How many islands is the city of Venice, Italy built on?

The city of Venice, Italy is built upon 118 islands. This city was established around 402 AD. People in the area were faced with the need for more space and a stronger foundation to live on. They had to find ways to strengthen the islands, drain them, enlarge them, and protect their fragile environment. They decided to dig hundreds of canals and shored up the banks with wood pilings.

They also used wood pilings as foundations for the buildings that they constructed. The settlers pounded thousands of wooden piles into the area mud surroundings. They had to cut off the tops of the piles to create solid platforms for the foundations of homes and other structures. Because the wooden piles were used underwater, they didn’t rot. This fact seems hard to believe. However, there are many buildings in Venice today that are still standing on 1000 year old piles of wood.