Venezuela and Venice: the thing with names
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Photo by Samuele Bertoli on Unsplash
Photo by Jose Gregorio Hernandez
In particular, the small huts of the indigenous population, which were built on stilts, reminded him of Venetian architecture - as did the landscape criss-crossed by waterways. Vespucci and his team therefore called the area ‘Veneziola’ (little Venice). In Spanish, this became ‘Venezuela’ - the name the country still bears today.
Photo by Jose Gregorio Hernandez
Photo by Cristina Gottardi on Unsplash
Did you know? The name Venice (Venezia) goes back to the Venetian people, who have lived in Veneto since ancient times. When Germanic tribes invaded after the fall of Rome, many inhabitants sought refuge on the lagoon islands. The first settlements were established there, which later developed into the city of Venice - named after the Veneti.
