History and Facts
about Venice Cruise Port

Once one of the most powerful and largest Maritime Republics in the Mediterranean, Venice has a rich and long history.

Brief History

It is believed that originally Venice began as a refuge camp during the time of the Byzantine Era. The area itself was just a massive marshland. The city developed over the years, becoming important mainly because of its connection with the sea, trade routes and later shipbuilding.

Another commodity not always associated with Venice, but very important, was the silk production. It was during the year AD 726 that the city of Venice elected their very first Doge or Duke, which led the way to successors that would lead the city for well over 1000 years.

During the disaster of the Plague, there was an attempt by Genoa to take over the city, but the city of Venice held strong. One of the wonderful facts of the cities history is the different races that over the years inhabited its streets. Armenians, Turks, Germans, Greeks, as well as Jews and other ethnic groups, were welcomed here.

After Columbus discovered America, Genova become the Italian maritime superpower and Venice lost its dominance of the seas. In later years of the 16th century, regretfully, Venice was mostly known for its music and well over 12,000 registered prostitutes. This city, which is basically built on wooden stilts, is solid as its base, which by the way has turned into petrified wood, like a stone. After everything Venice has gone through, it remains today a city of music, arts and wonderful Venetians.