I have always loved Venice. Not the touristy monuments, buildings, and plazas, but the tiny, narrow streets, with their even tinier shops. To this day, I still use kitchen utensils purchased there. It’s probably different now, and the international shop chains have also taken over these, I haven’t been there for many years. Well, better keep the good memories.
The construction of this town on more than one hundred little islands in the middle of the lagoon is interesting. I mean, the foundations of the houses stand right in the saltwater, which is pretty aggressive. I see it here, even the salty wind eats at the infrastructure. The buildings need continuous maintenance and renewal.
Here’s a video that explains some of the construction aspects. The basic ideas stem from centuries back, and they include some rather ingenious engineering feats. For example, the houses are built to move with, and adapt to, the shifting underground. Or the brick walls include a row of a special type of stone that stops the humidity from climbing. Cool stuff.