Venice, due to being surrounded by sea water, left it's residents to look towards the sky for fresh water. The Piazza San Marco and the cities various campos, have systems designed to capture rain water for use. In the center of the square a well provided access to an underground cistern that was supplied with water from the four drains that surrounded it. The well provided water to the residents who would drop buckets down to collect it. These can still be seen today.

Now, due to the sinking of the city and the raising of the sea water, an interesting phenomenon occurs at times in the winter months when the tide is at it's highest...the water comes up through these very drains that once used to supply the Venetians with their fresh drinking water. During my time in Venice this last weekend, I had the "opportunity" to witness such an event.

In the areas where piazza is at it's lowest, which is in even outlined with lines in the paving that also used to provide an outline of the underlying cistern, the water sits in the plaza. It actually makes for beautiful pictures with the reflection of the surrounding buildings but is nevertheless an unfortunate event to see.

Throughout the flooded areas, makeshift pedestrian bridges were created to allow tourists to make their way through the plaza. The familiar sounds of orchestras playing and sights of people being engulfed by hungry pigeons are not seen.