Venice Floods: 187cm Acqua Alta Devastates Cultural Heritage

On November 12, 2019, Venice experienced its worst flooding since 1966, with water levels peaking at 187 cm and inundating 80% of the city. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro declared a state of calamity. The Basilica of San Marco was flooded with 110 cm of water, damaging its mosaic floor and crypt. Museums including MUVE (Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia) and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection closed; the Biennale also shut but reported no major damage. At Ca' Pesaro, a fire broke out due to an electrical fault, causing a ceiling collapse. The Fondazione Querini Stampalia suffered severe damage to its library. Teatro La Fenice had service areas flooded but the structure remained intact. The MOSE flood barrier project, costing €5.5 billion, remains non-operational due to incomplete motor testing. Codacons announced a legal complaint for damage to national heritage, citing MOSE's potential role in altering the lagoon's morphology. The Ministry of Cultural Heritage (Mibact) is assessing damages, with Secretary General Salvo Nastasi stating the situation is extremely complex. Bad weather also affected Matera, where streets turned into rivers among the Sassi.