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Venice - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
 | | In building its maritime commercial empire, the Republic acquired control of most of the islands in the Aegean, including Cyprus and Crete, and became a major power-broker in the Near East. |
 | | By the standards of the time, Venice's stewardship of its mainland territories was relatively enlightened and the citizens of such towns as Bergamo, Brescia, and Verona rallied to the defence of Venetian sovereignty when it was threatened by invaders. |
 | | Venice in summer, with the Rialto Bridge in the background |
| en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Venice (3947 words) |
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