The incredible engineering of Venice - Stephanie H. Smith (Level 1)

Long ago, people in Italy needed a safe place to hide from enemies. They moved to a wet, muddy area. This place became the city of Venice. To build houses, they pushed long pieces of wood deep into the mud. The mud protected the wood. Amazingly, this wood still holds the city up today. Venice has no roads, only water. People travel on boats or walk over bridges. Because they had no farms, they bought and sold things to make money. Venice became very rich and famous for its art and glass. Today, Venice is a famous place for visitors. But the city has big problems. The water is getting higher. Famous buildings flood many times a year. Fast boats also damage the mud under the city. People must work hard to save this special floating city.