a celebrated city of Northern Italy, capital of the Austrian crown-land of the same name, is situated in N. Lat. 45° 25', and E. Long. 12° 20', in the midst of a lagune or shallow lake, which extends about 20 miles in length from north to south, and about 6 in breadth, divided from the sea by the two islands or sand-banks of Malamocco and Palestrina, each about 9 miles long, but only half a mile in breadth. The city occupies a tract of dry ground about 7 miles in circumference, but divided into a great number of islands by canals, the principal of which, the Canale Grande, extends in a great curve through the heart of the town, with a width of 200 feet, and is crossed near its middle by the Rialto bridge, a magnificent structure of marble, consisting of a single arch overtopped by two ranges of shops, which form three roadways. The principal part of the city is, moreover, divided by a still wider canal, that of Giudeca (which varies in width from about 1200 feet to 2160), from a long and narrow series of islands, the most easterly of which contains the fine church of San Giorgio Maggiore, built by Palladio. Venice is considered to be one of the finest cities of Europe, though its streets are very narrow and winding, and most of them only calculated for foot passengers, the great thoroughfares being the canals. But in the midst of its labyrinth of canals and streets there are several large piazzas, or open areas, almost every one of which is adorned with a fine church or palace. The principal of these areas is the Piazza di San Marco, a large oblong measuring 562 feet by 232, surrounded with elegant buildings on a regular plan, and terminated at its eastern extremity by the metropolitan church of St Mark, a singular but splendid combination of the gothic and the oriental styles of architecture. In front of it stand the three flagstaffs that once bore the banners of Cyprus, Candia, and Morea; and over the principal portal are the celebrated bronze horses, which, after adorning the triumphs of Nero and Trajan at Rome, were conveyed by Constantine to Constantinople, by the Doge Davidolo to Venice, by Napoleon to Paris, and finally restored by Francis II. of Austria to their present position. The Piazza likewise contains the campanile or belfry of St Mark's, a lofty square tower, 316 feet high and 42 on each side, terminated by a pyramidal top, to which the ascent is formed by an easy inclined plane instead of a stair. Adjoining the church is the doge's palace, a marble edifice in the Saracenic style. This magnificent building was first founded in 800, and afterwards five times destroyed; but it rose each time with increasing splendour from its ruins, till in 1354 the Doge Marino Faliero erected the present building. Its form is an irregular square, and the grandeur of its proportions and unity of its design give it a most imposing appearance. From a large quadrangle in the interior, the Giant's Staircase, so called from Sansovino's colossal statues of Mars and Neptune, leads to an open arcade, where stood the celebrated lions' mouths for the receipt of secret information. Many of the halls of the palace are very fine, and their walls and ceilings are profusely covered with paintings by Titian, Tintoretto, Paul Veronese, and other masters. Behind the palace the celebrated Bridge of Sighs gives access over a canal to the horrible dungeons of the old republic, now no longer used. In front of the palace is the Piazzetta, which forms the communication between the great piazza and the lagoon, and is as it were the state entrance to Venice. On the quay of the Piazzetta are placed two magnificent monolithic granite columns, one crowned with the winged lion of St Mark, and the other with the statue of St Theodore, the first patron of the republic. Between these columns was formerly the place for public execution.

Venice contains in all 103 churches and chapels, mostly Roman Catholic, and 7 synagogues. It is divided into 6 quarters, which are subdivided into parishes; and each of the smaller islands in the lagoon has also its church, generally that of a convent. Next to St Mark's, the most interesting churches are that of Santa Maria Gloriosa, containing Titian's and Canova's graves; and that of S. Giovanni 'l Paolo, containing those of many of the doges. There are three theatres, and as many opera-houses. The principal scientific and literary institutions are, the lyceum, which possesses a rich physical cabinet and a botanical garden; the three gymnasiaums; the patriarchal seminary; the college of the Salesians for young ladies; the college for marine cadets; the principal normal school; the atheneum of sciences and literature; the academy or school of the fine arts, whose rooms may be ranked among the finest in Europe, containing a choice collection of casts, a superb picture-gallery adorned with the works of the greatest masters of the Venetian school, and a considerable library formed of the most important works relative to the fine arts. Although entirely reorganised in 1807, this academy may be regarded as the oldest establishment of the kind, for the statutes of the fraternity of artists which it represents are of a date anterior to the year 1345. Lastly, we may notice the library of St Mark, one of the richest in Italy, with a fine cabinet of antiquities and medals, now placed in the great council-hall of the ducal palace. There is, besides, the Cornaroan museum, an immense collection of pictures, medals, books, and curiosities of every kind, bequeathed to the city by a noble Venetian of the Cornaro family. The principal public walks of Venice are the Piazza of San Marco, the Piazzetta, and the Riva degli Schiavoni, a long quay leading to the public gardens, which are finely situate at the south-eastern extremity of the city. The great number of bridges, which all have steps, and the narrowness of the streets, render the use of wheeled carriages impossible; but in their stead there are a great number of boats named gondolas, which form one of the principal characteristics of this singular city.

