Save Venice moved quickly to support efforts to mitigate the effects of corrosive saltwater and deposits in the churches, museums, and comparable public buildings that experienced the tidal flooding. Projects also included emergency conservation treatment for paintings, stonework, floors, wooden furnishings, and books and archival documents, as well as preventative conservation to minimalize damage from future floods.

The ongoing impact of Save Venice’s swift actions spans across the city and to-date have benefitted more than 22 sites including:

13 Churches
Basilica di San Marco
Santa Maria Assunta on the Island of Torcello
Santa Maria dei Carmini
Santa Maria del Giglio
Santa Maria dei Miracoli
Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari
Santi Apostoli
Santi Maria e Donato on the Island of Murano
San Moisè
San Pantalon
San Polo
San Sebastiano
San Stae

2 Museums
Galleria Giorgio Franchetti at the Ca’ d’Oro
Jewish Museum in the Ghetto Ebraico di Venezia

2 Confraternities (scuole)
Scuola Dalmata di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni
Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista

4 Cultural and Educational Institutions
Conservatorio Benedetto Marcello in Palazzo Pisani
Fondazione Giorgio Cini
Fondazione Querini Stampalia
Teatro La Fenice

1 Cemetery
Jewish Cemetery on the Lido

By giving to the fund, your contribution will allow Save Venice to continue these vital efforts. Thank you for being an advocate and supporter for this remarkable city. We will continue to do what our track record proves we do best: protect Venice’s irreplaceable artistic heritage.
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Is Venice still flooded?
No! The last of the exceptional high tides occurred just before Christmas in December 2019. Streets and squares are dry. Businesses are operational and public and private water transportation is available.

Should we visit Venice now or will our presence seem burdensome to the locals?
Visiting Venice and supporting the local businesses still recovering from the financial losses they incurred in November and December 2019 is a terrific way to support Venetians.

What is the difference between acqua alta and other types of flooding?
Venice is located on the sea and the water level in the city’s canals is determined by the sea tide level. The city usually experiences two high tides and two low tides in each 24-hour period.

Acqua alta occurs when the predicted tide level is above the elevation of the city’s streets and ground floors, causing temporary tidal flooding in some areas. Acqua alta is temporary and usually lasts only a few hours before the water completely recedes. Events can range from minor resulting in just a few centimeters of water covering the lowest-lying areas of the city like Piazza San Marco, to exceptional, that results in several feet of water covering a majority of the city’s streets and inside the ground floor of buildings throughout of the city.

Venetians are resilient and are equipped to deal with routine/seasonal acqua alta. When it occurs, they usually put on their boots and go about their business as normal. Raised walkways are set up around the city to allow citizens and visitors alike to walk the streets, every corner store sells high water boots, and only very rarely is a vaporetto re-routed or an event cancelled.

For more information about high tides in Venice, visit:
Comune di Venezia

Save Venice is the leading American non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the artistic heritage of Venice, Italy for the world. Founded in response to the floods of 1966, the worst in recorded history, and incorporated in 1971, Save Venice has since worked tirelessly to preserve, protect, and promote the art and culture of Venice and has funded the conservation of more than 550 projects comprising over 1,000 individual artworks. In 2015, Save Venice established the Rosand Library & Study Center in Venice, creating a nexus for the research of Venetian art, history, and conservation. Save Venice also provides grants for fellowships, exhibitions, and publications to advance Venetian scholarship and conservation.

Amy Gross, Executive Director | amy@savevenice.org

Melissa Conn, Director, Venice office | melissa@savevenice.org

NPR: Venice Hit By A Record 3rd High Tide