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21 March 2021 The city of Venice celebrates 1600 years since its foundation, which from Thursday 25 March until the end of 2022 will propose a calendar of events to tell the story, the excellence, the culture that made it an icon in 16 centuries world.
The super-birthday, in the intentions of the municipal administration, can only be a sign of rebirth, of contrast to the pandemic, which has emptied it of tourists.
The first official moment of the program will be next Thursday, 25 March 2021, 1600 years from the date on which the legend traces the laying of the first stone of the church of San Giacomo di Rialto (San Giacometto), 25 March 421.
In reality, historians do not agree on an exact date, because that period was marked by the evolution of continuous migratory flows, and the settlements of the first inhabitants on the islets of the lagoon were joined by the Venetians who fled the mainland from the onslaught of the barbarians.
But anyway, by convention the foundation of Venice is testified by the manuscript source of the Chronicon Altinate, and in more recent times, Marin Sanudo, who, describing the great Rialto fire of 1514, wrote: "Solum remained standing the church of San Giacomo di Rialto, which was the first church built in Venetia of 421 on 25 March, as in our chronic leze ".
The celebrations will begin on Thursday 25 March: at 11 am, coinciding with the Annunciation, in the Basilica of San Marco, Patriarch Francesco Moraglia will celebrate a mass which, to avoid gatherings, will be broadcast live on television through the 'Antenna 3' network. and the Facebook profile of 'Gente Veneta'.
In the afternoon, at 4 pm, all the churches of the patriarchate will ring their bells.
At 6.30 pm Rai will pay tribute to the lagoon city, broadcasting on Rai 2 a special dedicated to Venice with which, through images and music, the 16 centuries of history of the Serenissima will be told, with a look to the future .
The anniversary events will continue until 2022. There are 235 proposals for initiatives, presented by 135 subjects, which arrived following the international call launched by the Committee for the celebrations of 1,600 years, set up by the Municipality of Venice.
The proposals must be characterized by a historical and cultural link with Venice, in its dimension as a city of land and water and may take place in the national territory as well as in other European and non-European countries.
The proposals include single celebratory events, but also actions with a longer time duration.
The logo of the celebrations well summarizes the image of Venice: a graphic sign that unites the lion of San Marco, the three domes of the basilica and the quadrilobes of the Doge's palace.
In view of the events of the 1600 years, Venice confirms in the meantime two appointments in attendance for spring-summer: the new edition of the Salone Nautico at the Arsenale (from May 29 to June 6), and from May 22 the Architecture Biennale.