How Venice's buildings have stood for centuries on millions of wooden piles
AI summary
Venice stands on millions of wooden piles driven into lagoon mud, which have endured for centuries because waterlogged, low‑oxygen conditions inhibit decay. The piles, made from alder, oak, larch and other woods, were tightly packed, forming a stable platform for the city's historic buildings.
Key takeaways
- Builders hammered up to nine piles per square metre, creating a dense foundation.
- The Rialto Bridge rests on about 14,000 piles, while St. Mark’s Basilica uses around 10,000 oak piles.
- Low oxygen in the submerged soil slows fungal decay, though bacteria still cause gradual deterioration.
- Rising sea levels and flooding now threaten Venice’s ancient wooden foundations.
Read the original at Times of India
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