Aerial view of Venice, Italy Jan 2, 2026

Seeing Venice from above is mesmerising, but this Italian gem"s true magic lies within its walls and waterways. Founded in the 5th century on a cluster of islands in the Venetian Lagoon, the early settlement rose from marshland to become a maritime powerhouse. By the Middle Ages, it had evolved into a major hub for trade between Europe and the East, fuelling immense wealth and cultural growth. The city"s grandeur shines through its Gothic palaces, Renaissance art and landmarks such as St. Mark"s Basilica, the Doge"s Palace and the Rialto Bridge.

© Clement Leonard/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Jan 2, 2024Jaswant Thada and Mehrangarh Fort, India
Jan 2, 2025Ardez village, Graubunden, Switzerland

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Mar 9, 2026Grey seal sleeping on the beach, Orkney Islands, Scotland
Oct 13, 2024Royal Alcázar of Seville, Spain
Dec 11, 2024Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Italy
Jun 30, 2025Wolfe Creek Crater, Australia
Nov 3, 2023Pacific sea nettle jellyfish
Aug 30, 2024Whale shark
Jan 1, 2025Polar bears in the Arctic
Nov 14, 2024Manarola, Cinque Terre National Park, Liguria, Italy
Jul 12, 2024Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, USA
Jun 6, 2024Greater flamingos at Pont de Gau Ornithological Park, Camargue, France
May 19, 2025Mount Hamilton, San Francisco Bay Area, California, United States
Dec 13, 2024St. Stephens Basilica, Budapest, Hungary
Dec 4, 2024Male white rhinoceroses
May 19, 2024Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Liguria, Italy
Mar 22, 2024Blue Spring, Te Waihou Walkway, New Zealand
Sep 9, 2025Eurasian red squirrel
Feb 13, 2024Saint-Pierre-Quiberon, France
Dec 17, 2024Reine, Norway
Jan 5, 2026A herd of impalas
Dec 19, 2025Bormio, Lombardy, Italy
Nov 23, 2025Ammonite fossil from Madagascar
Jul 31, 2024Hoodoos, Sunset Point, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA
Feb 22, 2026Mam Tor, Derbyshire, England
Sep 16, 2023Splügen Pass, Switzerland
Jan 16, 2026Leopard at Etosha National Park, Namibia
Sep 27, 2025Tank Lakes, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Washington, United States
Apr 15, 2025Castillo de La Calahorra, Granada, Spain
Jun 13, 2024Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Aug 25, 2023Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
Jul 29, 2025Bengal tiger, India