VENICE CANALS

Description

Essentials about the Venice Canals in brief

The Venice Canals are one of the most unusual sights of Los Angeles. Those who expect to find a replica of Venice in LA will be a little disappointed, because the Venice Canals are an ensemble of only six canals. Nevertheless, the canals, located in the Pacific Ocean suburb of Venice Beach, somehow manage to bring a bit of Venetian flair to the otherwise so concreted-over LA, thanks to their charming bridges and the pretty beach houses standing on their banks. So if you want to take a more unusual walk in Los Angeles, you should definitely stroll along the Venice Canals – and of course you can also play gondolier on the canals themselves with a (non-motorized) boat.

The history and layout of the Venice Canals

The Venice Canals date back to land developer Abbot Kinney. Kinney had a system of canals built in Venice Beach in 1905, both to replicate the charm of Venice in Los Angeles and to increase the value of land in the area.

However, after the automobile began its success story in the U.S. in the 1920s and canals were seen as increasingly antiquated, the decision was made in 1929 to fill in the Venice Canals and build over them with roads. Only the six canals that remain today were spared at that time. Today’s canals are located between Eastern Court to the east, Court A to the south, Strongs Drive to the west, and Court E to the north. Four of the six canals run east-west (Carroll Canal, Linnie Canal, Howland Canal, and Sherman Canal) and two run north-south (Eastern Canal and Grand Canal).

Over the next several decades, the canals and the properties adjacent to them fell into increasing disrepair. It was not until the early 1990s that the Vencie Canals were rehabilitated and new walkways were constructed along their banks. Finally, in 1993, the canals were reopened. Since then, the Venice Canals have once again become a highly desirable residential area due to their uniqueness and proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Those who want to live here usually have to put over a million dollars on the table for a “Venetian” house.