Page 30 - PROTAGONIST-123

On pages 26-27, the Bridge of Sighs. On page 28, a view of
the Grand Canal from the Accademia Bridge. On page 29,
the Palazzo Grimaldi ceiling

A flag waving in Piazza San Marco and the anthem of the city play- Venice has an extraordinary history “made of magnifi-
ing in the background: it’s March 25, 2021, and Venice is celebrat- cence and love, of great trade and engineering, of progress and
ing 1,600 years since its birth. growth, of culture and domination of the seas, of joys and sor-
Everything seems to have started on March 25, 421 (even rows,” stated Mayor Luigi Brugnaro during the celebrations of
though establishing when exactly a spontaneous settlement be- March 25, 2021. An immense city that deserves a year-long cele-
comes a city isn’t easy): on the day, they placed the first stone of bration, with events, exhibitions, and national and internation-
the church of San Giacomo in Rialto, known as Rivus Altus (mean- al tributes.
ing “high shore”) at the time. So, Venice was officially founded This celebration, however, doesn’t just commemorate a city;
around a church after a few inhabitants from Altinum moved to it also honors the ingenuity of mankind, which had to apply itself
the lagoon and took advantage of its canals to escape and defend to the fullest to overcome the challenge of creating and preserving
themselves from the Huns and the Visigoths. a city so close to the water, and producing all the necessary forms
In the following centuries, thousands of ships left from those of sustenance along the way. It might have been this need for cre-
same canals, spreading Venice’s fame around the globe and bring- ativity that enabled so many different skills to develop in Venice:
ing the world back to Venice. Nowadays, if an Italian abroad has craftsmanship, engineering, innovation, and − as often happens
to explain where they are from in Italy, they just have to put it in with populations overlooking the sea − the desire to explore that
relation to Venice and a reassured expression will appear on the blue horizon. Venice was in fact one of the most important Italian
other person’s face. Unless that Italian is lucky enough to actually maritime republics, becoming a gateway to the East and a landing
be from Venice: in that case, the other person won’t be able to hide place in Italy for traditions, products, influences, and forms of art
a transfixed smile. from all over the world.

28 Anniversary Protagonist