The Floating City's Remarkable Foundation
Venice, Italy, also known as the Floating City, is a cluster of 118 small islands interconnected by a network of bridges and canals. However, Venice isn't built directly on these islands, but rather on a system of wooden platforms supported by wooden piles driven into the water.
A History of Resilience
The story of Venice began in the 5th century AD. After the decline of the Roman Empire, barbarian tribes from the north ravaged the former Roman territories. To escape these invasions, the Venetia community abandoned their homes and sought refuge in the marshlands, on the islands of Torcello, Iesolo, and Malanmocco.
Initially seeking temporary shelter, the Venetia people gradually grew accustomed to their new environment and decided to settle permanently. To build permanent structures, they first drove wooden piles into the sandy bottom. Wooden platforms were then laid on top of these piles, upon which houses were constructed.
The Mystery of the Wooden Piles
A 17th-century book describing the construction of Venice detailed the vast amount of timber needed for piling alone. During the construction of the Santa Maria Della Salute church, an astonishing 1,106,657 wooden piles, each 4 meters long, were driven into the water, a process that took 26 months. The timber was sourced from forests in Slovenia, Croatia, and Montenegro, transported to Venice by water. The sheer scale of this project is awe-inspiring.
The use of wood to support buildings raises eyebrows, as wood is not as durable as stone or metal. However, the secret to the enduring success of Venice's wooden pile system lies in their submerged location. Wood exposed to air deteriorates due to factors such as fungi and bacteria. However, the immersion of the Venice piles in water prevents them from being exposed to oxygen, a crucial element for microbial growth. The constant flow of seawater around and through the piles further strengthens and hardens them.
A City of Water, a City of Power
Situated amidst the sea, Venice possessed a significant advantage over its land-based neighbors. Initially, it provided protection from invaders. Pepin, son of Charlemagne, attempted to conquer Venice but was unable to reach the island city. Venice later became a powerful maritime force in the Mediterranean. In 1204, Venice allied with the Crusaders and successfully conquered Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire. However, the city began to decline in the 15th century, ultimately falling to Napoleon in 1797 when he conquered Italy.
Facing the Rising Tide
Today, the very waters that once shielded the city from countless foreign attacks now pose an existential threat. For Venetians, flooding is a regular occurrence, with water levels rising more than a dozen times each year. These floods are primarily caused by high tides triggered by strong winds, storms, and heavy rainfall inland. However, rising sea levels due to climate change are increasing the frequency of these events, sounding an alarm for the entire city.
A Fight for Survival
Various countermeasures have been proposed to save Venice from sinking. One such initiative is the Mo.S.E project (Modulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico, or Experimental Electromechanical Module). This project aims to construct 79 movable barriers to block the Adriatic Sea from entering the city's lagoon when high tides rise more than 1 meter above normal high water levels.
However, many observers are pessimistic about the effectiveness of such measures in safeguarding Venice indefinitely. They believe that the city will eventually succumb to the rising tides and sink beneath the waves, just like the legendary Atlantis of old.
Summary
Venice, a city built on a network of wooden piles driven into the water, has stood the test of time for over 15 centuries. While the submerged piles are protected from oxygen and strengthened by the constant flow of seawater, the city now faces a new threat: rising sea levels due to climate change. Despite efforts like the Mo.S.E project, many believe Venice's fate mirrors that of Atlantis, destined to vanish beneath the waves.