The Engineeering Below Venice

Venice is a lovely city in Italy that uses canals instead of roads, which draws tourists from all over the world. At one time it was a trading powerhouse and the center of international finance. But how did this unique city come about? The first inhabitants were refugees fleeing from barbarian attacks on the mainland, who ended up in a group of clay islands out in a lagoon. Why they stayed out there tells us something about the safety of the dark ages.

The residents of Venice figured out how to make those 126 muddy islands stable enough to build a city upon, and how to furnish it with fresh water as the population grew. The engineering marvel that is Venice has stood for more than a thousand years. This video has a one-minute skippable ad at 3:50. (Thanks, Brother Bill!)