Venice, this wonderful city rising out of the water, was one of the wonders in Europe, and during the 15th and 16th century one the richest in the Mediterranean Sea with a population of approx. 170.00 thousand inhabitants.
More than 11.000 were courtesans...In a cosmopolitan and active city like Venice, at the time of the Serenissima the courtesan phenomenon found fertile ground. The Republic was not only the beating heart of a thriving commercial activity, but also a center of passage for merchants , for pilgrims, people on the move, foreigners of all sorts .Many were those who went to the lagoon due to the high number of precious relics. As many as those that arrived in the wake of the oriental routes for the sale of luxury goods. The phenomenon of prostitution flourished in this purely male environment. Like most activities it was not only controlled by the city government but also used as a tool to maintain public order
Let’s explore the Venetian courtesan culture
