The fall of the Venetian Republic to Napoleon in 1797 set Venice on a dramatic new course. Once a proud maritime power, the city came under French and then Austrian rule until its unification with the newly formed Italian state in 1866. Venice itself was transformed: churches were demolished, canals filled in, and streets and squares widened—all to accommodate heavy industry.
These changes sparked intense debate. Figures like English critic John Ruskin decried the destruction of Venice’s artistic and architectural heritage, igniting a clash between preservation and modernization, one that eventually led to Venice’s turn from industry to tourism.
Historian Dennis Romano, author of Venice: The Remarkable History of the Lagoon City, explores how the 19th century became one of the most consequential periods in Venice’s 1,600-year history, reshaping both its physical landscape and cultural identity.
General Information