The most important public institution now at Venice is the arsenal, which is very spacious, being about three miles in circuit, and containing workshops of all kinds, large stores of every article requisite for the outfit of ships of war, and a series of halls in which immense quantities of arms and munitions of war are grouped in a tasteful manner. The hall of models contains a large collection of models of all sorts of ships; and in an adjoining chamber there are busts by Canovo of Emo, a naval hero celebrated in Venetian history, and of General Galtamelta, a commander of high repute. The arsenal contains 32 covered slips for ships of the line, 54 slips for smaller vessels, 4 large basins, 5 cannon-foundries, a ropewalk 910 feet long, extensive workshops for carpenters, ship-builders, &c. The number of people employed, which in the time of the republic was 16,000, is now only from 1000 to 1200. The harbour, though very large, is inaccessible to line-of-battle ships, or even frigates with their guns on board; as even the deepest entrance has only 16 feet water. Venice is the headquarters of the Austrian imperial navy.

For a number of years after the downfall of the republic, Venice exhibited such symptoms of rapid decay, that many were induced to prognosticate that ere long it would be abandoned, and its foundations again buried in the waters. In 1815, many Venetians entertained a natural and laudable wish for the regeneration of their country; but the force of circumstances prevailed, and Venice continued to be an appendage of the Austrian empire. By commerce Venice had become great; and by new commercial regulations, the people believed that she could again be raised to prosperity. The wish for the establishment of a free port was expressed so generally and so loudly, that the government at length consented, and in 1830 the wished-for object was attained. This privilege was withdrawn in consequence of the share taken by Venice in the revolution of 1848-9, but restored in 1851. But though there has been a decided increase in the maritime traffic, yet the magnificent expectations of the citizens have not been realized. Although about 6000 vessels annually enter and leave the harbour, yet it is far surpassed by the neighbouring port of Trieste. Neither have manufactures on an extended scale been yet introduced, though the abundance of low-rented houses and cheap labour seems to offer many advantages. Mirrors, straw-hats, wax candles, catgut, which are the staple productions of Venice, and the like, are articles of trifling importance compared with objects of universal consumption. It is however already a great point gained, that a stop has been put to the diminution of trade and population, which were rapidly melting away. The progress of decay has been arrested, and things are again improving, though but slowly. The Venetians are recovering their ancient habits of prudence and activity; but much yet remains to be done before they can be relieved of the general reproach of indolence. Scarcely any kind of labour in Venice is performed by natives; and many strangers find employment as water-carriers, servants, &c.

All Italy is distinguished for the number of its charitable institutions, and in this respect Venice holds a prominent place. Indeed, a large number of such establishments was rendered necessary by the decayed condition of the city, as at the time when the French evacuated it not less than half the population were dependent on charity. There are at present 23 hospitals of various kinds, besides 40 religious fraternities, many of which are devoted to charitable purposes.

A railroad has been recently constructed connecting Venice with Milan, passing through Padua, Vicenza, Verona, and Brescia, a distance of 166 miles, nearly upon one level. The greatest work on this line is a magnificent viaduct of more than 200 arches, carrying the road across the lagune, exceeding 2 miles of mud and water. The population of Venice, which was once as much as 200,000, but had sunk in 1800 to 90,000, was in 1851 (exclusive of the garrison and visitors), 123,290; in 1852, 110,429; and in 1857, 118,120.

To the north of the city is the small town of Murano, whose glassworks were in great repute for several centuries, though their productions are now inferior to those of France, England, and Bohemia; and to the eastward is San Lazzaro degli Armeni, an island with a convent inhabited by Armenian monks, who devote themselves to the education of their countrymen, and the cultivation of their national literature. They have a printing-press, from which have issued several useful works in their national language. For an account of the Venetian territory, see Lombardy.