Venice Venice was a city in Italy on the Adriatic coast . History . Originally a collection of huts built on marsh land by people running from Attila the Hun , it grew into , according to the Eleventh Doctor , " one of the most powerful cities in the world " . Influenced by a variety of cultures , it was the hub of a trading empire , its islands famously separated by an intricate series of canals . By 1580 , it already had a population of some two hundred thousand people . Because of its improbable architecture at or below sea level , it was gradually sinking over time . ( TV : " The Vampires of Venice " ) In 1087 , the Second Doctor was accused of being a Venetian spy by other Italian sailor s from Bari . ( PROSE : " Saint Nicholas ' s Bones " ) Marco Polo was born in St Mark ' s Square in Venice in 1252 . ( TV : " The Roof of the World " , PROSE : " The Empire of Glass " ) Polo ' s travels led him to become a part of the court of Kublai Khan . He hoped to obtain leave to return to Venice by gifting the Doctor ' s TARDIS to the Khan . ( TV : " Marco Polo " ) River Song visited Venice many times during the 15th century , 20th century , and 21st century for research during her employment with DreamInc for the construction of New Venice . ( PROSE : " Death in New Venice " ) The Eleventh Doctor , Amy Pond and Rory Williams visited Venice in 1580 . A colony of Saturnyn refugees made it to Venice by 1580 , led by Rosanna Calvierri , along with her children . Only the male children survived , though there were ten thousand of them . To rectify this problem and save their species , Rosanna lied about an outbreak of the plague , quarantining the city . She took in young girls under the pretence of providing them with a better education . Once amongst them , Rosanna and her son would drain them of blood and replace it with Saturnyn blood , converting them into Saturnyns . Rosanna also intended to create a tidal wave that would sink the city of Venice , providing them with a habitat to live in . Their actions unwittingly attracted the attention of the Doctor , Amy and Rory , after they took in Isabella . They and Isabella ' s father , Guido , investigated the school , enrolling Amy to help them get in . Though she was able to open the trap door , she was captured . With Isabella ' s help , they escaped , though Isabella was dragged back and killed for treason . Rosanna sent the converted females and her son Francesco to stop them while starting to sink Venice . The females were all killed when Guido blew up the house when they attacked , while Francesco was killed when Amy directed sunlight on him . The Doctor disabled the device . With her species doomed and her plans ruined , Rosanna killed herself by jumping into the water with her perception filter on . Her children not knowing who she was , devoured her . ( TV : " The Vampires of Venice " ) The First Doctor , Steven Taylor and Vicki Pallister visited Venice in 1609 , where he told them that it had disappeared into the ocean " centuries before either of [ them ] were born " . ( PROSE : " The Empire of Glass " ) The Eighth Doctor and Charley Pollard later visited Venice in 2294 . It was expected to finally sink into the sea as a result of a curse 100 years previously . However , this was reversed by Duchess Estella and Duke Orsino , and the city was returned to its former state , albeit suffering much damage . ( AUDIO : " The Stones of Venice " ) The Thirteenth Doctor posed as a museum curator in Venice . visited her to ask for the location of items that had been stolen from her in the 14th century . Missy took an old map from her and left . Later , she saved Antonia from being left behind in 14th century Venice , returning her to the present . She left Antonia with a note chastising Missy for her actions and that she would have to try harder next time . She then cleared out her office and told her assistant to tell anyone who asked that " the Doctor doesn ’ t work here any more . " ( PROSE : " The Liar , the Glitch and the War Zone " ) Reputation . At least three incarnations of the Doctor found it an incredibly attractive city to visit . The First Doctor once told Steven and Vicki that the marshes surrounding the city was a " wonderful place " , based on the quality of the air and shoreline . ( PROSE : " The Empire of Glass " ) The Eighth Doctor told Charlotte Pollard it was " magnificent and charming and often quite silent and sinister " , and a city with a desolate look in the morning that was reborn by its own lights every night . ( AUDIO : " The Stones of Venice " ) The Eleventh Doctor took Rory Williams and Amy Pond to the city as a wedding present . He described it as an " impossible " and " preposterous " city " constantly being invaded , constantly flooding , constantly . . . just , " beautiful " " . He was confident Amy and Rory would love it because many famous human s before them — including Byron , Napoléon Bonaparte , and Casanova — had . ( TV : " The Vampires of Venice " ) References . Iris Wildthyme once proposed to the Doctor in Venice . ( PROSE : " The Scarlet Empress " ) He was in his third incarnation at the time and was feeling at loose ends since Jo Grant had just left him . ( AUDIO : " The Wormery " ) Iris Wildthyme met Brigadier Lethbridge - Stewart during a conflict in Venice involving the Celaphopod s . ( PROSE : " Verdigris " ) The Seventh Doctor ' s future companion Hex once went on a school trip to Venice . However , he was not impressed with the city . He later told the Doctor and Ace that he thought that everything was wet and smelled like rubbish . ( AUDIO : " Nocturne " ) The city of Saiarossa on Espero reminded the Eighth Doctor of Venice . ( PROSE : " Halflife " )