VENICE (Venezia), the capital formerly of the Republic) of Venice, now of the Crownhand of Venice in Austrian Italy, is situated In N. lat., 20'E. long., and bas a population of about 100,000, exclusive of the garrison. It is built on a cluster of islets, about 80 In number, that rise In the middle of the lagoons, or shore-lakes, which here skirt the Adriatic, and about 2 miles from the mainland of Italy, with which it Is now connected by a viaduct of above 200 arches, supporting a railway to Mestre, where is the junction of the Venice-Milan and Venice-Trieste railways. The lagoons are divided from the Adriatic by a long narrow tongue of land called Littorale, which however is broken into islands by a few openings whereby ships enter the canals that lead np to the city. The islands on which the city is built are divided from each other by narrow canals, which servo for the purpose of communication, as streets in other towns. Above 450 bridges connect the various islands. Narrow streets and lanes, alleys and courts, separate the buildings of each island from one another, and there are also narrow quays along the canals. Carriages and horses are useless, and therefore not seen in Venice; and their place is supplied by boats called gondola, which are continually plying in all parts of the town, and of which it is said there are above 4000. The circumfereuoe of the city is nearly eight miles. There is a tide from the Adriatic which rises three feet over the lagoons, part of which is left nearly dry at the ebb, except the seven large canals by which communication is kept up between Venice and the ports of Malamocco and Chioggla on the Adriatic, and the landing-places of Ilestre, Feeina, and others on the mainland.
The city Is divided into two parts by a canal broader than the rest, called Canal Grande, or the Great Canal, over which there is only oue bridge, the Rialto. Another and much broader canal, or rather arm of the sea, bearing the names of Canal della Gindecca and Canal di San arco, d i vides the city properly so called from the long island and suburb of Im Giudecca, and from the neighbouring island of San Giorgio.
The finest part of the town is the district of San Marco, which con tains the splendid cathedral dedicated to the patron saint of Venice, with Its lofty detached belfry, the handsome square (Piazza) before It, with its arcades and numerous coffee-houses--the fashionable place of resort of the Venetians; and the vast and massive ducal palace, which war the seat of the republican government, and contains the halls of the various council, of the administration. The vast hall in which the
Great Council of the republic used to assemble is now the repository of the library of St. Mark. All the apartments of the Palace of the Doges are adorned with paintings by Titian, Tintoretto, Paul Veronese, and other masters of the Venetian school, which commemorate the great events In the history of the republic. The library of St. Mark contains 65,000 volumes, and about 5000 manuscripts.
The Pia:setts, or lesser square of St. Mark, which is open on ono aide to the sea, has two landsome pillars of granite brought from Greece in the 12th century. Upuu one is the winged lion, of brass, the ancient emblem of tho republic, known by the name of the Lion of St. Mark; and upon the other is a statue of St. Theodore, a patron saint of the republic.
Among the many remarkable churches of Venice, besides St. Mark's, the following deserve especial mention :—l. San Giorgio Maggiore, which was constructed by Palladio, and contains the monument of the Doge Domenico Michieli, the conqueror of Jaffa, Tyre, and Ascalon, who afterwards, when attacked by the Byzantinee, sailed with his fleet through tho Archipelago, and ravaged many of the islands, so as to deserve the title of ' Terror Grmeorum,' which is on his epitaph. 2. Il Redentore, also by Palladio, one of the handsomest churches in Venice, situated on the island of La Gindecca, is, like most other Venetian churches, rich in paintings. 3. Santi Giovanni e Paolo has numerous and splendid monuments of doges, senators, commauders, and other illustrious men. The church is also adorned with paintings, some of which are historical. A bust of Titian above the door of the vestry-room preserves the memory of that great master. 4. I Frani, a splendid church which contains numerous monuments, among others that of Canova, and several good paintings. In the suppressed convent of the FraH are deposited the archives of the old republic, which were taken to Paris, but were afterwards restored.