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The mysterious hooks of fortune at San Canciano
A bridge at San Canciano is called the “bridge of the hung and quartered”. Nearby hangs some hooks on the wall, but nobody knows what they were for.
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Prostitution in Venice
In ancient Venice prostitution was considered a necessary evil, where more harm would come from a ban than from a de facto acceptance
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Old maps of Venice
Old maps are an important source for our understanding of how Venice looked and functioned in the past
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A Chronology of the Black Plague in Venice
The black plague ravaged Venice for centuries, from the mid 1300s to the late 1700s. This is a chronology of some of the most important events.
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Map of the lagoon islands
This is an interactive map of most of the islands in the Venetian lagoon. Many islands are abandoned, or privately owned and inaccessible
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Ne Fodias – Do not disturb!
In 1793 a ship from Nauplia in Greece brought cheese and the black plague to Venice. Twelve persons died.
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The plague doctor
The plague doctor with the beaked mask might not have much to do with Venice — that figure is more likely to be French.
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Streets in Venice
Streets in Venice have different names from in the rest of Italy, because Venice wasn’t a part of Italy for most of its history.
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The Doge
The doge was the elected head of the Venetian Republic. He was elected for life by an arcane process that also included drawing lots.
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The Venetian Lagoon
The Venetian Lagoon is much more than just a watery area around the city of Venice. It is an integral part of Venice, its history and its origin.
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