Venetian Architecture
When discussing the great buildings of the world, there are many that spring to mind. The ancient temples of Greece and Rome, along with the Coliseum have withstood the test of time and are still magnificent to look at today. The modern architecture that can be seen in Dubai is also amazing.
Venice, a city built on a lagoon, is a marvel of not only many different styles of architecture, but of architectural engineering as well. For a city that stands on water to have survived so long, it is testament to the ability of the architects and builders who laid down the foundations many centuries ago.
The canals of Venice are mostly natural as the water was already there, however, some were man made. The canals are the biggest feature of the city of Venice which has no roads. As most people would visit the city by ship or boat, the facades of the buildings that faced the open waters and the canals were usually very ornate (amazingly I came across this style when researching luxury kitchen accessories for one of my interior design clients). The sides of the buildings that faced land were never as lavishly decorated.
The facades of the Venetian buildings have many different styles as architecture in Europe changed over generations. Byzantine style facades can be seen around Venice and these would perhaps be some of the oldest in Venice dating from the 12th and 13th Centuries. Gothic style facades (13th and 15th Centuries) can be seen, as well as Renaissance style facades (15th and 16th Centuries). Baroque architecture was also widely used in Venice around the 17th Century.
Due to its high rise buildings, narrow streets, canals and varied styles of architecture, Venice is one of the most characterful and unique cities to visit. It has stood for hundreds of years and will hopefully stand for hundreds more.