7 Things You May Not Know About Venice

Jim and Lynette Romagnesi • Jul 20, 2016

It's home to perhaps the narrowest street in the world. It measures 53 centimetres wide, or just a hair under 21 inches. It is located in the area around Campo San Canciano: Calletta Varisco.

The “ ghetto ” originated in Venice. The world’s first ghetto was created in Venice in 1516 as an area where Jews were forced to live. This restriction was the continuation of a pattern of mistreatment: Jews had been expelled from the city in 1394 and prohibited from owning land starting in 1423

Venice has about 7,000 chimneys. The chimneys — from the funnel-shaped to those that resemble a twisted pasta noodle — come in 10 different styles. The chimneys are designed to allow sparks to safely cool, rather than threatening any of Venice’ s many wooden structures.

It is unlucky to walk between the two columns in Piazzetta di San Marco. Locals — at least superstitious locals- make it a point not to walk between the two columns topped by statues of the city's patron saints that guard the water's edge. Since the space between the two columns used to be a spot for public executions, it's considered bad luck to walk between them today.

On June 25 th , 1678 the 32 years old, Venetian Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia was the first woman in the world to earn a doctorate degree. This achievement is commemorated by a memorial stone at Palazzo Loredan, a municipal building in Venice.

Venice has 417 bridges, 72 of which are private. Not every bridge is public, nor designed for humans alone. Many of the older bridges are smoothly sloped and have no steps, in order to allow people to cross on horseback — something that was legal until the 16th century.

The word 'CIAO' has Venetian origins. In ancient times people used it in Venice to greet each other: "s-ciavo vostro", which means "your servant, at your orders, your slave." So as time went by the greeting became at first "s-ciao" and then "ciao".