The city of Venezia (Venice), founded in the fifth century, is built upon one-hundred and eighteen islands lying in the saltwater lagoons of the Adriatic Sea in Northern Italy. The islands are separated by one-hundred and fifty canals and connected by four-hundred bridges and her buildings stand on wooden piles driven into the bed of the lagoon. By the ten century Venice had become a major maritime power and her wealth brought about an extraordinary architectural, aritistic and cultural renaissance which created some of the finest buildings and pieces of art ever produced. The city and its lagoon are recongised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.