The Union of City and Sea the Evolution of Venetian Environmental Adaptability

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Union of City and Sea the Evolution of Venetian Environmental Adaptability The Union of City and Sea The Evolution of Venetian Environmental Adaptability Urban History, ARCH 4330 Gina Stovall, Spring 2014 THE URBAN ECOSYSTEM; A CLIMATE CONUNDRUM “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” -George Santayana This largely over-employed aphorism from the early 20th century Spanish philosopher is popular for good reason. Over half of the world’s inhabitants call cities home. Urban development, or urbanization, involves transitions over many indicators, including demographic, economic, and land-use changesi and has a considerably long history with the earliest urban centers dating back to antiquity. The 21st century is experiencing the “mega trend” of mass urbanization, with rural areas urbanizing at speeds never before witnessed. Although the rate of todays urbanization is unprecedented, the problems encountered during early history’s dense development are fundamentally the same, maybe it is time to look back for clues toward solutions. In the face of climate change, cities have been assigned to the challenge of leading in mitigation and adaptation. Urban areas are both the largest emitters of greenhouse gases when viewed as a whole, but the most efficient when examined per capita. It is this fact that motivates our present environmental conundrum. Mankind’s dominance over the environment is not novel phenomena. Throughout history humanity has triumphed through feats of innovation, engineering, and organization to build societies. We have become so good at it we moved past lives of sustenance, and into eras that can produce of great art, culture, and technology. Despite progress, humankind still must face the environment in which we live. The urban environment, in particular, has a unique sensitivity to environmental climate impacts engendered by a distinct physical, social, and political constitution, which creates an immediate need for adaptation planning strategy. The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its 2014 report entitled Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability stated, “hazard risks in urban settlements are enhanced by the concentration of populations, economic activities, cultural amenities and built environments...ii” A consequence of urban density is the intensified impact of climate due to the volume vulnerable people and their demographic diversity, the existence of many cross-sectoral infrastructure systems, and the economic dominance of urban regionsiii. Given all of this knowledge, the fact that densely populated areas are not a modern invention, nor are adverse environmental affects what can be learned? Granted the climate is changing at a magnitude greater than anything seen by the eyes of a modern man, but what can be said about the role development of a city plays in current resiliency strategies? Did our ancestors who built these metropolis’ from the dirt-, or at times water-, up have more insight as to what determines strength? VENICE, THE ADRIATIC’S BRIDE “Oh Venice! Oh Venice! When thy marble walls Are level with the waters, there shall be A cry of nations o’er thy sunken halls A loud lament along the sweeping sea!” -Lord Byron, Ode to Venice (1819) gds2124: 2 The city of Venice rises from the waters of the Adriatic Sea, proud and dynamic, an example of innovation throughout its history. Lord Byron’s crying ode eloquently expresses the wide influence Venice has in Europe, and alludes to the natural crisis it was accustomed to. Made up of 118 islands connected by canals and bridges, Venice is “married” to the lagoon in which it sits. The marshy waters are littered with millions of wooden piles hidden beneath the artificial islands the city is built on. Even though the Doge would wed Venice to the sea on Ascension Day every year, this marriage is comparable to that of a “shotgun wedding;” a forcible and urgent union borne out of necessity, and not necessarily love. The isles lagoon, from which the city grew, served as a temporary refuge from invading Germanic Huns in the 5th century AD, Yet Venice was not developed until the 9th century AD as a permanent settlement. Venezia (as Venice is referred to in Italian) has an aqua-culture that was engendered by the lagoon and Adriatic. Canals, the main mode of transport, weave through the classical city as streets do most other cities. Seasonal flooding called Acqua Alta, or “high waters,” are a product of the natural climate variability in the region and historically exerted little harm to ancient Venetians. The relationship between man and water began benign, but has swollen in modernity to a relentless struggle. Studies reveal that the city sank approximately 10cm every one hundred years until 1900AD. After 1900 that rate doubled and Venice sank 20cm in a single century. The “floating city” sinks due to geologic characteristics inherent to the lagoon and land-use traditions associated with modernization. Wooden