Navigare et Regere: Venetian Cartography Through the Centuries—From Planning Tool to Symbol of Power

Navigare et regere, are two key words that well summarize the fundamental uses and values that the Serenissima has always attributed to its cartographic production. This presentation aims to provide brief reflections on the Venetian cartography through some historical documents drawn up between the XVI and XVIII centuries, paying particular attention to the different features assumed, in relation to cultural contexts, political situations, economic needs, interests related to navigation, control and management of specific territorial areas, as well as the definition of new urban layouts. In fact, the Venetian cartographic manufacture includes various iconographic typologies ranging from the well-known nautical charts to territorial, administrative and micro-area maps, each suitable for performing one of the multiple functions of the State. In this way, the cartographic document is used not only as a tool for territorial governance but also as a mean to certify and self-celebrate the monopoly, the power and the greatness of the Venetian Republic as the words “Golfo di Venezia ovvero Mare Adriatico” testify, even years after his “fall” in 1797.