The book details the history of Venice, from the city's founding in the 5th century and its unique status as one of the most powerful city-states in the world, which it maintained for over a thousand years, until the fall of the Republic of Venice at the hands of Napoleon in 1797. The publication is equipped with inserts with magnificent color and black-and-white illustrations. “Of all the cities in Italy that still retain their former greatness, only Venice was founded and nurtured by the Greeks. It is no coincidence that the largest Byzantine church in the world is located here, where Christian services are still held and where the patriarch reigns supreme. Even having ceased to depend on Constantinople, Venice still looked to the East for a long time, turning its back to the rest of Italy. The nightmarish intricacies of medieval Italian politics, the Guelphs and Ghibellines, the emperor and the pope, the barons and civil communities - she did not care about all this. And by the time she finally condescended to create a continental trading empire, her character was already completely formed according to the bizarre pattern peculiar only to her. To this day, Venice largely retains the same appearance in which it appeared to the world not only under Canaletto, but also in the days of Carpaccio and Gentile Bellini. As soon as we are talking about the most beautiful city in the world, this is no longer just a phenomenon, but a true miracle. In addition, it is a rare gift for the historian, helping to recreate a much more vivid and clear picture of bygone eras than is possible in any other city in Europe.” (John Julius Norwich)