fragilità urbana

Venice is very fragile because of the elements which make it exceptional: its morphology, its relationship to the water, the materials used to create it and the rich variety and density of its historical buildings and monuments.

Manifestations, causes and consequences

In the last decades, the growth in the frequency of high water occurrences, the aggressive effects caused by wave motion and pollution, the inadequate maintenance of the city and its buildings, the low level of innovation, the choice of intense use, often not respectful of some of its parts, the pressure exerted by millions of tourists, have accentuated the physical fragility of the city, of its monuments, and of its liveability.

In Venice, there are particular deterioration conditions due to the city's unique urban structure and its unique relationship to the water. On the one hand the salt rise (risalita salina), caused by the increased frequency of floods, is damaging buildings. On the other, there are intrinsic difficulties in building restoration and maintenance.
Material like wood and reed which were used to build most of the historic buildings in Venice, make the city exceptionally vulnerable to fires. Maintenance is difficult and costly due to the urban structure. Whether from difficulties, lack of maintenance has given rise to situations of deterioration and collapse.

The rich cultural and artistic heritage of Venice make it an exceptional city, but also contribute to its delicate intrinsic condition. Pollution in the atmosphere as well as salt damage incurred by high water have not only meant the deterioration of historic buildings, but also an increase in their fragility.
The fragility of the city is most evident along urban canals. It is along these canals, that the waves created by motor vessels and motor boats cause considerable damage to the footings and foundations of buildings.

Mobility in the city is conditioned by the height of tides. High and low tides can create great difficulties for navigation, for the supplying of goods, and for public transport. High tides hinder pedestrian circulation. Special raised wooden walkways, in case of high waters, can help to a certain extent along main pedestrian routes, though they can be difficult and slow.


Following fire or collapse, damaged buildings often remain abandoned also because of restoration costs. The special and unique structure of Venice has created the need for specific monitoring systems and very efficient and costly checking devices, this means an increase in management costs for public and private activities.