stakes supporting foundational platforms were driven into the clays below and natural sinking of the soils was the original driver for the 10cm per century lowering. But as the city developed and industrialized groundwater extraction exacerbated the subsidence of Venice. The city is presently sinking at an accelerated rate due to withdrawal of water from aquifers beneath the city, which is to fast for precipitation to recharge them. This overextension of the subsurface water table leaves voids underground that enable further gradual collapse of the topographyiv. More recently, the high waters have become a major concern for the city. As global atmospheric temperatures rise due to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, the oceans warm and thermally expand (and therefore rise). To make matters worse, sea ice and ice sheets in the northern Polar Regions are Traditional Venetian foundation cross section; World Monuments Fund (iv) gds2124: 3 melting, adding water volume to the oceans. This sensation manifests as mean sea level rise across the worlds oceans. The seas of the Mediterranean, including the Adriatic are experiencing the effects of this sea level riseii. Natural flooding, natural and artificial subsidence, and man-induced higher seas is causing Venice to become inundated ten times more frequently this century than last. In 1900AD Saint Mark’s Square (the lowest lying area in the city) would flood when water levels reach 120cm above mean sea level (msl), today it only requires 100cm. Likewise, the rest of the city would flood at 140cm above msl; now 120cm will produce the same flood conditions, and more portions are being affected by flooding above 120cmiv. Map of Venice inundation locations 1900 to present; World Monuments Fund (iv) gds2124: 4 The Italian Environmental Protection Agency has measured an increase of 10cm for Venice’s summer sea levels higher and 20cm higher for winter sea levels in the three-year period from 2007-2010; longer analysis shoes since the 1870s sea levels have risen about 40cm. Some of this increase can be attributed to natural climate oscillations, but the trend is amplified and will continue to increase with climate changev. Global estimates for sea level rise by 2100 vary: the IPCC forecasts global average sea level can increase from approximately a quarter of a meter to about one meter by 2100vi. Such increases would Venice, turning it into a year round city submerged in the swampy waters of it’s lagoon. To address the impending problems of higher high waters, Venice has implemented early warning flood systems and will soon unveil large-scale flood barrier, MOdulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico also known as MOSEii. Yet even the massive infrastructure investments to isolate the lagoon from the rising Adriatic will limit impacts for just a few decadesiv. It is important here to ask, how did Venetians of the past adapt to the climate variability of the Acqua Alta they likely did not anticipate when first seeking refuge from the barbarians? THE EMERGENCE OF A GENIUS CITY "There is no more magnificent absurdity than Venice. To build a city where it is impossible to build a city is madness in itself, but to build there one of the most elegant and grandest of cities is the madness of genius." -Alexander Herzen (ca. 1850) th The city of Venice was founded in 421AD on March 25 according to legend. Although the date is dubious, the timeline for the city’s establishment is generally agreed upon. Initially under the rule of the falling Roman Empire, Venice and its neighboring mainland Venetia were absorbed into the rising Byzantine (or Eastern Roman) Empire. Prior to the invasions of Attila the Hun in the 5th century, and as early as Roman rule fisherman inhabited the lagoon. These fishermen were referred to as referred to as incolae lacunae or “lagoon dwellers.” It was not until the end of the 6th century AD that pressure from invaders pushed wealthy from the mainland province to the marshy islands of the lagoon where they could remain under Byzantine Rulevii. Since Roman times, the lagoon was experiencing a rise in sea level due to a melt in the polar ice capsviii; melt was induced by the warmer global temperatures of the Holocene interglacial period. Native Venetians were accustomed to lunar tides and the less predictable tides determined by weather conditions in the Adriatic Seavii. In spite of the terrain, or lack thereof, the Venetians managed to conquer the landscape. Typical Venetian foundation consisted of wooden piles hammered into the muddy silt, clay, and bedrock below the lagoon surface. On top of that is a stone able to resist erosion. Above the footings brick and stone buildings were constructed. Venetians also maintained their canals and channels by dredging them, and the resultant silt was used to form more “building land.” The settlers adapted to their surroundings using the unfamiliar resources they had. They evolved into a maritime people, taking advantage of fishing and merchant trade; building an equitable society on the one advantage they had, the sea.
