# Venice Water Authority

> office of the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport; former ministry of Venice

**Wikidata**: [Q3276999](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3276999)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magistrato_alle_acque)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/venice-water-authority

## Summary
The Venice Water Authority (*Magistrato alle acque*) was a public administration and research institute operating as an office of the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. Established in its modern form on May 5, 1907, the authority traced its origins to 1600 under the Republic of Venice. Headquartered at the Palazzo dei Dieci Savi in Venice, the entity ceased operations on June 13, 2014.

## Key Facts
- **Official Name:** Magistrato alle acque
- **Instance of:** Public administration, Research institute
- **Location:** Venice, Italy (Headquarters: Palazzo dei Dieci Savi)
- **Modern Inception:** May 5, 1907 (under the Kingdom of Italy)
- **Historical Origins:** 1600 (under the Republic of Venice)
- **Dissolution Date:** June 13, 2014
- **Parent Body:** Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport
- **Website:** http://www.magisacque.it
- **Identifiers:** VIAF ID 264660617; GND ID 4303883-9

## FAQs
### Q: What was the Venice Water Authority?
A: The Venice Water Authority was an office of the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and a former ministry of Venice. It functioned as a public administration body and a research institute.

### Q: Where was the Venice Water Authority located?
A: The authority was headquartered in Venice, Italy, specifically within the Palazzo dei Dieci Savi.

### Q: Is the Venice Water Authority still active?
A: No, the authority had an end time of June 13, 2014, and is no longer active.

### Q: When was the authority originally founded?
A: The organization has historical roots dating back to 1600 under the Republic of Venice, though its modern iteration was established on May 5, 1907, by the Kingdom of Italy.

## Why It Matters
The Venice Water Authority represents a significant lineage in Italian public administration, bridging the governance of the historical Republic of Venice with the modern Italian state. As a "former ministry of Venice" that evolved into an office of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, it played a central role in the management of the region's unique aquatic infrastructure. Its classification as both a public administration body and a research institute highlights the specialized nature of its mandate, which required both regulatory oversight and scientific inquiry.

The authority's long history—spanning from 1600 to its 2014 dissolution—demonstrates the enduring administrative necessity of managing Venice's complex relationship with water. By operating out of the historic Palazzo dei Dieci Savi, the entity symbolized a continuity of civic duty focused on the preservation and study of the lagoon environment until its functions were presumably reorganized or absorbed in 2014.

## Notable For
- **Historical Continuity:** Possessing a dual heritage with origins in 1600 (Republic of Venice) and a modern re-establishment in 1907 (Kingdom of Italy).
- **Dual Classification:** Being recognized uniquely as both a public administration office and a research institute.
- **Historic Headquarters:** Operating from the Palazzo dei Dieci Savi, a significant location in Venice.
- **National Significance:** Serving as a specific office under the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.

## Body
### Organizational Identity and Status
The Venice Water Authority, known in Italian as the *Magistrato alle acque*, functioned as a distinct office within the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. Historically, it served as a "ministry of Venice." In terms of organizational classification, the entity is defined as an instance of both **public administration** and a **research institute**. This dual nature suggests a mandate that combined regulatory oversight with scientific study.

### Historical Timeline
The authority features a complex historical timeline with two distinct inception points:
- **1600:** The original inception of the body under the Republic of Venice.
- **1907-05-05:** The re-establishment or formalization of the authority under the Kingdom of Italy.

The entity ceased to exist in its described form on **June 13, 2014**.

### Location and Assets
The authority was physically based in **Venice, Italy**. Its specific headquarters were located in the **Palazzo dei Dieci Savi**. Visual records of the organization include a specific logo (*Stemma del Magistrato alle acque di Venezia*) and photographs of its headquarters building.

### Digital and Academic Presence
The Venice Water Authority maintained a digital presence via its official website, *magisacque.it*, and had content available in six languages on Wikipedia (including Italian, English, French, and Russian). It is indexed in major authority files including the **GND (4303883-9)**, **VIAF (264660617)**, and **IDREF (057872155)**, confirming its recognition in academic and library science contexts.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. German National Library