The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Venice:
Venice – city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Venetoregion. It is situated across a group of 118 small islands[1] that are separated by canals and linked by bridges, of which there are 400.[2][3] The islands are located in the shallow Venetian Lagoon, an enclosed bay that lies between the mouths of the Po and the Piave Rivers. Parts of Venice are renowned for the beauty of their settings, their architecture, and artwork.[2] The lagoon and a part of the city are listed as a World Heritage Site.[2] The Republic of Venice was a major financial and maritime power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and a staging area for the Crusades and the Battle of Lepanto, as well as a very important center of commerce (especially silk, grain, and spice) and art in the 13th century up to the end of the 17th century. The City State of Venice is considered to have been the first real international financial center which gradually emerged from the 9th century to its peak in the 14th century.[4] This made Venice a wealthy city throughout most of its history.[5]
