What Every Visitor Should Know About Venice
Being the just and true observations�on the city made by Elena Maria Orfei during her brief but startling visit.
- 1.
The city of Venice was founded...
- A.
... in 50 AD by Saint Mark
- B.
... in 154 AD by Roman soldiers as a camp site
- C.
... in 421 AD by Roman citizens escaping Attila the Hun and his barbarians
Correct Answer
A. ... in 50 AD by Saint MarkExplanation
When Saint Peter sent Saint Mark to Christianize Italy, Saint Mark's boat was blown off course by a storm and landed in a marshy area along the coast. Here an angel came to him in a dream and told him his body would eventually be buried on this spot. [Ed: current opinion goes with the Attila theory, though there is not much evidence supporting this either.]Rate this question:
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- 2.
Venice is the capital city of what nation?
- A.
The Republic of Venice
- B.
The Veneto
- C.
The Republic of San Marco
Correct Answer
A. The Republic of VeniceExplanation
Also known as The Most Serene Republic of Venice. [Ed: The Republic of San Marco was the name of a 19th-century break-away state, and the Veneto is one of the modern "regions" of Italy, though both of them cover much of the same territory as the republic did in Elena's time.]Rate this question:
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- 3.
Which one of the following answers lists the Italian cities is in the order of size by population with the the largest city first?
- A.
Rome, Venice, Florence
- B.
Venice, Naples, Florence
- C.
Rome, Naples, Venice
Correct Answer
B. Venice, Naples, FlorenceExplanation
Around 1500 the population of Venice was about 115,000, Naples was around 100,000, the plague cut Florence down to about 60,000, and Rome had only about 50,000 inhabitants.Rate this question:
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- 4.
Who is the patron saint of Venice?
- A.
Saint Theodore
- B.
Saint Mark
- C.
Saint Venezio
Correct Answer
B. Saint MarkExplanation
St. Theodore was one of the early patron saints of the city, but he was replaced by St. Mark in 828 when Venetian merchants in Egypt "acquired" his remains and brought them back to Venice, to be interred in the new church of San Marco. (And shame on you if you answered St. Venezio -- there is no such person!)Rate this question:
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- 5.
How many bridges cross the Grand Canal?
- A.
1
- B.
3
- C.
5
Correct Answer
A. 1Explanation
It is am amazing fact that, as long as the Grand Canal is, only the Rialto Bridge in the center of the market district links one side with the other. So how do you get from one side to the other? Why, by boat, of course!Rate this question:
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- 6.
The buildings of Venice are supported by...
- A.
...tree trunks sunk into the mud
- B.
...stone piles sunk into the mud
- C.
...a gigantic serpent that bites its tail
- D.
They are not supported -- they float on the water
Correct Answer
A. ...tree trunks sunk into the mudExplanation
The first time I saw the city, it sure looked like the buildings were just floating, but in fact the city is supported by wooden piles. The tree were chopped down on the other side of the Adriatic Sea in Croatia and brought to Venice by ship. The wood is now petrified and provides a sturdy foundation for the churches and houses.Rate this question:
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- 7.
What is a "stocking company"?
- A.
A guild that makes stockings
- B.
A social club
- C.
A group of men who wear stockings
Correct Answer
B. A social clubExplanation
Everyone in Venice knows that a stocking company is a social club for young noblemen. There are several such clubs--the Immortals, the Royals, the Loyals, etc. And of course lots of men wear stockings, but what is special about a stocking club is the particular pattern and colors that each club wears as part of their uniform.Rate this question:
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- 8.
The sewers in Venice...
- A.
... run under the city
- B.
... run through the buildings
- C.
There are no sewers in Venice
Correct Answer
C. There are no sewers in VeniceExplanation
It's true! All that terrible stuff is just dumped into the canal, and twice a day the tide washes it out to sea. [Ed: And this is still as true today as it was in Elena's time.]Rate this question:
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- 9.
The English traveller Thomas Coryat who visited Venice in 1611 estimated the number of gondolas as:
- A.
4,000
- B.
7,000
- C.
10,000
Correct Answer
C. 10,000Explanation
According to Coryat, there were six thousand private gondolas for the nobility and four thousand more that were rowed by freelance boatmen who charged money to transport passengers from one location to another.Rate this question:
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Current Version
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Mar 16, 2023Quiz Edited by
ProProfs Editorial Team -
Mar 05, 2011Quiz Created by
ElenaOrfei
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