Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1669
The Venetian colony of Crete is lost to the Ottoman Turks, yet the two powers continue to trade with
one another - despite repeated objections from Rome.
1678
Venetian scholar Eleonora Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia is the irst woman to receive a university de-
gree in Europe, earning her doctorate in philosophy at the University of Padua.
1703-40
Antonio Vivaldi is musical director at La Pietà , composing many concertos for orchestras of orphan
girls. He is ired in 1709 but swiftly recalled, to Venice's immense credit.
1718
Venice and Austria sign the Treaty of Passarowitz with the Ottoman Empire, splitting prime coastal
territory and leaving Venice with nominal control and some Ionian islands.
1797
The segregation of Jewish Venetians comes to an end and the gates of the Ghetto are opened, just as
Napoleon arrives in the city.
1807
Napoleon suppresses religious orders to quell dissent. Upon Independence, some churches are re-
consecrated - but many aren't, serving instead as archives or tourist attractions.
1814
Austria takes Venice as a war trophy and imposes order with thousands of troops, a house-number-
ing system and heavy taxes that push Venice to the brink of starvation.
1836
Fire guts Venice's legendary public opera house, but a new version soon rises from the ashes. When
La Fenice (The Phoenix) burns again in 1996, an exact replica is rebuilt.
1840
At La Serenissima's height, Venice's fabled Golden Book of nobles included more than 1200 families
- but by 1840, all but 200 were destitute and subsisting on charity.
