I love Venice, this is the best place to relax and play an online casino. My friends and I often come to Venice to take a break from our active life.
Venice was founded on April 25th 421 AD. It was previously known as Serenissima Republica and was a very powerful state. Venice is surrounded by water from all the sides and that protected it throughout the history. Italy is the mainland from which Venice is separated. Initially the most important village was Torcello, where many people used to come seeking refuge from foreign invasions. Step by step Venice took shape by linking several islands of the lagoon (by building bridges). The people of Venice did not bother to get involved with squabbles and territorial feuds of the mainland. They put their attention in commerce and traded with the rich markets of Levantine and Constantinople. While the rest of Europe was in chaos, the Venetians built a great commercial empire and managed to convert a malaria ridden swamp into the greatest empire of the Venetian republic. In 751 AD, the Byzantines were unable to have their officials rule over Venice. The people then developed an excellent middleman entrepreneurship, which brought them great wealth and power. A historical treaty in 814 AD established the independence of Venice. Strategically placed for trade and commerce, between the Mediterranean and northern Europe, Venice now started to make her fortune in trade. In the 9th century Venice was growing rapidly and required the status of having its own patron saint. St. Mark was chosen. His bones were stolen by two Venetians from the saint's shrine in Alexandria and were brought to Venice. These bones were kept in the St. Mark's church, which was built specifically to house the relics. In the 11th century the Normans became a menace for the Byzantine king. The king took the help of the Venetian and in return gave them free trading rights throughout the Byzantine Empire. This opened up new trading routes and the Venetians prospered immensely from this. The Crusades wrest power from the Muslims and hence there was an increase in pilgrimages and again being strategically placed, Venice gained from this too. From 12th to the 18th century Venice introduced different reforms in the Doge's form of governance. It stopped being a hereditary rule and slowly Venice evolved as the free and most liberal state in Europe in the middle ages. In the 1420s, Venice started to extend its territory on to the Italian mainland. It captured territories all the way up to Cyprus, but at the same time its strategic importance was decreased by the discovery of new oceanic trade routes. Still Venice thrived and in the 15th century was considered the best place for Gothic architecture. In 1500 Venice became well known in the whole world for its fine printing skills and for its outstanding school of regional painting. Although Venice lost its political clout from the 16th century onwards, it still remained the place of tourist attraction and art. Until 1866 the Austrians ruled Venice. After their defeat in the seven week war; the governance was ceded to the new independent kingdom of Italy.
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