Recommended publications
  • MOSE (EXPERIMENTAL ELECTROMECHANICAL MODULE; ITALIAN: MODULO SPERIMENTALE ELETTROMECCANICO) Overview / Summary of the Initiative
    MOSE (EXPERIMENTAL ELECTROMECHANICAL MODULE; ITALIAN: MODULO SPERIMENTALE ELETTROMECCANICO) Overview / summary of the initiative Title: MoSE (Experimental Electromechanical Module; Italian: MOdulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico) Country: Italy (Veneto region) Thematic area: Security, Climate change Objective(s): 1. To protect from flooding the city of Venice and the Venetian Lagoon, with its towns, villages and inhabitants along with its iconic historic, artistic and environmental heritage. 2. To contribute to the socio-economic growth of the area and hence to the development of the port and related activities. 3. To guarantee the existing and future port activities inside the Lagoon in its various specificities of Chioggia, Cavallino and Venice. Timeline: The launch of the project started in 1973, when for the first time the Italian Government took in consideration the realisation of mechanic structures to prevent Venice from flooding. 2003 (start of the works)-2019 (estimation) Scale of the initiative: EUR 5.493 million (2014 estimation) Scope of the initiative • Focused on new knowledge creation (basic research, TRLs 1-4): TO A CERTAIN EXTENT; the development and following implementation of the MoSE project have focused on knowledge creation and prototypes development since the 1980s. However, this is useful to the construction at the three inlets of the Venice lagoon and mobile barriers. • Focused on knowledge application (applied research, TRLs 5-9): YES; the MoSE project aims to apply the developed technological solutions and to demonstrate its validity. Source of funding (public/private/public-private): Public funding: since 2003 (year of start of the works) the national government has been the financial promoter of the MoSE.
    [Show full text]
  • Merchants and the Origins of Capitalism
    Merchants and the Origins of Capitalism Sophus A. Reinert Robert Fredona Working Paper 18-021 Merchants and the Origins of Capitalism Sophus A. Reinert Harvard Business School Robert Fredona Harvard Business School Working Paper 18-021 Copyright © 2017 by Sophus A. Reinert and Robert Fredona Working papers are in draft form. This working paper is distributed for purposes of comment and discussion only. It may not be reproduced without permission of the copyright holder. Copies of working papers are available from the author. Merchants and the Origins of Capitalism Sophus A. Reinert and Robert Fredona ABSTRACT: N.S.B. Gras, the father of Business History in the United States, argued that the era of mercantile capitalism was defined by the figure of the “sedentary merchant,” who managed his business from home, using correspondence and intermediaries, in contrast to the earlier “traveling merchant,” who accompanied his own goods to trade fairs. Taking this concept as its point of departure, this essay focuses on the predominantly Italian merchants who controlled the long‐distance East‐West trade of the Mediterranean during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Until the opening of the Atlantic trade, the Mediterranean was Europe’s most important commercial zone and its trade enriched European civilization and its merchants developed the most important premodern mercantile innovations, from maritime insurance contracts and partnership agreements to the bill of exchange and double‐entry bookkeeping. Emerging from literate and numerate cultures, these merchants left behind an abundance of records that allows us to understand how their companies, especially the largest of them, were organized and managed.
