HISTORY

5C AD	As the Roman Empire collapses, refugees seek protection on the mudflats of the Venetian Lagoon.  The set up encampments which are transformed into permanent settlements, built upon wooden piles driven into the soft ground.
421 AD	Friday, March 25, 12:00pm.  The Venetians formally declare themselves as a community.  The society begins to grow and concentrate on the Rialto section of the island.  Fish and salt become their biggest industries.
697 AD	The first Dux (Doge) of Venice is elected as leader of the community.
Lion of St Mark (Michelin) 830 AD	St. Mark’s body is stolen from Alexandria by two Venetian sailors and brought to Venice.  Legend says that while visiting Venice, the saint had a vision of an angel who told him, “Pax tibi Marce, evangelista meus.  Hic requiescet corpus tuum.” (“Peace to thee, Mark, my evangelist.  Here your body shall rest.)  The winged Lion of St. Mark, holding a book engraved with the angels word, will adorn almost every building in Venice.
1104	The Arsenale shipyard is created on the north-east side of the island.
1177	The first Wedding of the Sea is celebrated to honor the power the sea gives the city.
Late 1100s	Doge Sebastiano Ziani launches an urban renewal campaign and creates the Piazza San Marco.
Arsenale at the height of its power (Chambers) 1204	Venice conquers Constantinople with French and Norman forces.  The conquest establishes Venetian strongholds on the islands and coast of the east Mediterranean.  The trade based empire begins to expand and gain power.
1292	Marco Polo returns to Venice after 25 years of exploration in China.
1340	The Palazzo Ducale is constructed.
1380	Venice’s Imperial Age begins, marked by an incredibly large hinterland, an efficient merchant/fighting fleet, and immense Venetian influence throughout the world.
1400	The Arsenale reaches its height of glory, producing powerful galleys in record time.
1508	Holy League attempts and fails to destroy Venice’s power.
1516	Venice’s Jewish population is forced into the Ghetto Nuovo.
1580	Venice’s power declines as its Imperial Age ends.
1630-31	The Black Death decimates the island’s population.
1797	Friday, May 12.  The Great Council of Venice dissolves and Napoleon conquers the Island City, saying, “I shall be an Attila to Venice.”
1814-1866	Venice is occupied by Austrian Forces.
1866	Venice joins the Kingdom of Italy.
1870	Renovation begins on the Palazzo Ducale.
1926	The city of Mestre on the Italian mainland is incorporated into Venice.  The mayor is now responsible for a territory twice the size of the original island.
1950-1970	The island’s topsoil is drained, causing the land to sink.
1959	The General Town Plan is created by city planners.
1962	Italia Nostra, concerned with the consequences of the General Town Plan, designs the New Town Plan.
1966	November 4.  A four foot high aqua alta engulfs the city for an entire day.
1988-1992	One of the Project Moses floodgates is tested in the Treparti canal.
1992-present	The city and global organizations attempt to save Venice before it is destroyed by its urban problems.  Renovation, flood control, and urban tourism are the general aims of these plans.