Water cities

[elarbee]

I've never been to Venice, but I think the same question would apply to what I've observed in Amsterdam and Brugge. How is it that houses are built on the water so long ago and they're still standing? From what I understand, water is not so good for a foundation. I read that the houses in Venice are on wooden piles, but it seems like the joints and some of the bricks are submerged, too. Was the area more drained at the time or did construction happen in scuba gear? What's maintenance like? If anyone just wants to send me a link to a concise history or a diagram or something, that would be awesome!

Comments

[3eta.livejournal.com]

Насколько я слышала, в нынешней Венеции весь народ живет повыше, а дома на воде - для туристов (потому что никому не нравится жить в сырости).
Думаю, сейчас там бетонные сваи, но наверняка не знаю.

[elarbee.livejournal.com]

Но все-таки хоть кто-то там живет! Я знаю что там поднимается уровень воды и видела фотографии где окна в нижнем этаже заделанны, но не знаю. А деревянные сваи говорят в воде не разлогаются.

[vg36.livejournal.com]

Venice is not actually on water. At the basis of it all are low-lying islands. The island soil is at bottom some sort of compressed clay caranto, into which the wood piles are driven vertically. What prevents rotting is the clay and packing the wooden piles closely, so as to prevent oxygen getting in and helping decay.

For example, when the Campanile in the Piazza San Marco collapsed in 1920, the thousand-year old pilings below it were reportedly in great condition. (The reason for the collapse was that the tower has been built up several times putting too much pressure on the piles below, not that the piles were rotten, but simply not enough to keep up all the added weight.)

(Infor is from the Eyewitness Travel Guide.)

[elarbee.livejournal.com]

OK, I get that. But looking at the pictures, there is still some amount of brick and mortar or other building materials that are submerged. Are the wood piles close enough under them so as to form a platform?

[vg36.livejournal.com]

The pine woodpiles go as deep as 7.5 meters. And what you see is not regular brick, it is a kind of marble. The guidebook shows that the marble brick is right on top of the woodpiles.

[elarbee.livejournal.com]

Yes, but how far apart are the piles spaced? And how is the marble held together? (I'm just being overly curious, I guess.)

[vg36.livejournal.com]

I'll try to scan the pages tomorrow, but I think it may be rather disappointing. My guess would be that they would put in probably four or five rows (or more) one right next to each other along the perimeter of the island.