venetia 1600: births and rebirths

Abstract

"Venice stands apart. Perhaps no other city can boast such an astonishing physical setting or concentration of historic architecture. For centuries Venice was one of Europe’s largest and richest cities, and easily the most sophisticated, an unequalled crossroads of people and ideas. The unusual structure of its government ensured political stability for a millennium, earning it the title of La Serenissima, the Most Serene Republic, and sparking envy of the merchants of Venice across the globe. Even today, Venice remains an ideal of urbanism: compact, walkable, a città a misura d’uomo (city on a human scale), sensitive to its environment, proud of its traditions, yet welcoming to outsiders. Venice now celebrates 1600 years since its legendary founding in 421. Yet it is not only Venice’s birth that is worthy of celebration, but its many rebirths as well. Venice has survived for so long, surmounting innumerable threats, because it has reinvented itself, time and again, in new and more adaptable guises. Key events, monuments, and the many artistic and historical treasures in this exhibition provide a valuable roadmap for the city’s future. Many of the challenges that confront Venice today were overcome through Venetian ingenuity decades or even centuries ago. Understanding Venice’s past offers its inhabitants today – and those around the world who love this city – much of the knowledge that will be necessary for what the future requires."-- Provided by publisher.