The floods in Venice that have killed two people and damaged hundreds of buildings, including St Mark's Basilica, appear inexorable.
The city is a fragile treasure built on 118 islands off Italy's north-east coast. In a way, it's a miracle that Venice has managed to survive and thrive for more than 1,000 years. It built a naval and commercial empire and created an immense collection of palaces and churches full of priceless paintings, to which an estimated 20 million tourists flock every year.
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