# 1600th Anniversary of the Foundation of Venice

On 25 March 2021, Venice celebrated the 1,600th anniversary of its founding.

## The foundation of Venice

The foundation of Venice is generally considered borne witness to by a manuscript of the Chronicon Altinate (11th-12th century) and, in a more recent era, by Marino Sanuto the Younger (15th-16th century) , who described the massive fire of the Rialto bridge in 1514, stating that: "Solum restò in piedi la chiexia di San Giacomo di Rialto, la qual fu la prima chiexia edificata in Venetia dil 421 a dì 25 Marzo, come in le nostre croniche si leze" ("The only building left standing was the church of San Giacomo di Rialto, which was the first church built in Venice, on March 25th 421 AD, as it is read in our chronicles").
In an Italy hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic with a total absence of tourists, with travel blocks not only between European nations but also Italian regions, the city of Venice celebrated the 1600th anniversary of its foundation with a program of events organized and promoted by local bodies and institutions, which included exhibitions, museum and city tours, conferences and seminars.

## La Fenice

On April 26, 2021, the La Fenice theater in Venice reopened to the public, after being stopped due COVID-19 pandemic, albeit with a few and distant audience, with a concert by Giuseppe Verdi. All 250 seats available in the Gallery were sold out in a very short time.

## Venetian Arsenal

G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting and side events. From 8 to 11 July 2021.
G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) will meet for the 3rdtime under the Italian G20 Presidency on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 July 2021 in Venice. From Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 July, within the context of the G20 FMCBG Venice Meeting, a number of side events will also be held at the Venetian Arsenal. These include the G20-OECD Global Forum on Productivity, the G20 International Tax Symposium and the International Conference on Climate.

## The feast of the Redeemer

The Feast of the Redeemer is scheduled for July 17, 2021, the religious festival established in memory of the end of the plague pandemic that hit Venice between 1575 and 1577 is accompanied by a fireworks display of particular beauty.

## The decree law to protect Venice

From 1 August 2021, large ships a reno longer be able to transit in front of Piazza San Marco and on the Giudecca canal. This was established by a decree law approved on the afternoon of 13 July 2021 by the Council of Ministers. Compensation is foreseen for companies that will be harmed by this decision. Cruise ships will be able to temporarily dock in Marghera. The decree law provides for the prohibition of navigation in Venice and in the maritime routes defined as being of cultural interest.
The navigation ban is envisaged for ships with at least one of these characteristics: - more than 25,000 gross tonnage; - more than 180 meters in length; - more than 35 meters high - production of more than 0.1% of sulfur. A guarantee fund is foreseen to a contribution to related companies and workers. Ships that do not have the aforementioned four characteristics, and which are therefore considered sustainable, will be able to continue to dock (these are cruise ships with around 200 passengers). The decree will enter into force the day after its publication in the Gazzetta Ufficiale.