I visited Venice, Italy in the 70s. They told me it was slowly sinking.?

Question

Is this true and if so by how much has it sunk. Will it disappear one day. I believe it is built on " stilts " can these not be replaced ??

Answer 1

Sinking of Venice

The buildings of Venice are constructed on closely spaced wood piles (under water, in the absence of oxygen, wood does not decay) which penetrate alternating layers of clay and sand. Most of these piles are still intact after centuries of submersion. The foundations rest on the piles, and buildings of brick or stone sit above these footings. The buildings are often threatened by flood tides pushing in from the Adriatic between autumn and early spring.

Six hundred years ago, Venetians protected themselves from land-based attacks by diverting all the major rivers flowing into the lagoon and thus preventing sediment from filling the area around the city. This created an ever-deeper lagoon environment.

During the 20th century, when many artesian wells were sunk into the periphery of the lagoon to draw water for local industry, Venice began to subside. It was realised that extraction of the aquifer was the cause. This sinking process has slowed markedly since artesian wells were banned in the 1960s. However, the city is still threatened by more frequent low-level floods (so-called Acqua alta, "high water") that creep to a height of several centimeters over its quays, regularly following certain tides. In many old houses the former staircases used by people to unload goods are now flooded, rendering the former ground floor uninhabitable. Thus, many Venetians resorted to moving up to the upper floors and continue with their lives.

Some recent studies have suggested that the city is no longer sinking [citation needed], but this is not yet certain; therefore, a state of alert has not been revoked. In May 2003, Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian Prime Minister, inaugurated the MOSE project. MOSE, the acronym for the experimental model created to test the gates' performance (Modulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico), will lay a series of 79 inflatable pontoons across the sea bed at the three entrances to the lagoon. When tides are predicted to rise above 110 centimetres, the pontoons will be filled with air and block the incoming water from the Adriatic sea. This challenging engineering work is due to be completed by 2011.

However, sea levels are rising anyway, and in fact, the whole east coast of Italy is sinking (although very slowly). Some experts say that the best way to protect Venice is to physically lift the City to a greater height above sea level - by pumping water into the soil underneath the city. This way, some hope, it could rise above sea levels, protecting it for hundreds of years, and eventually the MOSE project may not be necessary (it will, controversially, alter the tidal patterns in the lagoon, damaging some wildlife). A further point about the "lifting" system would be that it would be permanent - the MOSE Project is, by its very nature, a temporary system: it is expected to protect Venice for "only" 100 years. If sinking is prevented, today's engineers hope that future generations will - perhaps in thousands of years time - remember the current work being done, for saving one of the most romantic cities in the world.

Answer 2

A new report by archaeologist Albert Ammerman suggests the ancient city of Venice, Italy may be sinking faster than previously thought. Venice, which, rests on millions of wooden piles pounded into marshy ground, has sunk by about seven centimeters a century for the past 1,000 years. The new report says that it has subsided 24 centimeters in just the past 100 years.

The report also suggests that a controversial and expensive project to protect the city from flood waters will not work. The $4 billion project, named Moses, involves a series of moveable dams. The origins of the project date back to 1966, when the city risked being destroyed by a flood, and it has provoked plenty of controversy in the intervening 34 years.

But without the dams?and the sinking aside?Venice remains vulnerable to high tides that each year erode buildings and flood squares.

Answer 3

I believe I read somewhere that it sinks about 1/2 inch each year. I can say that with the weight that is on that land today is most likely quadurupled from when Venice was orginally founded.

Answer 4

Ive been told that the city is sinking, I believe it was about a foot a year gets taken into the water. I don't think that there is much they can do because global warming increases the level of the ocean all the time.

Answer 5

The east Coast of the USA is sinking every year, about one foot. BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHK! THE SKY IS FALLING!
Thus the reason the law forbidding anyone to rebuild, who's structure has burned down, or blown away in a hurrican, in many cities on the east coast.

Answer 6

I'm sorry to say that, as of last week, it has actually now sunk. People already booked on holidays to this destination will be provided with scuba gear courtesy of your tour operator and the Italian government.

Please call them for further information.

Answer 7

There's a brilliant view of Venice on Google Earth.

Still looks pretty good.

Answer 8

Yes, everything is possible. But I hope it won't come too soon.

In the Beginning God created heavens and earth.
God gives you air to breathe and sunshine to enjoy.
God gives you water to drink and food to eat.
God gives you a wonderful body and sound mind, to live.
God loves you, and you are precious to Him.
Son of God died on the Cross to save us from condemnation.
Jesus’ love is boundless and everlasting.
We have the hope of Heaven through Jesus.
Life therefore has fantastic and glorious future!

Answer 9

Yes it is when i visited there 2yr ago the was a load of land around venice under water

Answer 10

yes and no .... due to global warming and the ice flows melting the sea is rising and Venice is flooding ...they should take some lessons from Netherlands ....