Christine

Hi I just read this article and was wondering if anyone has any idea how these renovations might affect the St. Marks Square area for tourists? <BR> <BR>http://europe.cnn.com/2001/TRAVEL/NE....ap/index.html

elaine

there is similar information this week at www.veniceword.com <BR>(which by the way will send <BR>a weekly email Venice newsletter if you are interested, in charmingly <BR>fractured English)

Heather

Elaine, as always, you gave a great tip! Thank you ... I've been looking for a Venice fix until my vacation.

Joanne

Elaine: <BR> <BR>Thanks for the web site. One slight correction: www.veniceword.it not .com. Registered for the newsletter and enjoyed browsing the page. Just didn't want to disappoint someone trying to find the page. <BR> <BR>J.

beth anderson

Hi all, <BR> <BR>funny, I am in the midst of reading "World of Venice" by Jan Morris (excellent book btw - written in the mid 60s, updated a few times, a comprehensive view of the city, it's history, it's people, and 'how it works'... in case it sounds dry, it isn't - he is a GREAT writer) <BR> <BR>anyway, 'raising Venice' for lack of a better term is not exactly a new concept! The actual buildings are left as they are, it's just the sidewalks, alleys, etc etc etc which are raised to avoid the water! <BR> <BR> In other words, as you enter St. Marks, you now actually step DOWN to enter it - not so when it was built - the street entrance was level with the street! He noted that at time when work was done to the basilica, when they dug down, they found evidence of old 'street levels' several meters down... he also said that at times, people will 'make fun' of the dumpy appearance of the Doge's Palace pillars - that they appear too short, not aesthetically pleasing, and so on... well, there is a reason for that - the street level has been raised several times - he said that when it was initially built, the pillars were longer and more elegant looking. each time they have had to raise the street level, the actual building then goes 'underground' a little (for lack of a better term). <BR> <BR>This is why you might see some buildings which look like they have a door half submerged in some of these canals, for instance. the steady encroachment of water is taking its toll. <BR> <BR>further depressing news: according to the news report which came out a week or so ago re: global warming, the scientists studying this said that the accelerated pace of the warming is worse than they thought, several areas of the world may be completely submerged within a CENTURY. as in, our grandkids (if not our kids) might know Venice as just a lovely thought... <BR> <BR>let's hope this is not true...

beth anderson

WHOOPS. <BR> <BR>its not it's. <BR> <BR>I should know better, I hate it when I see other writers do that. <BR> <BR>(pedantics-r-us... It takes ITS toll)

angelica

Is the website veniceword.it or vencieworld.it?

Santa Chiara

Beth, for the record, Jan Morris is now a she, but was a he when the first edition was written. But a great writer, I do agree.

Joanne

Angelica: <BR> <BR>It's www.veniceword.it <BR> <BR>J.