How Venice Was Built On a Swamp
Building a city on a lagoon has its challenges. Here’s how the citizens of Venice accomplished this task centuries ago.
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Production Credits
Digital Video Producer: Emily Zendt
© WGBH Educational Foundation 2022
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@benbrailsford7632
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
Packhorse is tuff
@trixta16
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
I’m here because I was just sitting on the couch and thought…”how was Venice built?” Nova is something that should continue to be funded.
@silhouettenoz
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
The engineering skills of the Venetians were not translated into skills with tools like the hammer.
@MikeRobeson007
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
But HOW were the tree trunks driven into the marshy land without machinery? What tools were used to do the job? Any knowledge about this?
@SilencedRage
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
Mexico City was also built on a swamp.
@vintagemusicgroup9236
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
Wrong explanation, the wood transfers the Load down to more firm soil beneath
@glenrich-uu9zr
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
It may be the city of most densely
packed with trees, but all are in
underground.
@koolumar101
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
I will never be visiting this swamp!
@knotes76
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
The hammering was hard to watch
@davedave75
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
Venezia is a palafitte!
@unknownperson-wb3vh
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
Omg he just fat shamed him 😝
@vanremsangaralte7686
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
They are using pine wood which last forever
@jasonharper2601
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
another video was ruined by a jackass with music
@tothelighthouse9843
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
Another important factor:
Because the Venice lagoon was salt water, with a great deal of silt, it contained very little oxygen. Thus the wood poles, rather than rotting in the water, became petrified & rock-like.
@Bingbong0550
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
That’s so cool
@dentindahousee9635
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
There has to be more to it than that! Wood doesn’t last that long underwater for this many years… Or wet mud.
@KanaidBlack
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
Kinda remind me of mexican chinampas, just a little
@AnnoraEksteen
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
maar word die houtpale toe nie vrot daar onder in dei modder nie ?
@AnnoraEksteen
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
😲
@Vihrr
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
Poland Stronk
@Lolinmotion
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
Isn't limestone permeable?
@GaisSacredCreations
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
Much better way of building that has lasted for centuries than building a home on a sandy bluff facing the ocean…
@changwani1
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
Umer is a legend
@jacobpugpoirier3350
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
This was one of the first question before I went to bed. So I had to search it up
@donweaver1600
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
How did they bash logs into the ground
@dobees8183
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
Visit in Venice. It's not all that
1. It's sinking, it won't last another 100 years.
2. It stinks. Algae and mosquito infested canals are everywhere. Stagnant water in many places.
3. Its expensive. $30 for a cup of coffee in St. Marks.
4. It's crowded. About a million tourists per day, pickpocketing everywhere, expensive souvenirs.
@ocendo1
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
All wood,stones and slaves workforce for rowing ,stolen from Croatia.Later Venice looted Zadar and finaly Constantinopol.Four horses are still there.
Venice need to pay to Croatia all they earn for 400 years to pay back ,only partialy,for all stolen wealth and murder of people.
@ezeee595
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
Only Italians are capable of building such an architectural masterpiece in the middle of a swamp. No other nation will ever measure up to them.
@hetedeleambacht6608
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
how cool is that, i guess amsterdam was built the same way
@gremlin5813
September 27, 2025 at 4:35 pm
Wouldn't the wood poles decompose over time? Wouldn't the city sink?? 😱
Comments are closed.