    [Show full text]
  • Friuli Venezia Giulia: a Region for Everyone
    EN FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA: A REGION FOR EVERYONE ACCESSIBLE TOURISM AN ACCESSIBLE REGION In 2012 PromoTurismoFVG started to look into the tourist potential of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region to become “a region for everyone”. Hence the natural collaboration with the Regional Committee for Disabled People and their Families of Friuli Venezia Giulia, an organization recognized by Regional law as representing the interests of people with disabilities on the territory, the technical service of the Council CRIBA FVG (Regional Information Centre on Architectural Barriers) and the Tetra- Paraplegic Association of FVG, in order to offer experiences truly accessible to everyone as they have been checked out and experienced by people with different disabilities. The main goal of the project is to identify and overcome not only architectural or sensory barriers but also informative and cultural ones from the sea to the mountains, from the cities to the splendid natural areas, from culture to food and wine, with the aim of making the guests true guests, whatever their needs. In this brochure, there are some suggestions for tourist experiences and accessible NATURE, ART, SEA, receptive structures in FVG. Further information and technical details on MOUNTAIN, FOOD our website www.turismofvg.it in the section AND WINE “An Accessible Region” ART AND CULTURE 94. Accessible routes in the art city 106. Top museums 117. Accessible routes in the most beautiful villages in Italy 124. Historical residences SEA 8. Lignano Sabbiadoro 16. Grado 24. Trieste MOUNTAIN 38. Winter mountains 40. Summer mountains NATURE 70. Nature areas 80. Gardens and theme parks 86. On horseback or donkey 90.
    [Show full text]
  • Serenissima” at Hazard: the Historical Phenomenon of Acqua Alta in Venice
    HUMANITIES - Anno VI, Numero 12, Dicembre 2017 DOI: 10.6092/2240-7715/2017.2.33-45 Elina Gugliuzzo1 The “Serenissima” at hazard: the Historical Phenomenon of Acqua Alta in Venice Abstract In this paper we present ourselves as the “historical witnesses” of a problematic phenomenon which has afflicted Venice for centuries. The frequency of flooding in Venice has drastically increased over the last 50 years as a major consequence of natural and anthropogenic land subsidence, and a more active lagoon hydrodynamics induced partly by deepening of the largest navigation channels. Is Venice dying, a victim of its environment and of its own success? Many people fear so: the local residents who observe the decline of their beloved city, the Italian authorities, the millions of visitors. Beyond the splendour of restored churches and palaces, beyond the magnificent façades, the; reality is dramatic: the city is now often admired from gigantic ships in the Giudecca canal by cruisers of modern times. The survival of Venice as a living and vibrant city is at risk. The lagoon environment has always been characterized by a pronounced morphodynamics, inducing important morphological changes to the lagoon setting over the relatively short time of a few centuries. The aim of this paper is to analyse the history of the disasters which characterized this fascinating world surrounded by waters. In fact, the economic system and the existence of the “Serenissima” Republic itself was based on “water”. Water meant refuge, safety, nourishment, wealth, military strength, and prospect for new developments. Introduction Venice was once the centre of a maritime republic.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mose Machine
    THE MOSE MACHINE An anthropological approach to the building oF a Flood safeguard project in the Venetian Lagoon [Received February 1st 2021; accepted February 16th 2021 – DOI: 10.21463/shima.104] Rita Vianello Ca Foscari University, Venice <[email protected]> ABSTRACT: This article reconstructs and analyses the reactions and perceptions of fishers and inhabitants of the Venetian Lagoon regarding flood events, ecosystem fragility and the saFeguard project named MOSE, which seems to be perceived by residents as a greater risk than floods. Throughout the complex development of the MOSE project, which has involved protracted legislative and technical phases, public opinion has been largely ignored, local knowledge neglected in Favour oF technical agendas and environmental impact has been largely overlooked. Fishers have begun to describe the Lagoon as a ‘sick’ and rapidly changing organism. These reports will be the starting point For investigating the fishers’ interpretations oF the environmental changes they observe during their daily Fishing trips. The cause of these changes is mostly attributed to the MOSE’S invasive anthropogenic intervention. The lack of ethical, aFFective and environmental considerations in the long history of the project has also led to opposition that has involved a conFlict between local and technical knowledge. KEYWORDS: Venetian Lagoon, acqua alta, MOSE dams, traditional ecological knowledge, small-scale Fishing. Introduction Sotto acqua stanno bene solo i pesci [Only the fish are fine under the sea]1 This essay focuses on the reactions and perceptions of fishers facing flood events, ecosystem changes and the saFeguarding MOSE (Modulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico – ‘Experimental Electromechanical Module’) project in the Venetian Lagoon.
