Seen from a distance, the visually astonishing structures of Venice rise up in a unique architectural fantasy that begs the question: how did this city come to be? This intelligent guide does justice to the only city of consequence to have remained almost entirely unchanged from prior centuries. Unlike other guidebooks that are burdened with unrelated facts and utilitarian information, John W. Higson Jr. conveys the most vibrant and essential aspects of the city's cultural, social, and political heritage. Here Venice is portrayed in all its magnificence, including fascinating revelations on its colorful past, precarious future, and place in the Mediterranean world as a whole.
