Venice: The Arsenale
It is the ultimate in political one-upmanship. Want to impress a foreign leader with the power and efficiency of your navy? Then have a ship built at the Arsenale di Venezia while you are having dinner with your guest. At the height of the Most Serene Republic’s power, several of the Doges of Venice used this tactic, showing off their might to potential adversaries. Located on the eastern side of the city, in the Castello sestiere (district), the Arsenale (the…