    [Show full text]
  • Do the Adaptations of Venice and Miami to Sea Level Rise Offer Lessons for Other Vulnerable Coastal Cities?
    Environmental Management https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-019-01198-z Do the Adaptations of Venice and Miami to Sea Level Rise Offer Lessons for Other Vulnerable Coastal Cities? 1 2 3 Emanuela Molinaroli ● Stefano Guerzoni ● Daniel Suman Received: 5 February 2019 / Accepted: 29 July 2019 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2019 Abstract Both Venice and Miami are high-density coastal cities that are extremely vulnerable to rising sea levels and climate change. Aside from their sea-level location, they are both characterized by large populations, valuable infrastructure and real estate, and economic dependence on tourism, as well as the availability of advanced scientific data and technological expertize. Yet their responses have been quite different. We examine the biophysical environments of the two cities, as well as their socio- economic features, administrative arrangements vulnerabilities, and responses to sea level rise and flooding. Our study uses a qualitative approach to illustrate how adaptation policies have emerged in these two coastal cities. Based on this information, we critically compare the different adaptive responses of Venice and Miami and suggest what each city may learn from the 1234567890();,: 1234567890();,: other, as well as offer lessons for other vulnerable coastal cities. In the two cases presented here it would seem that adaptation to SLR has not yet led to a reformulation of the problem or a structural transformation of the relevant institutions. Decision-makers must address the complex issue of rising seas with a combination of scientific knowledge, socio-economic expertize, and good governance. In this regard, the “hi-tech” approach of Venice has generated problems of its own (as did the flood control projects in South Florida over half a century ago), while the increasing public mobilization in Miami appears more promising.
    [Show full text]
  • Italy's Northern Highlights
    Escorted Programs ITALY’S NORTHERN HIGHLIGHTS 9 Days FROM $2,115 Venice ESCORTED TOUR PROGRAM (2) Venice • (3) Florence • (3) Rome PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS •Marvel at the magic of Venice from the Bridge of Sighs and Doge’s Palace to St. Mark’s Square 2 Venice Padua ITALY •Sample local favorites of Lambrusco wines and Modena balsamic vinegar with lunch in Modena 3 Florence San Gimignano •Explore the Renaissance city of Florence and the Siena Magione LAKE medieval towns of Siena and San Gimignano TRASIMENO Assisi •Enjoy a private wine tasting experience at Magione 3 Rome Castle •Tour amazing Assisi and visit the Basilica of Saint Francis •Delve into Rome from the Roman Forum and the iconic Colosseum to the Eternal City’s piazzas and trattorias # - No. of overnight stays SICILY - By motorcoach Arrangements by DAY 1 I MON I VENICE Morning arrival into Venice’s Marco Polo Airport. Here you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel in Venice. The balance of the day is at leisure. This evening enjoy a welcome dinner at a popular restaurant. (D) DAY 2 I TUE I VENICE Your morning tour of Venice is on foot and will highlight the Basilica of St. Mark and the Doge’s Palace, the Bridge of Sighs and Piombi Prison. Afternoon is at leisure with enough time for more sightseeing, shopping or relaxation. (B) DAY 3 I WED I VENICE I PADUA I MODENA I FLORENCE This morning depart Venice and stop in Padua to visit the Basilica of St. Anthony and its art, including the large bronze works of Donatello.
