Venice is a city in Italy. This city is very old. It is 1600 years old. But Venice is not like other cities. Venice is built on water. Many people ask: “How does Venice not fall down?” The answer is: wood, mud, and water.
Wood Under the City
Long ago, people took many trees. They cut the trees into long poles. Then they put the poles into the mud. These poles are made from oak, pine, and other trees.
These wood poles go deep into the mud. They are very strong. The buildings in Venice stand on these wood poles.
Why the Wood Does Not Break
Usually, wood breaks in water. But in Venice, the wood is safe. Why?
- The water in Venice has no air. This helps the wood stay strong.
- The wood is under mud and water, so it is safe from wind and sun.
- The water is cold and still, so the wood does not move or break.
Even after many years, the wood is still good.
A Smart System
The old builders were very smart. They used a simple system:
- Wood is strong and holds the buildings.
- Mud keeps the wood in place.
- Water helps the wood stay safe.
All three things work together. That is why Venice still stands today.
Venice is not the only city that uses wood. Cities like Amsterdam also use wood under buildings. But Venice is the most famous city on water. It still uses this old system today.
Is Venice Falling Now?
Some buildings in Venice are slowly going down. One tower has gone down 60 cm in 600 years. But most buildings are still strong.
A team of scientists looked under the buildings. They saw that the wood was a little bit damaged, but the system still works.
New Buildings and Wood
In the past, people stopped using wood. They started to use cement. But now, some builders use wood again. Wood is light, strong, and good in earthquakes. Many new tall buildings use wood today.
Venice is a very old city. It is special because it is built on water. The secret is in the wood, mud, and water. The old builders did a great job. They used simple things, but they made a strong city. Venice is a great example of smart building without machines.
Source: bbc.com
Vocabulary for the Article
City – A big place where many people live and work.
Sentence: Venice is a city in Italy.
Old – Something that has lived or existed for a long time.
Sentence: Venice is 1600 years old.
Water – A clear liquid we drink and that is in rivers and seas.
Sentence: Venice is built on water.
Wood – The hard part of a tree used to build things.
Sentence: People used wood to build the city.
Mud – Wet earth or soil, soft and sticky.
Sentence: The wood poles go into the mud.
Pole – A long piece of wood or metal.
Sentence: They put wood poles into the ground.
Tree – A tall plant with leaves and branches.
Sentence: They cut trees to make poles.
Deep – Going far down.
Sentence: The poles go deep into the mud.
Strong – Not easy to break.
Sentence: The wood is strong.
Build – To make something, like a house or city.
Sentence: People build houses with wood.
Stay – To not move or fall.
Sentence: Venice can stay above water.
Break – To split or stop working.
Sentence: The wood does not break in water.
Air – The gas we breathe.
Sentence: There is no air in the mud.
Safe – Not in danger.
Sentence: The wood is safe in the water.
Together – With other things or people.
Sentence: Wood, water, and mud work together.
System – A group of things that work together.
Sentence: The system of wood, mud, and water is strong.
Fall – To go down from a high place.
Sentence: The city does not fall.
Tower – A tall building or part of a building.
Sentence: One tower in Venice is going down slowly.
New – Not old.
Sentence: People now build new buildings with wood.
Cement – A hard material used to build strong things.
Sentence: People use cement to build many houses today.
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