Venice kicks off year-long 1600th anniversary celebrations

Venice has launched a year of celebrations marking its 1600th anniversary, officially opened on March 25, 2021 and running until March 25, 2022. The founding date of March 25, 421 is traditionally linked to the consecration of the Church of San Giacomo di Rialto, considered the city's oldest church, and is recorded in the Chronicon Altinate manuscript and the diaries of Renaissance historian Marin Sanudo. The municipality of Venice, led by Mayor Luigi Brugnaro, is coordinating the program, which involves numerous cultural institutions, associations, and entities from Italy and abroad. Events are listed on the portal 1600venezia.it, where proposals can still be submitted; they must have a historical or cultural connection to Venice and can be physical, virtual, or extended in duration. A Technical Secretariat and Scientific Committee will review submissions. The celebrations follow a recent decree banning large cruise ships from the San Marco basin, aiming to reduce environmental impact and promote sustainable tourism. The anniversary was previewed by a video installation on the Rialto Bridge during the Christmas holidays.