    [Show full text]
  • Antica Pianta Dell'inclita Città Di Venezia : Delineata Circa La Metà Del
    mi. 4 : ' iS r o YA N — _J Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Research Library, The Getty Research Institute http://www.archive.org/details/anticapiantadellOOtema ANTICA PIANTA DELL' INCLITA CITTA' DI VENEZIA DELINEATA CIRCA LA META DEL XII. SECOLO, Ed ora per la prima volta pubblicata, ed illuftrata, DISSERTAZIONE TOPOGRAFI CO-S TORI CO-CRI T ICA D I TOMMASO TEMANZA ARCHITETTO, ED INGEGNERE DELLA SERENISSIMA REPUBBLICA DI VENEZIA Socio onorario delle due Reali Accademie di Parigi , e di Tolofa in Francia; ED IN ITALIA Della Clementina di Bologna, e della Olimpica di Vicenza. -V*^ IN VENEZIA M. DCC LXXXI. Nella Stamperia di Carlo Palese CON PUBBLICA A P P RO VA Z 1 O N E. Va bombii , qui nuìlum aìiud babet argumentum^ Quo fé probet diu vixijje, prater <etatem. Fr. M. G rapaidus de pgrtìbus ad'tum Lib. I. Cap. IL p. (54 ALLE LORO ECCELLENZE Pietro Barbarigo Pietro Zusto Girolamo Diedo x Signori Vettor Correr Bernardino Soranzo Pietro Trevisan SAVI, ED ESECUTORI DEL GRAVISSIMO MAGISTRATO DELLE ACQUE Tommaso Temanza Alla felice fttua'zjone della Citta di t^enezja traggono F origine quelle fingolarita , che la rendono ragguardevole pref- preffo tutte le Nazioni dei Mondo . La jcelta di effa fu opera della Sapienza dei gloriofi Maggiori di VV. EE. , come opera loro della , e intera Nazione fi è la Jìu- penda mole di quefla Metropoli . Tutte le altre Città del Mondo fono piantate [opra un fondo preparato dalla Natura: la fola Città di Venera è quella , che fu innalzata [opra un piano preparatole l/' da indujìria degT uòmini .
    [Show full text]
  • ART HISTORY of VENICE HA-590I (Sec
    Gentile Bellini, Procession in Saint Mark’s Square, oil on canvas, 1496. Gallerie dell’Accademia, Venice ART HISTORY OF VENICE HA-590I (sec. 01– undergraduate; sec. 02– graduate) 3 credits, Summer 2016 Pratt in Venice––Pratt Institute INSTRUCTOR Joseph Kopta, [email protected] (preferred); [email protected] Direct phone in Italy: (+39) 339 16 11 818 Office hours: on-site in Venice immediately before or after class, or by appointment COURSE DESCRIPTION On-site study of mosaics, painting, architecture, and sculpture of Venice is the primary purpose of this course. Classes held on site alternate with lectures and discussions that place material in its art historical context. Students explore Byzantine, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque examples at many locations that show in one place the rich visual materials of all these periods, as well as materials and works acquired through conquest or collection. Students will carry out visually- and historically-based assignments in Venice. Upon return, undergraduates complete a paper based on site study, and graduate students submit a paper researched in Venice. The Marciana and Querini Stampalia libraries are available to all students, and those doing graduate work also have access to the Cini Foundation Library. Class meetings (refer to calendar) include lectures at the Università Internazionale dell’ Arte (UIA) and on-site visits to churches, architectural landmarks, and museums of Venice. TEXTS • Deborah Howard, Architectural History of Venice, reprint (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2003). [Recommended for purchase prior to departure as this book is generally unavailable in Venice; several copies are available in the Pratt in Venice Library at UIA] • David Chambers and Brian Pullan, with Jennifer Fletcher, eds., Venice: A Documentary History, 1450– 1630 (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2001).
    [Show full text]
  • Guide to Places of Interest
    Guide to places of interest Lido di Jesolo - Venezia Cortina Oderzo Portogruaro Noventa di Piave Treviso San Donà di Piave Caorle Altino Eraclea Vicenza Jesolo Eraclea Mare Burano Cortellazzo Lido di Jesolo Dolo Venezia Verona Padova Cavallino Mira Cà Savio Chioggia Jesolo and the hinterland. 3 Cathedrals and Roman Abbeys . 10 Visits to markets Concordia Sagittaria, Summaga and San Donà di Piave Venice . 4 From the sea to Venice’s Lagoon . 11 St Mark’s Square, the Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace) and the Caorle, Cortellazzo, Treporti and Lio Piccolo Rialto Bridge The Marchland of Treviso The Islands of the Lagoon . 5 and the city of Treviso . 12 Murano, Burano and Torcello Oderzo, Piazza dei Signori and the Shrine of the Madonna of Motta Verona and Lake Garda. 6 Padua . 13 Sirmione and the Grottoes of Catullo Scrovegni Chapel and Piazza delle Erbe (Square of Herbs) The Arena of Verona and Opera . 7 Vicenza . 14 Operatic music The Olympic Theatre and the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) of Bas- sano del Grappa Cortina and the Dolomites . 8 The three peaks of Lavaredo and Lake Misurina Riviera del Brenta . 15 Villas and gardens The Coastlines . 9 Malamocco, Pellestrina, Chioggia 2 Noventa di Piave Treviso San Donà di Piave Eraclea Caorle Jesolo Eraclea Mare Lido di Jesolo Cortellazzo Cavallino Jesolo and the hinterland The lagoon with its northern appendage wends its way into the area of Jesolo between the river and the cultivated countryside. The large fishing valleys of the northern lagoon extend over an area that is waiting to be explored. Whatever your requirements, please discuss these with our staff who will be more than happy to help.
