| Description | Francesco's Venice gives a unique insight into the inner workings of one of the most beautiful cities in the world; exploring Venice's remarkable history, from the fifth century when the first settlers retreated to the safety of the lagoon and began to create their homes on its tiny islands, through its glorious years as a successful maritime nation, adept and trade,exploration, diplomacy and protecting its independence, to the fragile city of the twenty-first century. Venice's history is a tale of warfare and conspiracies, of artistic excellence and ingenuity, of the battle of wills and of ideas, and of strength in the face of disaster, Francesco vividly brings to life the places, events and people that have sculpted this living theatre through the ages. These include a colourful array of his own ancestors, such as the six da Mostos who were involved in the rise and fall of the ambitious and corrupt Doge Falier, and the young Alvise da Mosto, a courageous and determined explorer of the fifteenth century. |
