Page 46 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Venice & The Veneto

44  inTR o D ucin G VEnic E A n D T h E VE n ET o

The Birth of Venice

Fleeing the Goths, who were systematically
looting and burning their way southwards to
Rome, the people of the Veneto sought refuge
among the wild and uninhabited islands of their
marshy coast. There they formed villages, and
from the ashes of the Roman past rose the city of
Venice (founded, as tradition has it, in AD 421).
Exploiting its easily defended maritime position,
important trade links with Byzantium were
created. Venice proclaimed its brash self- Early Venetian Settlements
confidence by brazenly stealing the relics of The Rialto Bridge (from Rivo Alto, or
“high bank”) marks the spot of one
St Mark the Evangelist from Alexandria, in Egypt. of many early settlements.

San Marco as it was before
14th-century rebuilding.

The First Crusade (1095–9)
Venice cunningly used the Crusades
to her advantage, gaining valuable
trading rights in captured cities
such as Antioch and Tripoli.
The Arrival of the Relics
This 13th-century mosaic from the
façade of San Marco depicts the body of
The Bishop of Altino St Mark being carried into the newly built
The cathedral at Torcello was basilica for reburial in AD 832. By securing
founded in AD 639, when the relics of such an important saint,
Altino’s bishop led a mass Venice signalled its ambition to be
exodus to the lagoon island, considered one of the foremost cities
fleeing Lombardic invaders. in Christendom, on a par with Rome.

421 Venice founded, traditionally – and 570 The Lombards’ first Charlemagne 814 First Venetian coins minted; work
conveniently – on St Mark’s Day, 25 April invasion of northern Italy; (742–814) begins on first Doge’s Palace
beginning of mass migration 726 First
452 Attila the Hun invades Italy from the cities of the Veneto documented
and plunders the Veneto to lagoon islands doge, Orso Ipato
400 500 600 700 800
So-called 639 Torcello 697 According 774 Charlemagne
invited to drive
to legend,
“Attila’s throne” cathedral founded Paoluccio Lombards from Italy
in Torcello 552 Totila the Goth Anafesta
invades Italy and destroys is elected 800 Charlemagne is crowned
first Holy Roman Emperor by
many towns in the Veneto first doge
Pope Leo III

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