    [Show full text]
  • Defence of Venice Littoral Islands - IT
    Defence of Venice littoral islands - IT Defence of Venice littoral islands - IT 1. Policy Objective & Theme ADAPTATION TO RISK: Managing impacts of climate change and safeguarding resilience of coasts/coastal systems SUSTAINABLE USE OF RESOURCES: Preserving coastal environment (its functioning and integrity) to share space 2. Key Approaches Knowledge-based Technical 3. Experiences that can be exchanged The measures adopted are the most important protected beach nourishment projects ever implemented in Italy on an eroding coastline with sea wall, according to the most advanced techniques of modern coastal engineering, attributing great importance to the protected nourished beaches for their capacity to dissipate wave energy in a resilient way. 4. Overview of the case The coastal barrier between the Adriatic Sea and the lagoon is constituted by the littorals of Jesolo, Cavallino, Lido, Pellestrina, Sottomarina and Isola Verde. The lagoon communicates with the sea through the three inlets of Lido, Malamocco and Chioggia. Over time, the coastal strip has lost its defensive function. The built-up areas closest to the sea are ever more often at risk.These problems have been faced through a complex programme of interventions, including the reinforcement of the coastline. The measures adopted have been developed from international experienced reshaped for the particular coastline. 5. Context and Objectives a) Context Venice is located in a lagoon protected from the Adriatic Sea by a coastal barrier that stretches for a total of about 60 km. The coastline is made up of strips of land: the coastal strips of Jesolo and Cavallino, the two inlands of Lido and Pellestrina and the sand beaches of Sottomarina and Isola Verde.
    [Show full text]
  • Adriatic Odyssey
    confluence of historic cultures. Under the billowing sails of this luxurious classical archaeologist who is a curator of Greek and Roman art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Starting in the lustrous canals of Venice, journey to Ravenna, former capital of the Western Roman Empire, to admire the 5th- and 6th-century mosaics of its early Christian churches and the elegant Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. Across the Adriatic in the former Roman province of Dalmatia, call at Split, Croatia, to explore the ruined 4th-century palace of the emperor Diocletian. Sail to the stunning walled city of Dubrovnik, where a highlight will be an exclusive concert in a 16th-century palace. Spartan town of Taranto, home to the exceptional National Archaeological Museum. Nearby, in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Alberobello, discover hundreds of dome-shaped limestone dwellings called Spend a delightful day at sea and call in Reggio Calabria, where you will behold the 5th-century-B.C. , heroic nude statues of Greek warriors found in the sea nearly 50 years ago. After cruising the Strait of Messina, conclude in Palermo, Sicily, where you can stroll amid its UNESCO-listed Arab-Norman architecture on an optional postlude. On previous Adriatic tours aboard , cabins filled beautiful, richly historic coastlines. At the time of publication, the world Scott Gerloff for real-time information on how we’re working to keep you safe and healthy. You’re invited to savor the pleasures of Sicily by extending your exciting Adriatic Odyssey you can also join the following voyage, “ ” from September 24 to October 2, 2021, and receive $2,500 Venice to Palermo Aboard Sea Cloud II per person off the combined fare for the two trips.
    [Show full text]